Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome

by Stephen Dando-Collins

• ISBN13: 9780471269335
• ISBN10: 0471269336
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2002-07-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

"A unique and splendidly researched story, following the trials and triumphs of Julius Caesar's Legio X-arguably the most famous legion of its day-from its activation to the slogging battle of Munda and from Thapsus, Caesar's tactical masterpiece, to the grim siege of the Jewish fortress of Masada. More than a mere unit account, it incorporates the history of Rome and the Roman army at the height of their power and gory glory. Many military historians consider Caesar's legions the world's most efficient infantry before the arrival of gunpowder. This book shows why. Written in readable, popular style, Caesar's Legion is a must for military buffs and anyone interested in Roman history at a critical point in European civilization." -T. R. Fehrenbach, author of This Kind of War, Lone Star, and ComanchesStephen Dando-Collins paints a vivid and definitive portrait of daily life in the Tenth Legion as he follows Caesar and his men along the blood-soaked fringes of the Empire. This unprecedented regimental history reveals countless previously unknown details about Roman military practices, Caesar's conduct as a commander and his relationships with officers and legionaries, and the daily routine and discipline of the Legion. From penetrating insights into the mind of history's greatest general to a grunt's-eye view of the gruesome realities of war in the Classical Age, this unique and riveting true account sets a new standard of exellence and detail to which all authors of ancient military history will now aspire.

Author Biography

Stephen Dando-Collins is an Australian-born researcher, editor, and author who has spent the last three decades identifying and studying the individual legions of the Roman army of the late Republic and the empire of the Caesars

Table of Contents

Atlas.

Acknowledgments.

Author's Note.

Staring Defeat in the Face.

Impatient for Glory.

Savaging the Swiss, Overrunning the Germans.

Conquering Gaul.

Invading Britain.

Revolt and Revenge.

Enemy of the State.

Broken Promises.

The Race for Durres.

A Taste of Defeat.

The Battle of Pharsalus.

The Sour Taste of Victory.

The Murder of Pompey the Great.

The Power of a Single Word.

The North African Campaign.

Caesar's Last Battle.

Mark Antony's Men.

Philippi and Actium.

In the Name of the Emperor.

Knocked into Shape by Corbulo.

Orders from the Emperor.

Objective Jerusalem.

The End of the Holy City.

Masada.

Last Days.

Appendix A: The Legions of Rome, 30 B.C.-A.D. 233.

Appendix B: The Reenlistment Factor.

Appendix C: The Uniqueness of the Legion Commands in Egypt and Judea.

Appendix D: The Naming and Numbering System of the Roman Legions.

Appendix E: The Title "Fretensis".

Appendix F: Imperial Roman Military Ranks and Their Modern-Day Equivalents.

Appendix G: Sources.

Glossary.

Index.