Roman Military Equipment from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome, second edition

M. C. Bishop, John Coulston

• Publisher: Oxbow Books
• Year: 2006
• ISBN:
  9781785703973
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Roman Ancient History
• Index: History

Rome's rise to empire is often said to have owed much to the efficiency and military skill of her armies and their technological superiority over barbarian enemies. But just how 'advanced' was Roman military equipment? What were its origins and how did it evolve? The authors of this book have gathered a wealth of evidence from all over the Roman Empire - excavated examples as well as pictorial and documentary sources - to present a picture of what range of equipment would be available at any given time, what it would look like and how it would function. They examine how certain pieces were adopted from Rome's enemies and adapted to particular conditions of warfare prevailing in different parts of the Empire. They also investigate in detail the technology of military equipment and the means by which it was produced, and discuss wider questions such as the status of the soldier in Roman society. Both the specially prepared illustrations and the text have been completely revised for the second edition of this detailed and authoritative handbook, bringing it up to date with the very latest research. It illustrates each element in the equipment of the Roman soldier, from his helmet to his boots, his insignia, his tools and his weapons. This book will appeal to archaeologists, ancient and military historians as well as the generally informed and inquisitive reader.

Table of contents

• Preface and Introduction
• Acknowledgements
• Notes
• Map and List of Sites
• 1 The Representational Evidence
• Introduction
• Propaganda Sculpture
• Funerary Monuments
• Miscellaneous and Non-Roman Sculpture
• Minor Works
• Notes
• 2 The Archaeological Evidence
• Introduction
• Site Deposition
• Hoards
• Water Deposits and Votive Offerings
• Burials with Weaponry
• Excavation and Publication
• Reconstruction Archaeology
• Notes
• 3 The Documentary Evidence
• Introduction
• The Literary Sources
• The Sub-Literary Sources
• Epigraphy
• Notes
• 4 The Republican Period
• Weapons
• Armour
• Other Equipment
• Notes
• 5 From Augustus to Hadrian
• Weapons
• Armour
• Other Equipment
• Notes
• 6 The Antonine Revolution
• Weapons
• Armour
• Other Equipment
• Notes
• 7 The Army in Crisis
• Weapons
• Armour
• Other Equipment
• Notes
• 8 The Dominate
• Weapons
• Armour
• Other Equipment
• Notes
• 9 Production and Technology
• Production
• Technology
• Notes
• 10 The Study of Military Equipment
• The Identity of Roman Soldiers
• The Ownership and Storage of Equipment
• Individual Taste and Decoration
• Innovation and Change
• Interaction with Other Peoples
• Scholars and Students
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Abbreviations
• References
• Plate Captions
• Index