Customer Reviews

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

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3 star:		(7)
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1 star:		(4)

 

 

"Caesar's Legion" is partly a unit history of the famous 10th Legion, and partly the story of Rome's military adventures from the Gallic Wars through the fall of Masada. The book seems to be very carefully researched and it is certainly well written--Dando-Collins is fascinated by his subject, and his enthusiasm shows.

The Tenth Legion was, for most of its history, an elite and honored unit. Like America's 82d and 101st airborne divisions, the Tenth enjoyed a world-wide reputation for skill in battle. Dando-Collins explains how the Tenth earned its stripes, from recruitment and training to victory as the legion that usually occupied the position of honor on Caesar's right flank. As he does so, he tells the story of the centurions and other soldiers in the legion--how they were recruited, how long their terms of enlistment could be expected to last, when they would be promoted (if they lived) and how they could expect to spend their retirement.

Dando-Collins also points out some things that are probably old hat to students of Roman military history, but are very interesting to someone who is new to the subject. He explains, for example, that Roman javelins were designed so that they would bend upon striking an enemy shield (or an enemy), thus preventing the weapon from being re-used against the attacking legion. He also describes the remarkable training, discipline and mobility of a legion--on campaign, a unit like the Tenth might disassemble its fortified camp, march a great distance, assemble another camp to precise military specifications, and then repeat the process day after day until the enemy was run to ground.

In battle, a Roman legion would fight in a tight, disciplined infantry formation and engage enemy units first with javelins, then with Spanish swords in what must have resembled a rugby scrum from hell. A well-trained legion like the Tenth won far more often than it lost--the Romans understood that a soldier should sweat in peace so that he didn't have to bleed in war.

The story of the Tenth is told in the context of the times. Dando-Collins follows the Legion as it helps Caesar pacify Gaul, crosses the Rubicon and fights a civil war, endures the assassinations of Pompey and Caesar, casts its lot with Antony at Actium, and finally captures the Zealot fortress at Masada. The Romans, it seems, were very skilled and very ruthless, and the Tenth Legion (for better or worse) represented the pinnacle of their military art.

This is an in-depth, well-written history of the inception and battles of Julius Caesar's famous 10th Legion (and others). Filled with a wealth of background information, it's readily accessible to even those that have no previous familiarity with Roman history. The author has sifted through the various works of classical historians and gives the most credible version of events where their accounts differ, but, in fairness, typically includes the contrary versions as well so the reader can make their own decisions.

I purchased this book as a source for wargaming information, and it's invaluable in that regard. That so many facts and details are known about these ancient events is often astounding. If you own THE GREAT BATTLES OF CAESAR (computer wargame), this book is a must-read. Unless you plan to read all the writings of Caesar, Tacitus, Plutarch, Seutonius, etc, etc., for yourself, then buy this book. I can't recommend it enough.

Firstly I must make an admission that I am no expert on this area of history. However I do appreciate a good historical account and that is what you will find with Dando-Collins book on the Roman 10th Legion. I have always enjoyed history books covering this period of time and I was prompted to buy this book after reading Major Clunn's excellent book `In Quest of the Lost Legions', which I would highly recommend to anyone interested in Roman history.

In Stephen Dando-Collins book `Caesar's Legion' the reader is offered a rarely seen look at the battles and campaigns of Rome's Legions during the time of Julius Caesar. The centerpiece of the book is the 10th Legion, raised by Julius Caesar and used by him throughout as his elite shock-troops. Not only does the book provide you with an interesting and detailed insight into the 10th Legion but also the author provides you with a detailed narrative of the battles and campaigns fought by Roman Legions throughout the known world.

We read about the officers and men of the 10th Legion including its recruitment, training, makeup and organization along with detailed descriptions of their fighting. The book details all the known campaigns and battles, from the English Isles, Gaul and Italy to the Middle East. The story covers the campaigns against rebelling tribesman in Gaul and Germany to the many set piece battles against other Roman Legions during the Civil War. The narrative continues with the life of the 10th Legion after the death of its founder, Julius Caesar. We follow the Legionaries to the Jewish fortress of Masada and read about the campaign against the Jewish Zealots with its grim ending.

The book is easy to read with a smooth and descriptive narrative. The story is well researched and has a number of maps to assist the reader in following the campaigns of the 10th Legion. No illustrations are provided which is a slight disappointment but more than made up for with the rich narrative. This is a great story and I am sure that anyone who enjoys good historical accounts with love this story of "Caesar's Legion".

Caesar's Legion is one of the finest books on the Roman military that I have read. As a history major, and prospective professor of History, I find the narrative format chosen for Caesar's legion to be refreshing and vivid, and yet still maintaining tight historical focus. Many such books on history can ramble on in a rather dry manner, but Caesar's Legion supplies top-notch historical research with gripping narrative that keeps you turning the page, hungry to learn more.

The author takes the reader on an incredible journey, almost as if the reader were a legionaire recruit himself. Reading the fine story, the author grips you with the feeling of going on the long marches with the legions, of settling in to build a Roman camp, and of digging in for a long siege. The sweat rolling down the soldier's back, the acrid smell of smoke, the terror of bloody and ferocious combat, is all here. Mr. Collins succeeds brilliantly in bringing the reader into the world of the Roman soldiers who forged the foundation of empire in the blood and fire of war that raged from one end of the ancient world to the other. The insight and brilliance of Caesar is made manifest in every chapter. Even when Caesar made mistakes, he recouped well, and adapted. At every turn, Caesar not only learned from his mistakes, but he was able to exploit the smallest detail in order to bring victory.

Caesar's Legion covers all that one could imagine, from what the Roman Legionaire ate, to how they trained, to their weaponry, leadership, rank structure, and force organization. It is all here. The integration and deployment of siege weapons, artillery, and cavalry, are all covered in excellent detail. This book will make a fine addition to any historian's shelf, as well as anyone interested in the Roman Empire, and what made the Roman Empire the ferocious war machine that dominated the ancient world. Caesar's Legion is simply an essential book to have concerning the ancient history of the Roman Empire.

This book is very well written and is laid out very well and is accurate. Though the author mentions that the Xth legion was composed of "Spaniards", in actuality, during that time and into the 2nd century A.D., the legions from the provinces were composed of soldiers who considered themselves Roman and/or Italian, and were recruited from the decendants of the Italian-Roman settlers, merchants,soldiers, and veterans who settled throughout the Mediterrean basin as Rome expanded. These original soldiers composed of "Spaniards" ,in most cases, had very little, if any, Iberian blood. The "Spanish" emperors Trajan, Hadrian, etc., themselves born in Spain in the town/area of Italica, were decendants of Italian-Romans from Umbria of the Umbrii Tribe/Family, and considered themselves nothing but Italian Romans, as did the soldiers of Ceasar's famed Xth Legion. This is important to understand the psych and loyalty that these "Spanish" Citizen Soldiers had in fighting for Roma because Rome/Italy was not considered "foreign", though the Iberians of Spain were considered "foreign". Of course, intermarriage changed this landscape greatly in the coming generations. Otherwise, this is great stuff, the stories, the accuracy of the army makeup and organization. EXCELLENT.

This reads like a novel, informative, and should be a novel (!) series. After reading this book I went out and brought the second book Nero's Killing Machine and his new novel The Inquest, I also have his third book on order.
His writing sytle is in a story format, akin to a novel. It is not dry but easy going, it took me two to three days to read it, fast for a non-fiction historical book.
Some problems that die-hards history buffs will not like is the Anachronistic use of modern equivalences. But the book, I don't think, is aimed at die-hards but for people who just want a basic understanding of Roman Legions.
For further, deeper reading, D-C is not for you, read the classics of that period or modern classics that focus specifically on details and understanding.
Like Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Edward Gibbon, or Polybius, Ammianus Marcellinus.
He is worth the time and money for anyone wanting an overview look at Roman History.

Let's face it -- the problem with writing a book about events which took place 2000 years ago is that you must rely on accounts that may not be what we would view today as being "objective journalism". Even today, most people who chronicle an event at the time it is happening have an agenda (covering up massacres, covering their own a**es, making someone else look bad, etc...). That is the problem faced by Dando-Collins in "Caesar's Legion", and I say he comes through admirably.

The author covers a broad time period, from the founding of the Tenth Legion some 100 years before the birth of Jesus until the storming of the Jewish fortress of Masada in 73 A.D. Along the way, we get to learn about the inner workings of a Roman Legion in fascinating detail. Perhaps most important, this detail is easily accessible. This could very easily have been an extraordinarily dry, "academic" type book. But Dando-Collins' writing style is easy and flows well, not like some juiced up Ph.D dissertation. The reader will truly be amazed at the accomplishments of the Roman Legions and some of the rulers of Rome who controlled them. Plus there are loads of, "wow, I never knew that the Romans were responsible for that" moments in this book. For example, do you know why Switzerland is called the "Helvetian Republic"? Read this book and you'll find out.

Some of the posts reviewing this book are critical of Dando-Collins for not being able to state with pinpoint accuracy that this legion or that legion did that act or this act at this or that time. I think they miss the point. Dando-Collins is the first to admit in the book that although he tries to be as faithful to recorded history as possible, where certain historical accounts conflict a choice must be made as to what may be more accurate than not. But at least he makes an educated guess after much consideration, and whether he is right or wrong, it's still an interesting read to get a taste of life in the Legion. And while I have not read all of Dando-Collins' source material (as another reviewer claims to have done), I have read enough to know that he's not just pulling things out of thin air.

So grab your scutum and pilum and jump into line, mister. You're in for an interesting march.

The premise is good, but this is not historical research. The author tries to mix the histories of three different units in the Roman military, and leaves out anything that doesn't fit. Of course, history is never 100% certain, but if the author wants to differ from the historical record in a written book, he must give adequate proof of his sources.
This is a great Roman historical novel, with many attachments and references to history, but the author really messes up when he tries to ignore the proven history of Legio X Fretensis, saying it didn't really exist. Then he unsucessfully tries to fit the Roman civil/military officer into some framework of modern military ranks. If that doesn't confuse the dedicated historian, he again makes a leap of research and takes and mixes recruiting practises from the late Republic, the Caesarian civil wars, and the first century A.D. into a soup of concrete. It may look good on the surface, but it doesn't hold weight, and it is not good history.
This is a quick read, and has been the subject of a lot of discussion among Roman military historians when there isn't anything more amusing to discuss over dinner. If you desire to know the history of the Tenth Legion of Julius Caesar there is a good chapter in the book.
This is a cute Roman "military history" book, but please don't use it for serious research. Of course with the weak endnotes, lack of footnotes and glaring errors, even a weekend historian will want to choose something else when spending his or her hard earned money. (Buy this one used!)

I can't find much to fault in this book except the lack of maps. How in the heck are you supposed to follow battle descriptions without a field map? How can one understand the sweep of the empire without political maps?

It is difficult for me not to be gung-ho when it comes to Ancient Rome and when a new book is published concerning one of my favorite subjects - the Roman military - my mouth starts to water. However about fifty pages into "Caesar's Legion" my mouth began to dry up.

Mr. Dando-Collins has spent thirty years researching Rome's legions and this book is primarily focused on Caesar's favorite, the 10th. One can't imagine how difficult such an undertaking must be. While ancient sources abound regarding the leading personalities of the day trying to divine the day-to-day activities of a particular military unit must have proven about as tedious as winter encampment for the legionnaires themselves. The author explains some of his research, combing through enlistment & re-enlistment records and such but a lot of guesswork was necessary in order to put a little flesh on all the dusty old bones and this guesswork is glaringly apparent.

The pages abound with phrases like, "Caesar probably behaved..." or "Probably said..." and the "Legion was probably..." at such and such a place at such and such a time. I found all the supposition very distracting.

Histories of the men serving in the legion, their personal stories, are completely absent out of necessity of course because we just don't know anything abut them except in broad general terms, what they ate, how far they marched and what battles they were in, "probably."

Instead of giving us an alleged historical account the author would have better served the reader with a work of "historical fiction"- an approach that would provide a little entertainment value. After all it is not as though the current work is going to be used as source material by any historians in any significant way.

A far better read that covers the same ground with the exception of the 10th's activities after Caesar's assination, is the recent biography, "Caesar" by Christian Meier.