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

by Dando-Collins, Stephen

• ISBN13: 9780471686132
• ISBN10: 0471686131
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-09-27
• 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 the author of Nero’s Killing Machine: The True Story of Rome’s Remarkable 14th Legion (Wiley). He 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	v
Acknowledgments	xiii
Author's Note	xv
Staring Defeat in the Face	1	(5)
Impatient for Glory	6	(7)
Savaging the Swiss, Overrunning the Germans	13	(11)
Conquering Gaul	24	(6)
Invading Britain	30	(20)
Revolt and Revenge	50	(15)
Enemy of the State	65	(11)
Broken Promises	76	(14)
The Race for Durres	90	(8)
A Taste of Defeat	98	(15)
The Battle of Pharsalus	113	(17)
The Sour Taste of Victory	130	(8)
The Murder of Pompey the Great	138	(6)
The Power of a Single Word	144	(5)
The North African Campaign	149	(16)
Caesar's Last Battle	165	(14)
Mark Antony's Men	179	(4)
Philippi and Actium	183	(12)
In the Name of the Emperor	195	(10)
Knocked into Shape by Corbulo	205	(12)
Orders from the Emperor	217	(7)
Objective Jerusalem	224	(14)
The End of the Holy City	238	(20)
Masada	258	(7)
Last Days	265	(4)
Appendix A The Legions of Rome, 30 B.C.--A.D. 233	269	(4)
Appendix B The Reenlistment Factor	273	(4)
Appendix C The Uniqueness of the Legion Commands in Egypt and Judea	277	(4)
Appendix D The Naming and Numbering System of the Roman Legions	281	(4)
Appendix E The Title ``Fretensis''	285	(2)
Appendix F Imperial Roman Military Ranks and Their Modern-Day Equivalents	287	(4)
Appendix G Sources	291	(12)
Glossary	303	(6)
Index	309