Mark Antony's Heroes: How the Third Gallica Legion Saved an Apostle and Created an Emperor [Paperback]

Stephen Dando-Collins (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470224533 | ISBN-13: 978-0470224533 | Publication Date: February 26, 2008 | Edition: 1

This fourth book in Dando-Collins’s definitive history of Rome’s legions tells the story of Rome’s 3rd Gallica Legion, which put Vespasian on the throne and saved the life of the Christian apostle Paul. Named for their leader, Mark Antony, these common Roman soldiers, through their gallantry on the battlefield, reshaped the Roman Empire and aided the spread of Christianity throughout Europe.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The Third Gallica Legion, originally formed in Gaul, was involved in many of the key Roman military campaigns in the century that preceded and the century that followed the birth of Christ. This, of course, was a tumultuous period characterized by political chaos and civil war as Rome made the transition from the republic to the imperium. Dando-Collins is the author of several books that focus on Roman military units. He has written a tough, gritty chronicle of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of soldiers who operate in both military and politically treacherous waters. Dando-Collins^B has filled his account with plenty of blood and guts, and he convincingly illustrates the hard and tenuous existence of legionnaires on campaign. He also provides interesting insights into the political intrigues and machinations behind some of the campaigns, particularly during the year 69 CE, the so-called Year of Four Emperors, which resulted in the founding of the Flavian dynasty. This is an interesting and well-written work that should appeal to general readers with interests in both military and classical history. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

In this riveting book, fourth in the author's definitive histories of the legions of ancient Rome, Stephen Dando-Collins draws on his three decades of painstaking research into the Roman military to present the enthralling story of the indefatigable 3rd Gallica Legion. Carefully culling material from classical sources, Mark Antony's Heroes elegantly weaves together a goldmine of little-known facts and influences on the legion's wars, campaigns, battles, skirmishes, speeches, and dialogues, as well as the men of the legions of Rome.

By a.d. 69, the men of the 3rd Gallica Legion had gained a reputation as fearsome fighters, even among their fellow Romans. They had recently slaughtered nine thousand heavily armored Sarmatian cavalry on an icy battlefield south of the Danube. The unit made a name for itself under Mark Antony, only to see its early glory fade. Then, bloodied and withdrawn from the fray, it turned its fortunes around and put an emperor on the throne—marching, ironically, behind another man named Mark Antony. Yet these formidable warriors are also credited with saving St. Paul's life, not once, but three times, allowing him to spread the Word in Europe, which allowed Christianity to flourish.

During the first centuries b.c. and a.d., the 3rd Gallica Legion would defeat the dashing prince Pacorus and the opportunistic Quintus Labienus while retrieving Syria from the Parthians. It would allow King Herod to secure his throne in Judea and help Mark Antony survive his botched campaign against the Parthians. Thanks to the 3rd Gallica Legion, Corbulo regained Armenia for Rome, the Roxolani Sarmatians were thwarted from crossing the Danube for an entire century, two Jewish uprisings were put down, Vespasian became emperor of Rome, and the empire's stability and prosperity were restored. And, by saving the life of the Christian apostle Paul, the officers and men of the 3rd Gallica Legion gave the disciple as many as nine more years for his ministry.

Covering some of the most graphic battle scenes contained in Dando-Collins's Roman legion books, Mark Antony's Heroes is an eye-opening account of the common men who helped make Rome great. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470224533
• ISBN-13: 978-0470224533
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #372,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stephen Dando-Collins is the author of Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome, Nero's Killing Machine: The True Story of Rome's Remarkable Fourteenth Legion, Cleopatra's Kidnappers: How Caesar's Sixth Legion Gave Egypt to Rome and Rome to Caesar, and Mark Antony's Heroes: How the Third Gallica Legion Saved an Apostle and Created an Emperor. 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but Dando-Collins has written better, January 30, 2007

By 

Lori "MagistraK" (Fredericksburg, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mark Antony's Heroes: How the Third Gallica Legion Saved an Apostle and Created an Emperor (Hardcover)

I realize that Dando-Collins is writing his series for the non-specialist, but his use of modern place names and modern equivalencies for Roman army terms is condescending and off-putting. If a non-specialist cares enough to read the work, he won't be stymied by Roman terms and specialists, though I speak only for myself, find the equivalencies annoying at best and misleading at worst. Tribune, legate, cohort, vexillation, et al. are tems that can certainly be learned by anyone, especially if a glossary is provided. Otherwise, Dando-Collins is a good storyteller and I thoroughly enjoy his chronological histories of the legions, told one legion at a time.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun Read, but Jarring Problems for Anyone with Knowledge of Roman History, August 17, 2008

By 

David M. Dougherty (Arkansas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Mark Antony's Heroes: How the Third Gallica Legion Saved an Apostle and Created an Emperor (Paperback)

This is the first book by Dando-Collins I have read, and I will not read another. It was apparently written for popular appeal, particularly with it's emphasis on how a legion saved Paul of Tarsus. That said, it was a pleasant read for an evening or two, depending upon one's reading speed. He fairly accurately depicts life in a legion and the events covered by his book. I would recommend it to someone who is not a scholar in Roman History.

The title is misleading in that the 3rd Gallica Legion was formed by Pompey in Gaul about 65 BCE, fought for Pompey against Caesar, surrendered to Caesar and was disbanded. The Legion was re-constituted by Caesar in 49 BCE (legionnaires served for 16 years) again with Gauls, fought at Munda for Caesar, and following Caesar's assassination, transferred its allegience to Mark Antony, It took part in Antony's invasion of Parthia in 36 BCE, was reconstituted again in 33 BCE with Syrian enlistees, then deserted Antony's cause for Octavian in 31 BCE. The enlistment periods were lengthened to 20 years, and by 58 CE, had been refilled with new enlistees four more times from Syria. This was when the events with Paul took place, and then after a further refilling, the Legion declared for Vespasian in 69 CE and materially aided him in achieving the throne by defeating Vitellius's troops. So why did the Author choose the emphasis on Mark Antony? One can only surmise it was due to Antony's name being familiar to the possible purchasers of the book.

The author's use of modern place name and modern terms for Roman ranks was really jarring. Calling Mucianus a Field-Marshal was really too much. A simple chart of ranks and their modern equivalents (if any) was all that was necessary. One could argue that a Legion was more akin to a modern Division (albeit much smaller) than a regiment, but such things are hardly important once the reader accepts the size, role and resources of the ancient formations. The author really stretched my credulity by using terms like lieutenant, captain, major, colonel, etc. Plus, he should know that there is no field-marshal rank in the American military. Also, using modern terms like "under fire" from arrows, javelins, slinger bolts, etc, misrepresent ancient reality. Treating modern readers like children who would be unable to understand any military terms other than those in use today (particularly when the reader is likely not to have served in the military) was insulting to say the least.

A final criticism was the author's naming convention. When he mentioned that joint emperors Balbinus and Maximus were killed by the Praetorian Guard (why not say Palace Guard?) in 238, I crossed out Maximus in my book and wrote "Pupienus." Unsure as to why the author said "Maximus", either the son of Maximinus Thrax, Caesar from 235-238, or Maximus Magnus, emperor from 383-388, I checked the full name of Pupienus. It was Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus, known to us as Pupienus. Calling Pupienus "Maximus" would be like calling Marcus Aurelius "Verus" since his full name was Marcus Aelius Aurelius Verus. And, of course, his co-emperor was Lucius Verus, full name Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus. So my recommendation to the author is to stick to Roman terms and classical naming conventions.

The author's lists of sources was excellent, although I would have been somewhat more critical of Cassius Dio (Dio Cassius). As can be seen from the list, ancient sources are few and have to be supplemented with numismatic and archeological evidence. His modern bibliography was equally good, but for readers in the dark about Roman individuals of importance I would recommend Diana Browder's "Who Was Who In The Roman World."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Dando-Collins, October 4, 2009

By 

Suetonius - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mark Antony's Heroes: How the Third Gallica Legion Saved an Apostle and Created an Emperor (Paperback)

Witness Roman history against a landscape of facts, ancient imagery, personalities, passions, and human resolve, in Mark Antony's Heroes. It is vintage Dando-Collins, in that one feels immersed in the fascinating world of antiquity. You will discover the true drama of stories and passions that the schoolbooks dare not reveal. There is suspense, and intriguing looks at this most interesting empire and its famous 3rd Gallica Legion. Mark Antony's story is brought into a whole new light relative to the popular history, as is Paul the apostle's story, and the fiery passion of the Jewish people. Here too you will read about how the 3rd Gallica Legion brought both King Herod and Vespasian to the throne, among other worthy exploits. I highly recommend this book.