Download or read book Roman Shields written by M.C. Bishop and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-08-20 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The introduction of the scutum in the 4th century BC revolutionized the way the Romans fought. Instead of being purely defensive, the shield became a weapon in its own right. Using the top edge or boss to punch an opponent, or the lower rim to smash down on their feet, it served to unbalance an enemy and allow the sword to do its work. The versatility of the scutum was characterized by the testudo, a formation the Romans used offensively like a pedestrian tank. Meanwhile, other shield types equipped the auxiliaries who fought alongside the legionaries. The curved, rectangular scutum survived into the 3rd century AD, only to be replaced by an oval, slightly domed shield derived from the oval shields of Early Imperial auxiliaries. Drawing together historical accounts, excavated artefacts and the results of the latest scientific analyses of the boards and fittings, renowned authority M.C. Bishop reveals the development, technology, training and use of the scutum and other Roman shield types.

Download or read book Roman Shields written by M.C. Bishop and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-08-20 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The introduction of the scutum in the 4th century BC revolutionized the way the Romans fought. Instead of being purely defensive, the shield became a weapon in its own right. Using the top edge or boss to punch an opponent, or the lower rim to smash down on their feet, it served to unbalance an enemy and allow the sword to do its work. The versatility of the scutum was characterized by the testudo, a formation the Romans used offensively like a pedestrian tank. Meanwhile, other shield types equipped the auxiliaries who fought alongside the legionaries. The curved, rectangular scutum survived into the 3rd century AD, only to be replaced by an oval, slightly domed shield derived from the oval shields of Early Imperial auxiliaries. Drawing together historical accounts, excavated artefacts and the results of the latest scientific analyses of the boards and fittings, renowned authority M.C. Bishop reveals the development, technology, training and use of the scutum and other Roman shield types.

Download or read book Roman Shields written by Hilary & John Travis and published by Amberley Publishing Limited. This book was released on 2014-07-15 with total page 501 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive and amply illustrated study of Roman shields, their changing styles, their construction and their use in combat

Download or read book Legion Versus Phalanx written by Myke Cole and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-21 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Taking a populist approach to a serious subject, Myke Cole combines a novelist's flair for drama with an ancient historian's eye for detail to create a unique book that delves into one of the most popular areas of the Ancient World. From the time of Ancient Sumeria, the heavy infantry phalanx dominated the battlefield. Armed with spears or pikes, standing shoulder to shoulder with shields interlocking, the men of the phalanx presented an impenetrable wall of wood and metal to the enemy. Until, that is, the Roman legion emerged to challenge them as masters of infantry battle. Covering the period in which the legion and phalanx clashed (280–168 BC), Myke Cole delves into their tactics, arms and equipment, organization and deployment. Drawing on original primary sources to examine six battles in which the legion fought the phalanx--Heraclea (280 BC), Asculum (279 BC), Beneventum (275 BC), Cynoscephalae (197 BC), Magnesia (190 BC), and Pydna (168 BC)--he shows how and why the Roman legion, with its flexible organization, versatile tactics and iron discipline, came to eclipse the hitherto untouchable Hellenistic phalanx and dominate the ancient battlefield.

Download or read book Ecphrastic Shields in Graeco Roman Literature written by Karel Thein and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-09-30 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume takes a fresh look at ekphrasis as a textual practice closely connected to our embodied imagination and its verbal dimension; it offers the first detailed study of a large family of ancient ecphrastic shields, often studied separately, but never as an ensemble with its own development. The main objective consists of establishing a theoretical and historical framework that is applied to a series of famous ecphrastic shields starting with the Homeric shield of Achilles. The latter is reinterpreted as a paradigmatic "thing" whose echoing down the centuries is reinforced by the fundamental connection between ekphrasis and artefacts as its primary objects. The book demonstrates that although the ancient sources do not limit ekphrasis to artificial creations, the latter are most efficient in bringing out the intimate affinity between artefacts and vivid mental images as two kind of entities that lack a natural scale and are rightly understood as ontologically unstable. Ecphrastic Shields in Graeco-Roman Literature: The World’s Forge should be read by those interested in ancient culture, art and philosophy, but also by those fascinated by the broader issue of imagination and by the interplay between the natural and the artificial.

Download or read book How to Seize a Dragon s Jewel written by Cressida Cowell and published by Turtleback Books. This book was released on 2014-04-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For use in schools and libraries only. The Dragon Rebellion has begun, bringing the Vikings' darkest hour upon them. Hiccup has become an outcast, but that won't stop him from going on the most harrowing and important quest of his life. He must find the Dragon's Jewel in order to save his people... but where should he begin?

Download or read book Arms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier written by Graham Summer and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2009-09-17 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the Latin warriors on the Palatine Hill in the age of Romulus, to the last defenders of Constantinople in 1453 AD, the weaponry of the Roman Army was constantly evolving. Through glory and defeat, the Roman warrior adapted to the changing face of warfare. Due to the immense size of the Roman Empire, which reached from the British Isles to the Arabian Gulf, the equipment of the Roman soldier varied greatly from region to region.Through the use of materials such as leather, linen and felt, the army was able to adjust its equipment to these varied climates. Arms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier sheds new light on the many different types of armour used by the Roman soldier, and combines written and artistic sources with the analysis of old and new archaeological finds. With a huge wealth of plates and illustrations, which include ancient paintings, mosaics, sculptures and coin depictions, this book gives the reader an unparalleled visual record of this fascinating period of military history. This book, the first of three volumes, examines the period from Marius to Commodus. Volume II covers the period from Commodus to Justinian, and Volume III will look at the period from Romulus to Marius.

Download or read book Legions of Rome written by Stephen Dando-Collins and published by Quercus. This book was released on 2013-09-03 with total page 837 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No book on Roman history has attempted to do what Stephen Dando-Collins does in Legions of Rome: to provide a complete history of every Imperial Roman legion and what it achieved as a fighting force. The author has spent the last thirty years collecting every scrap of available evidence from numerous sources: stone and bronze inscriptions, coins, papyrus and literary accounts in a remarkable feat of historical detective work. The book is divided into three parts: Part 1 provides a detailed account of what the legionaries wore and ate, what camp life was like, what they were paid and how they were motivated and punished. The section also contains numerous personal histories of individual soldiers. Part 2 offers brief unit histories of all the legions that served Rome for 300 years from 30BC. Part 3 is a sweeping chronological survey of the campaigns in which the armies were involved, told from the point of view of particular legions. Lavish, authoritative and beautifully produced, Legions of Rome will appeal to ancient history enthusiasts and military history buffs alike.

Download or read book Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome written by Phil Barker and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2016-01-22 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome spans the period from 150 BC to 600 AD and describes the forces of the later Roman Republic and the Byzantine wars as well as the armies of the heyday of the Roman Empire. Coverage of Rome's enemies includes Gallic, British, Pictish, Scots/Irish, German, Dacian, Sarmatian, Frankish, Saxon, Vandal, Visigothic, Ostrogothic, Hunnic, Pontic, Parthian, Armenian, Jewish, Palmyran, Sassanid and Blemye armies. It examines tactics and strategy, organisation and formations and orders of battle as well as providing a detailed guide to the dress and equipment of the armies of the period. Comprehensive illustrations by Ian Heath complement Phil Barker's text and the result is a wealth of information for anyone interested in the warfare of the time. Long out of print, the book has been a source of inspiration to wargamers and academic historians alike. It is reprinted here in its complete 1981 fourth edition with an updated bibliography.

Download or read book Roman Military Equipment from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome second edition written by M. C. Bishop and published by Oxbow Books. This book was released on 2006-04-22 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book The Spatha written by M.C. Bishop and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-23 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adopted from the Celts in the 1st century BC, the spatha, a lethal and formidable chopping blade, became the primary sword of the Roman soldier in the Later Empire. Over the following centuries, the blade, its scabbard, and its system of carriage underwent a series of developments, until by the 3rd century AD it was the universal sidearm of both infantry and cavalry. Thanks to its long reach, the spatha was the ideal cavalry weapon, replacing the long gladius hispaniensis in the later Republican period. As the manner in which Roman infantrymen fought evolved, styles of hand-to-hand combat changed so much that the gladius was superseded by the longer spatha during the 2nd century AD. Like the gladius, the spatha was technologically advanced, with a carefully controlled use of steel. Easy maintenance was key to its success and the spatha was designed to be easily repaired in the field where access to a forge may have been limited. It remained the main Roman sword into the Late Roman period and its influence survived into the Dark Ages with Byzantine, Carolingian and Viking blades. Drawing together historical accounts, excavated artefacts and the results of the latest scientific analyses of the blades, renowned authority M.C. Bishop reveals the full history of the development, technology, training and use of the spatha: the sword that defended an empire.

Download or read book War and Warfare in Late Antiquity 2 vols written by and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2013-08-19 with total page 1119 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of papers, arising from the Late Antique Archaeology conference series, explores war and warfare in Late Antiquity. Papers examine strategy and intelligence, weaponry, literary sources and topography, the West Roman Empire, the East Roman Empire, the Balkans, civil war and Italy.

Download or read book Roman Centurions 31 BC AD 500 written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-02-20 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the years between 31 BC and AD 500 the Romans carved out a mighty empire stretching from Britain to the deserts of North Africa. The men who spearheaded this expansion were the centurions, the tough, professional warriors who led from the front, exerted savage discipline and provided a role model for the legionaries under their command. This book, the second volume of a two-part study, reveals the appearance, weaponry, role and impact of these legendary soldiers during the five centuries that saw the Roman Empire reach its greatest geographical extent under Trajan and Hadrian, only to experience a long decline in the West in the face of sustained pressure from its 'barbarian' neighbours. Featuring spectacular full-colour artwork, written by an authority on the army of the Caesars and informed by a wide range of sculptural, written and pictorial evidence from right across the Roman world, this book overturns established wisdom and sheds new light on Rome's most famous soldiers during the best-known era in its history.

Download or read book Sex in Antiquity written by Mark Masterson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-02-05 with total page 588 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Looking at sex and sexuality from a variety of historical, sociological and theoretical perspectives, as represented in a variety of media, Sex in Antiquity represents a vibrant picture of the discipline of ancient gender and sexuality studies, showcasing the work of leading international scholars as well as that of emerging talents and new voices. Sexuality and gender in the ancient world is an area of research that has grown quickly with often sudden shifts in focus and theoretical standpoints. This volume contextualises these shifts while putting in place new ideas and avenues of exploration that further develop this lively field or set of disciplines. This broad study also includes studies of gender and sexuality in the Ancient Near East which not only provide rich consideration of those areas but also provide a comparative perspective not often found in such collections. Sex in Antiquity is a major contribution to the field of ancient gender and sexuality studies.

Download or read book Roman Heavy Cavalry 2 written by Andrei Evgenevich Negin and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-11-26 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the twilight of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th–6th centuries, the elite of the field armies was the heavy armoured cavalry – the cataphracts, clad in lamellar, scale, mail and padded fabric armour. After the fall of the West, the Greek-speaking Eastern or Byzantine Empire survived for nearly a thousand years, and cavalry remained predominant in its armies, with the heaviest armoured regiments continuing to provide the ultimate shock-force in battle. Accounts from Muslim chroniclers show that the ironclad cataphract on his armoured horse was an awe-inspiring enemy: '...they advanced against you, iron-covered – one would have said that they advanced on horses which seemed to have no legs'. This new study, replete with stunning full-colour illustrations of the various units, offers an engaging insight into the fearsome heavy cavalry units that battled against the enemies of Rome's Eastern Empire.

Download or read book The Shield of Rome written by William Kelso and published by . This book was released on 2011-11 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 216 BC. The two great super powers of the ancient world, Rome and Carthage are engaged in a life and death struggle to control the known world. Hannibal, the legendary Carthaginian general leads his army across the Alps into Italy and inflicts three mighty disasters upon the poorly led Romans. After the battle of Cannae, Rome's worst ever defeat in her history, it seems inevitable that the proud Roman republic will fall. In Rome only one man, Quintus Fabius Maximus seems to have the strength to guide the panic stricken city through the crisis. His heroic spirit rallies his countrymen and a divided Senate but his life is in danger when a ruthless assassin arrives in Rome with orders to kill Fabius.

Download or read book The Age of Hippotoxotai written by Ilkka Syvänne and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 552 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: