Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (3): 4th-5th Centuries AD

by Raffaele D'Amato, Raffaele Ruggeri (Illustrator)

Overview

A fully illustrated account of the large-scale reformation of the Roman Army from the reign of Diocletian to the fall of the Western Empire in AD 476.

After the 50-year chaos of the mid-3rd century AD, Emperor Diocletian (r. AD 284–305) and his successor, Constantine I (r. AD 306–37), the first Christian emperor, undertook major administrative reforms to reflect new realities and improve defensive strategy. These changes saw the Roman Army completely reorganized, with its old structure of legions and auxiliary units giving way to central mobile field armies and various classes of garrison troops. In addition, the Army also began recruiting 'allied barbarians' in ever-increasing numbers and even promoted some to the level of senior command.

Roman military expert Raffaele D'Amato draws on the latest archaeological and written evidence to explore this turbulent final period of the Western Empire. Illustrated with photographs and drawings of surviving artefacts and imagery, this latest entry in a series charting the Roman Army's evolution also features eight newly commissioned colour plates depicting the uniforms and weaponry of Rome's reformed military.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472862686
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	09/24/2024
Series:	Men-at-Arms , #557
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.20(d)

About the Author

Raffaele D'Amato, PhD, is the author of some 40 books and has written numerous articles on the Roman Empire, Byzantium, medieval Europe and the military of Ancient Greece. He has taught at the University of Ferrara, and was a visiting professor at Fatih University, Istanbul. He currently lives in England, working as an archaeological consultant and lawyer for Timeline Auctions Ltd of Harwich, and also as an external researcher for the Laboratory of the Danubian Provinces at the University of Ferrara.

Raffaele Ruggeri was born in Bologna where he still works and lives. After studying at the Fine Arts Academy, he worked in several areas of graphics and design before deciding to devote himself to illustration. He has long been interested in military history and has illustrated a number of books for Osprey including MAA 547, Roman Army Units in the Eastern Provinces (2) and CBT 55, Roman Legionary vs Gallic Warrior.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

SELECT CHRONOLOGY (AD)

MILITARY ORGANIZATION

COMPOSITION

The Imperial Comitatus and the Palatini – Limitanei or Ripenses – Foederati and Laeti – Imperial Guards

UNIT DISTRIBUTION

WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT & CLOTHING

Barbaricum

Diocese of Hispania – Provinciae: Gallaecia, Tarraconensis, Cartagenensis, Lusitania, Baetica (Mauretania Tingitana) – Iconography – Archaeology: weapons – Equipment – Belt fittings, brooches, etc.

Diocese of Britannia – Provinciae: Britannia I and II, Maxima Caesariensis, Flavia Caesariensis, Valentia – Archaeology and iconography: weapons – Equipment – Belt fittings, brooches, etc.

Diocese of Galliae – Provinciae: Germania I and II, Gallia Lugdunensis I, II, and IV, Belgica I and II, Maxima Sequanorum – Archaeology: weapons – Equipment – Belt fittings, brooches – Riding gear

Diocese of Septem Provinciae – Provinciae: Viennensis, Aquitania I and II, Aquitania III Novempopulana,

Narbonensis I and II, Alpes Poenninae, Graiae, AlpesmMaritimae – Iconography – Archaeology

Diocese of Italia – Provinciae: Italia Annonaria, Italia Suburbicaria, Raetia I and II – Iconography and archaeology: weapons – Equipment – Belt fittings, brooches

Diocese of Pannonia or Illyricum – Provinciae: Pannonia I, Pannonia Valeria, Dalmatia, Noricum Ripense, Noricum Mediterraneum – Archaeology: weapons – Equipment – Belt fittings, brooches, etc.

Diocese of Africa – Provinciae: Africa Proconsularis, Byzacena, Mauretania Sitifensis, Mauretania Caesariensis, Numidia Cirtensis, Numidia Militiana et Tripolitania – Iconography – Archaeology

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

PLATE COMMENTARIES

INDEX

Editorial Reviews

a thorough and detailed reference for anyone interested in Roman military history” —maverick_scale_models

From the Publisher