The Logistics of the Roman Army at War (264 B.C. - A.D.235) (Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition,) [Hardcover]

Jonathan Roth (Author), J. Roth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1999 | ISBN-10: 9004112715 | ISBN-13: 978-9004112711

Relying on a variety of literary, documentary and archaeological sources, this work explores the Roman military supply system from the Punic Wars to the end of the Principate. Each chapter is devoted to a different aspect of logistics: supply needs and rations; packs, trains and military servants; foraging and requisition; supply lines; sources of supply; administration; and the impact of logistics on Roman warfare. As a whole, the book traces the development of the Roman logistics into a highly sophisticated supply system. In addition, it makes a critical study of important technical questions of Roman logistics, such as the size of the soldiers' grain ration, the function of military servants, and the changes in logistical management under the Republic and Empire.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'..".the first accessible account of this fascinating subject in English, R.'s book is guaranteed a place on every Roman military bookshelf.'
Duncan B. Campbell, "Journal of Roman Studies, 2000.
'..".a major contribution to the study of an important aspect of the functioning of the Roman army.'
Israel Shatzman, "Scripta Classica Israelica, 2000.
'..".this is the most comprehensive and detailed investigation on the subject to appear in English.'
Stefan G. Chrissanthos, "Ancient History Bulletin, 1999.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 408 pages
• Publisher: Brill Academic Publishers (January 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9004112715
• ISBN-13: 978-9004112711
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,378,736 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Resource Marred By Horrible Editing, April 21, 2004

By 

Kenneth Peters (North Idaho) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Logistics of the Roman Army at War (264 B.C. - A.D.235) (Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition,) (Hardcover)

With a book this expensive you would think they could have found a decent editor, but such is not the case. This book is filled with hundreds of grammar and spelling errors (at times several on a single page) that would have been caught by even the most casual editorial review or even a read-through by an English 101 student. The editor of this volume (William V. Harris) should be ashamed to have his name attached to it.

If bad editing does not bother you, then I can recommend this book with five stars. It retreads a lot of ground in the field, but the author deftly combines a number of sources into a unified whole. Although by no means worth the $135 if you are simply a casual reader, the first two chapters alone (1. Supply Needs and Rations, 2. Packs, Trains and Servants) make the book *well* worth it for military historians hungry for hard numbers and thoughtful extrapolation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What you always wanted to know about Roman Army Logistics and Supply, July 17, 2009

By 

Arnold L. Roberts - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Logistics of the Roman Army at War (264 B.C. - A.D.235) (Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition,) (Hardcover)

For me this was a VERY expensive book, but it provided me with the answer to the question of not what the roman army did but how they were able to get their troops to the right place, at the right time and in condition to whip their opponents. Parts of this book reminded me of the Red Ball Express feeding Patton's army after his breakout. I highly recommend it to those who want to go beyond the "who" and the "what" of Roman military history.

5.0 out of 5 stars Scholarly work , well worth reading, March 31, 2011

By 

B. Einhorn (New York City, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Logistics of the Roman Army at War (264 B.C. - A.D.235) (Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition,) (Hardcover)

Detailed and of interest to those who want an in depth look at the subject matter.

For example - the length of the columns and spacing meant that the rear had not left the camp by the time the van reached the new camp grounds.

I was able to read a copy at the library. The market price was $120 (direct from the author) at the time, perhaps 10- 12 years ago.