Great Battles of the Early Roman Empire

A renowned historian presents eight of the greatest, most significant battles from the first two and a half centuries of Rome's Imperial period.

Dr Simon Elliott describes eight of the greatest, most decisive of the Roman Empire of the first to third centuries. The list includes battles fought from the highlands of Scotland and the forests of Germany to the deserts of the Middle East, revealing how the vaunted Roman legions adapted to extremes of terrain and climate as well as a wide array of very different foes, from the wild Caledonian tribes to the sophisticated, combined-arms armies of Sassanid Persia with their war elephants and superb cavalry. Some of the battles even pit the Roman legions against their own kind in brutal civil wars.

After detailing the Imperial Roman army's organization, equipment, tactics and doctrine, Elliot describes each battle in detail, setting the strategic context and background of the chosen engagement before analyzing the size and composition of the opposing force and the nature of the enemy faced. The maneuvers leading up to the battle are described, followed by deployment and the course of the fighting itself, as well as the aftermath and implications of the battles outcome. The well-researched and engaging book is supported by clear maps.

“An extraordinary and highly prized pick for personal, professional, community, and university library collections.” —Midwest Book Review