The Making of the Roman Army: From Republic to Empire [Paperback]

Lawrence Keppie (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0806130148 | ISBN-13: 978-0806130149 | Publication Date: April 15, 1998

The Making of the Roman Army explores how a small citizen militia guarding a village on the banks of the Tiber evolved into the professional Roman army. Lawrence Keppie pays particular attention to the transitional period between Republic and Empire - the time of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Augustus. Keppie overcomes the traditional dichotomy between a historical view of the Republic and an archaeological approach to the Empire by making the most of the often overlooked archaeological evidence from the earlier years.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'This is an excellent book ... a book that will instruct and delight the general reader and scholar alike.' - History

'The book is aimed at both historians and archaeologists, whether professional or amateur, all of whom will find much to enjoy and applaud, as well as considerable instruction.' - Times Literary Supplement

'Keppie's style is highly readable and often amusing and provides a clear account of the Army's evolution, uncluttered by excessive use of footnotes.' - Archaeological Journal

'A thoughtful and well-written volume.' - Antiquaries Journal

'The book provides essential background for any course dealing with Augustus, and Routledge are to be congratulated on making it available again at a price which school libraries can afford.' - JACT Review --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Lawrence Keppie is Reader in Roman Archaeology at the Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow. He is the author of Understanding Roman Inscriptions, Scotland?s Roman Remains, and a forthcoming book on the Roman Army in the Early Empire.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (April 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806130148
• ISBN-13: 978-0806130149
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #745,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars nice addition to library, June 14, 2000

By 

Jeff Cordell - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Making of the Roman Army: From Republic to Empire (Paperback)

I found this book to be a nice companion piece to Graham Webster's The Roman Imperial Army. While Webster took the forensic approach to the Roman Army and focused on the physical structure ( armor, weapons, organization, forts, etc. ) Dr. Keppie looks at the evolution of the army from the republic to the early Empire and the role the army played in this transition both positive and negative. When read in conjucture with Dr. Webster the book fits in nicely. There are pictures, drawings, and layouts of roman camps over diagrams of the archeological excavations of the actual forts and camps. This a very easy/pleasurable read and would make a nice additon to one's personal library.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good introductory guide, October 24, 2001

By 

TammyJo Eckhart "TammyJo Eckhart" (Bloomington, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Making of the Roman Army: From Republic to Empire (Paperback)

This is a good guide for anyone who is interested in how the Roman army functioned and how it changed over time. For specialists, this book will seem simple but for advanced undergraduates or disinterested graduate students the book is wonderful and I highly recommend it for them. Non-students should find it readable but may wish to consult other sources as well. Advanced graduate students who are more interested in military history will find it a bit boring. Overall well done and well written for the appropriate audience.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If this book is a bargin-grab it fast!, June 7, 2000

By 

Michael Kumpf (Acworth, Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Making of the Roman Army: From Republic to Empire (Paperback)

This book is a great reference for people interested in the Roman Army. Keppie describes the changes that took place within the army throughout the Republic. He includes pictures and diagrams of how the army set up before battle as well as pictures of the weapons and armor the legions were using at that time. The bibliography is extensive for those interested in finding out more information. This is a book that is used by many other books on the Roman army. Buy it now!