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55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great, May 25, 2009
This review is from: Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual (Unofficial Manuals) (Hardcover)
Philip Matyszak seems to be applying for the lifetime achievement award in the category of "How To Write For a General Audience." His latest entry, Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual, is a successful attempt to translate the minutiae of Roman military studies for those who may not have any prior exposure to the subject. This informative yet exceedingly entertaining read will endear itself greatly to the student looking for a friendly introduction to the mystique of the legions.
The work is structured in organization and tone much like two of Matyszak's previous books, Ancient Rome on 5 Denarii a Day and Ancient Athens on 5 Drachma a Day. The conceit of the book is that it is written as if the reader actually were living in ancient times. In this case, the timeframe is during the reign of Trajan, at the height of the empire and its military glory, and just before the emperor's famous Dacian campaigns. The reader is presumed to be a Roman subject about to enter martial service; hence the title of the work, which really does come across as a handy how-to manual. The narrator is presented for the most part as a grizzled old veteran relaying his key experience to new recruits. However, the narrator is also somehow blessed by the gods with knowledge of both Rome's earliest past as well as the distant future, affording a broader historical perspective when necessary.
Chapter one concerns itself with actual recruitment, giving the criterion needed to serve in Rome's legions and what the recruit can expect the first few days. Chapter two outlines a historical overview of the Roman military from the days of the citizen-soldier to its "modern" professional incarnation, and gives a run down on the status of each of the empire's existing legions under Trajan. Chapter three provides a look at alternative forms of military service: cavalry for dandies, the auxilia for non-citizens, the praetorian guard for the fortunate Italian, and the Navy for those who prefer oaring to soldiering.
The next chapter discusses the various items, weapons and pieces of armor the legionary will come to know in his two decades of service. Chapter five looks at training, discipline and rank structure. A low down on the empire's various enemies, and their respective strengths and weaknesses, concerns chapter six.
The next two chapters discuss in turn the typical routine of camp life, and the lay of a campaign. The next three chapters delve into the fascinating nitty-gritty of laying siege to a city, hacking one's way through a battle, and the aftermath of a battle, including possibly a triumph and eventual discharge.
It should be noted that while everything presented is factual, this is by no means a dry study. The author will give you some very condign and practical advice in every item under discussion. For instance, in discussing the empire's Judean opponents, who could disprove of such wisdom as: "If you must kill a Jewish rioter, do so with full respect for his religious sensibilities." And also: "Try to fight Jewish religious fanatics on the Sabbath. They still haven't completely figured out what to do about this."
The prose, as hinted above, is as witty as it is erudite, lending itself to an easy read by someone of any background. Legionary has a broad visual appeal as well. There are 92 illustrations, 31 of them in color. You will find drawings of weapons, illustrations of camp life, and photos of legionary reenactments. There is also a map of the Roman Empire, a glossary of terms, a recommendation for further reading, and an index.
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A humourous look at the Roman Army from the bottom up., July 16, 2009
This review is from: Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual (Unofficial Manuals) (Hardcover)
I've always been interested in ancient Rome ever since I was young, and watched the splendid BBC series I, Claudius. That love affair has been carried on through the decades with plenty of books, films on both the big screen and television, and whatever I could find about the topic. So it was only natural that this rather humourous look at the life of the typical Roman legionary would wander into my eager hands.
Philip Matyszak, a long-time author on topics based around Rome and her armies, now has come out with a little book that takes a close look at the day-to-day life of the common soldier. Titled Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual, this is a lode of information, crammed full of drawings, maps, photographs of ancient finds and art, and a wry sense of humour.
Basing the narrative around the year 100 CE, Matyszak begins with what is the Roman army, and who and where the typical recruit came from. What I found very interesting was that there were very specific requirements for those entering military service -- they had to be citizens, of a certain height, in possession of all their body parts in good working order and come with a letter of recommendation. Slaves, eunuchs, and women were barred from military service, for obvious reasons. And once he took an oath of service, the recruit was part of a vast organization that stretched over most of modern Europe, the British Isles and Northern Africa and the Mideast.
Successive chapters look at the various ranks within the army -- while officers had the privilege of command, it was the centurions that the legionary feared, much as a modern soldier tends to be wary of sergeants. And namely, how those recruits trained -- with a lot of marching and digging -- under the watchful eyes of a centurion or two. There are brief descriptions of the various legions and lore about where they were stationed, along with other branches of the Roman army such as the cavalry, auxiliaries -- mostly local troops, and open to noncitizens -- and the navy.
Next up is looking at the kit and gear that a legionary would be living with, along with the training in how to use those weapons. For the legionary life could be pretty boring in the barracks, and so the clever centurions came up with the ideas of endless marching, drilling and cleaning to occupy a bored soldier's time. Of course, every now and then there would be excursions into the countryside to put down the odd rebellion or two, or to let the local population know that there was a well-trained military nearby to quell any thoughts of leaving the loving protection of Rome.
Then there are the campaigns and battles that a typical legionary might face. One chapter alone is dedicated to the art of siege, with Julius Caesar's siege of Alesia being one shining example. And if a legion was fortunate enough, there could even be a triumph in Rome itself, the pinnacle of both a general and legions success.
What made this book really work for me was the sheer detail that is crammed in here. The writing style is crisp, with a generous slathering of humour and a very sardonic look at Roman officers -- the section on the various barbarians ready to pounce outside of Rome's borders is a treat to read about. Besides all of the black and white illustrations in the text, there are also two colour inserts of photographs and drawings. The first one has drawings in colour of showing legionaries at various activities and the like, while the second one is of a modern re-enactment group that is based around a Roman Legion. This one was a real help, as seeing actual people in actual armor and gear and battle formations does help to give a sense of what the real thing might have been like. The book has at the end, a map of the Roman Empire, suggestions for further reading (all contemporary chronicles about the army from Roman authors), sources for the illustrations, and an index.
Summing up, if your interest is ancient Roman, this is a great little guide about life in the army. If you've enjoyed the HBO miniseries about Rome, or if you have read Colleen McCullough's excellent series about the end of the Roman Republic, then you're going to want this book for your collection. It helped me fill in a few gaps, gave me quite a few laughs, and has spurred me on to read more about Rome's armies.
All in all, a great read and worth seeking out. Four stars overall. Recommended.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Io! Join the Legions! See the World! Meet Interesting Barbarians!, July 15, 2009
This review is from: Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual (Unofficial Manuals) (Hardcover)
This informative, entertaining, and often laugh-out-loud book is the Roman legionary of 100 AD's equivalent of the Boy Scout Fieldbook - but with a lot more gore and rough edges and a lot less couth. The author, tongue planted firmly in cheek (Tacitus meets Lindsey Davis), tells the prospective recruit everything he needs to know about Roman military life - qualifications for enlistment, various military careers, equipment, training and military organization. Just so the recruit doesn't get bored with endless training, polishing armor, digging ditches, latrine duty, road-building, construction projects, and discipline, he has something to look forward to - battles! He will learn about all the people who will want to kill him in various unpleasant ways, camp and campaign life, and besieging cities. If he is very lucky and lives long enough, he may take part in a great victory and get to go back to Rome and participate in a triumph and receive honors and a share of the loot. If he lives through the term of his enlistment he can retire on a pension and maybe even a grant of some land to farm.
The author begins each chapter with a short bit of military wisdom such as: "We were against the cream of the Gallic army. The odds were a thousand to one. But he was a very tough Gaul." He goes on to give useful advice. A good fit for your helmet is vital because "Convex internal protrusions become concave indentations in the skull." "To the average legionary, all centurions are dolori posteriori...." "No combat-ready soldiers will pass an inspection. No inspection-ready soldiers will pass combat."
Do not underestimate this book as lightweight or superficial. It is incredibly well researched and organized, clearly written, and includes many short excerpts from original source writings on Roman warfare by Tacitus, Julius Caesar, Josephus, Frontinus and many others. It is lavishly illustrated with drawings and photographs, many of which are color plates of authentically dressed and equipped re-enactors doing all of the typical legionary activities. Convenient aids included for the reader are an excellent glossary, a bibliography, index and a map of the Roman Empire showing where the legions were stationed in 100 AD. Finally, you will amaze your friends with your skill at Roman numerals if you study the page numbers.
This book may be one of the few places the reader who doesn't know much about military history can get a clear and simple explanation of the history, structure and organization of the Roman legions - a great help for anyone studying the history of the period or who enjoys reading historical novels. I wish I had had it when I took Greek and Roman history in college. In addition, adult scouters may find the Roman methods of managing hordes of barbarian warriors useful in running Camporees or Summer Camps.
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