Overview

In a single volume, Empire at War catalogues and offers a brief description of every significant battle fought by the Roman Empire from Augustus to Justinian I (and most of the minor ones too). The information in each entry is drawn exclusively from Ancient, Late Antique, and Early Medieval texts, in order to offer a brief description of each battle based solely on the information provided by the earliest surviving sources which chronicle the event. This approach provides the reader a concise foundation of information to which they can then confidently apply later scholarly interpretation presented in secondary sources in order to achieve a more accurate understanding of the most likely battlefield scenario. In writing the battle descriptions, the author has not sought analyse the evidence contained in the surviving accounts, nor embellish them beyond that which was necessary to provide clarity to the modern reader. He allows the original writers to speak for themselves, presenting the reader with a succinct version of what the ancient chroniclers tell us of these dramatic events. It is an excellent first-stop reference to the many battles of the Roman Empire. AUTHOR: Dr Don Taylor holds a PhD in European History with a concentration in Ancient Mediterranean Studies from Fulbright College of the University of Arkansas (USA). Since 1995 he has served as a university professor in European and Ancient History at Hardin-Simmons University, Texas and he has published and/or lectured on various topics of Greek and Roman history. 27 maps

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9781399085205

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...a handsome volume on the battles of the Roman Empire. While the book does provide some introductory material on the Roman army and the ancient and early medieval sources about this period, it is predominantly a list of battles with brief descriptions, some tactical maps, and lists of ancient sources for each battle. The latter is the best part and it is what sets this work apart from similar battle books, which merely provide descriptions and maps (e.g., An Encyclopedia of Battles). In addition, Taylor has provided a survey of the ancient authors with information on how readers can obtain translated copies (26-36). This is more helpful than Cambridge's History of Greek and Roman Warfare, which provides its own list of ancient authors (485-497), but does not provide details on finding them in English...With more than 25 years as professor of European and Ancient History at Hardin Simmons University in Texas, I believe Taylor has much more to tell us about these battles. Still, undergrads and even grads will find Roman Empire at War immensely useful when beginning research of battles of the Roman Empire -- Historian on the Warpath ...the book is to be praised for its ease of reading and consultation, enhanced by the addition of explanatory maps and diagrams of some of the most complex descriptions... To conclude, this volume appears a decent reference book for undergraduates, teachers and, more generally, as a basic resource for beginning more thorough and in-depth studies of the battles of Republican Rome. -- Bryn Mawr Classical Review Prof. Taylor (Hardin-Simmons), who has specialized in Roman history, has complied a valuable reference guide to the battles of the Roman Empire through the reign of Justinian... This is an indispensable reference guide for any student of the Roman military. -- The NYMAS Review

""Impressively informative and a welcome contribution to the growing library of Roman Military Histories... recommended to both academia and the non-specialist general reader.""-- ""Midwest Book Review"" ""...a handsome volume on the battles of the Roman Empire. While the book does provide some introductory material on the Roman army and the ancient and early medieval sources about this period, it is predominantly a list of battles with brief descriptions, some tactical maps, and lists of ancient sources for each battle. The latter is the best part and it is what sets this work apart from similar battle books, which merely provide descriptions and maps (e.g., An Encyclopedia of Battles). In addition, Taylor has provided a survey of the ancient authors with information on how readers can obtain translated copies (26-36). This is more helpful than Cambridge's History of Greek and Roman Warfare, which provides its own list of ancient authors (485-497), but does not provide details on finding them in English...With more than 25 years as professor of European and Ancient History at Hardin Simmons University in Texas, I believe Taylor has much more to tell us about these battles. Still, undergrads and even grads will find Roman Empire at War immensely useful when beginning research of battles of the Roman Empire""-- ""Historian on the Warpath"" ""...the book is to be praised for its ease of reading and consultation, enhanced by the addition of explanatory maps and diagrams of some of the most complex descriptions... To conclude, this volume appears a decent reference book for undergraduates, teachers and, more generally, as a basic resource for beginning more thorough and in-depth studies of the battles of Republican Rome.""-- ""Bryn Mawr Classical Review"" ""Prof. Taylor (Hardin-Simmons), who has specialized in Roman history, has complied a valuable reference guide to the battles of the Roman Empire through the reign of Justinian... This is an indispensable reference guide for any student of the Roman military.""-- ""The NYMAS Review""

Author Information

Dr Don Taylor holds a PhD in European History with a concentration in Ancient Mediterranean Studies from Fulbright College of the University of Arkansas (USA). Since 1995 he has served as a university professor in European and Ancient History at Hardin-Simmons University, Texas and he has published and/or lectured on various topics of Greek and Roman history.

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