15 April 2019
|
This is an absolute gem of a book for Roman re-enactors, collectors or wargamers as it describes the late era Roman Army from 284-476AD, its history, organisation and equipment.
Author: Gabriele Esposito
Reviewed by: Duncan Evans
This is an absolute gem of a book for Roman re-enactors, collectors or wargamers as it describes the late era Roman Army from 284-476AD, its history, organisation and equipment. Now this could be very dry but, amongst the history and descriptions of how and why the army developed and changes, are almost endless full colour photos of re-enactors at work, showing off armour, weapons or strategies. There’s plenty of detail on the uniforms worn as well as the weapons used by the Romans.
For those with a more scholarly interest, the first appendix shows the emblems and lists the components of each individual army. You can also read about why the late Roman military declined and the influence of the barbarian hordes. And just to round things off, there’s the high command structure for the armies plus the contact details for the re-enactor groups that have brought the book to life. If the structure and disposition of Roman armies is your area of interest, it’s a vivid and indispensible guide.
• Pen & Sword
• 186 pages • Hardback • £19.99
As reviewed in The Armourer April 2019
Sometimes we may include links to online retailers, from which we might receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate links do not influence editorial coverage and will only be used when covering relevant products.