Leading the Roman Army: Soldiers & Emperors, 31 BC-235 AD

by Jonathan Eaton

Overview

The Roman imperial army represented one of the main factors in the exercise of political control by the emperors. The effective political management of the army was essential for maintaining the safety and well-being of the empire as a whole. This book analyses the means by which emperors controlled their soldiers and sustained their allegiance from the battle of Actium in 31 BC, to the demise of the Severan dynasty in AD 235.

Recent discoveries have revolutionized our understanding of the Roman army. This study provides an up to date synthesis of a range of evidence from archaeological, epigraphic, literary and numismatic sources on the relationship between the emperor and his soldiers. It demonstrates that this relationship was of an intensely personal nature. He was not only the commander-in-chief, but also their patron and benefactor, even after their discharge from military service. Yet the management of the army was more complex than this emperor-soldier relationship suggests.

An effective army requires an adequate military hierarchy to impose discipline and command the troops on a daily basis. This was of particular relevance for the imperial army which was mainly dispersed along the frontiers of the empire, effectively in a series of separate armies. The emperor needed to ensure the loyalty of his officers by building mutually beneficial relationships with them. In this way, the imperial army became a complex network of interlocking ties of loyalty which protected the emperor from military subversion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473855649
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	10/01/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	216
Sales rank:	941,247
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

Table of Contents

Preface vi

Introduction vii

Chapter 1 The Political Influence of the Rome Garrison 1

Chapter 2 Discipline and Morale 19

Chapter 3 The Legionary Centurionate 40

Chapter 4 Commanding the Emperor's Army 52

Chapter 5 Political Awareness in the Army 78

Chapter 6 The Emperor and his Soldiers 103

Conclusion 128

Appendix 1 Military Units in Rome 132

Abbreviations 138

Editions Used 140

Bibliography 141

Notes 160

Index 201

Editorial Reviews

"...this is an important read for those with an interest in the Roman Army during the early empire."

The NYMAS Review