Book Description
To the Romans, the greatest enemy the Republic ever faced was not the Goths or Huns, nor even Hannibal, but rather a ferocious and brilliant king on the distant Black Sea: Mithridates Eupator VI, the last king of Pontus, known to history as Mithridates the Great. At age eleven, he inherited a small mountain kingdom of wild tribesmen whom his wicked mother governed in his place. Sweeping to power at twenty-one-years-old, he proved to be a military genius and a man intent on ousting the Romans from the Black Sea coast territories. For over forty years, Rome sent its greatest generals to contain Mithridates, but time and again he embarrassed the Romans with devastating defeats. Each time Rome declared victory, Mithridates considered it merely a strategic retreat and soon came roaring back with a more powerful army than before.From the author of the acclaimed The Ten Thousand and Gods and Legions, comes a fascinating recreation of a wickedly cunning and ruthless king who would stop at nothing to protect his people-and who would go down in history as one of the greatest and most formidable warriors of the ancient world.
Customer Reviews:
Boring.......2007-08-05
A poor man's Pressfield novel. I wanted to like it - but it just didn't happen. Too much narration, no character development - 8 dollars I'll never get back
He Lost Every Battle.... So What ?.......2007-03-05
Mithridates was the burr under Rome's saddle, a thorn in their paw, an Apollo Creed to their Rocky Balboa. How odd to judge this book by the number of battles he lost to Rome rather than by his reputation coupled with the writing skills of Michael Curtis Ford.
The book is narrarated by Mithridates son, Pharnaces, who also serves as his general. During the 45 year battle with Rome, Mithridates wins... loses .. and loses again as he seeks to fulfil his dream of conquering 'barbarian' Rome and all it stands for. This is history viewed from the other side of the Hellespont. From the 'Asian' side of some very famous Roman battles. It put a different spin on the set-ups, formations, and psychological approaches each side brought to a battlefield. It discussed exactly what the definition of 'civilized' might mean in the year 55 BC. It was a fun read but only gets 4 stars because it lacked a bit more texture beyond the politics and wars. Plus 'ole Mithridites was a little too perfect to be believed. Nice job. Fully recommended.
Rome's Greatest Enemy.......2007-02-07
Rome had seen many enemies throughout its history. Many had tried and all had failed against the might of the Roman legions, a force that at that period in history was better equipped, better drilled and led by men who for probably the first time in history were tactically aware. Some of the great forces they had clashed with were the Goths, the Huns and of course Hannibal, but their greatest enemy was someone who is rather less well known in the history books. A king from the distant Black Sea, Mithridates Eupator VI of Pontus, know to historians as Mithridates the Great.
When he was eleven years old Mithridates inherited and small kingdom in the mountains, inhabited by wild tribesman and governed by his mother in his place. When he swept to power at twenty one he proved to be a military genius and quickly consolidated various fiefdoms under his command. Rome also wished to spread its territories in the region, so conflict was inevitable . . .
This book is a terrific read. The author brings to life the period of history about which he writes. You can almost hear the screams of the wounded and dying on the battlefields. I loved it.
Beyond Five Stars.......2006-12-28
At the end of the day, if I REALLY want to read a book about how LIFE REALLY IS (as opposed to those "airplane books" (read 'em on the plane, leave 'em on the plane) by Grisham, Dan Brown, Ludlum, ad nauseam), I read something by Steven Pressfield, or Victor Davis Hansen, or Bernard Cromwell. Of the writers in this gendre, I like Michael Curtis Ford the best. Of course, the others are wonderful--it is just that HE is MIRACULOUS! Within the first 10 or 20 pages of one of his novels, you have achieved the "willing suspension of disbelief" that Socrates said was the essential element of great writing--you realyy feel that you are THERE---that the characters are living, breathing people that you know as well as our own friends.
I can't wait for him to write more.
Myth overshadows realism in an average book.......2006-04-19
Michael Curtis Ford excels at choosing fascinating subjects for his novels but never leaves a lasting imprint with his words. Imagine if Steven Pressfield or Mary Renault or Wallace Breem wrote a book about Mithridates! Good writers can take interesting subjects and make books that last for ages. Average writers like Ford make books that last as long as it takes to read them. After reading The Last King, I was not left with any enlightenment. I did not understand who Mithridates was, or why he fought so vehemently, or why Rome named him public enemy number one. He seemed to be yet another king capable of raising huge rabbles of undisciplined warriors that could not stand up to a handful of Roman legions. Ford fails to illuminate what made him different or memorable other than his determination to fight. I blame the impersonal storyline. The novel reads as a narration of what happened rather than as Mithridates' personal saga. In my opinion, a better writer would have chosen Mithridates as the primary character and told the story through his perspective, not through his son's perspective as Ford has done. There is not enough exploration of Mithridates as a man. Mostly he is presented as a myth: the strongest, biggest, most cunning king and warrior. Although I am not certain, I suspect that the two female characters are complete fabrications. The only realism appears when Ford portrays the Romans. In fact, Ford's best passages focus on the Romans and not Mithridates. For instance, he writes a few good paragraphs about the shovel being Rome's greatest weapon. The Last King is an average book about an above average man. I wish Ford's novel was more worthy of its subject.
Book Description
How did the Romans build and maintain one of the most powerful and stable empires in the history of the world? This illuminating book draws on the literature, especially the historiography, composed by the members of the elite who conducted Roman foreign affairs. From this evidence, Susan P. Mattern reevaluates the roots, motivations, and goals of Roman imperial foreign policy especially as that policy related to warfare. In a major reinterpretation of the sources, Rome and the Enemy shows that concepts of national honor, fierce competition for status, and revenge drove Roman foreign policy, and though different from the highly rationalizing strategies often attributed to the Romans, dictated patterns of response that remained consistent over centuries.
Mattern reconstructs the world view of the Roman decision-makers, the emperors, and the elite from which they drew their advisers. She discusses Roman conceptions of geography, strategy, economics, and the influence of traditional Roman values on the conduct of military campaigns. She shows that these leaders were more strongly influenced by a traditional, stereotyped perception of the enemy and a drive to avenge insults to their national honor than by concepts of defensible borders. In fact, the desire to enforce an image of Roman power was a major policy goal behind many of their most brutal and aggressive campaigns.
Rome and the Enemy provides a fascinating look into the Roman mind in addition to a compelling reexamination of Roman conceptions of warfare and national honor. The resulting picture creates a new understanding of Rome's long mastery of the Mediterranean world.
Customer Reviews:
How did the Romans think of war and peace and strategy?.......2007-10-09
This book is not a tale or narrative. Instead, it is an examination of the evidence about how Rome thought of war, peace, and strategy. Through literature, histories, and historical evidence, the author captures a sense of Roman thought.
Romans worried about the image of Rome, the way others thought of Rome. They gaurded with ferocity the reputation of Rome as a terrible enemy.
Romans did not have a sense of mapping, geography, strategic boundaries, or key crops and resources, in a way that modern military and foreign policy specialists take for granted. Instead, Rome had a strong sense of the enemy, those who would try and push at Rome, and who needed to be kept down, subdued, killed, in order to ensure a strong Rome.
This book is a bit dry, but it is fascinating in how it weaves its sources to reveal a way of life and of thought, regarding empire. There have been those who feel that America needs to understand this Roman view of power and fear, in order to understand why some in the world go to war with Americans. I think that this is over-stated. It is not as though we lack this Roman perspective in the West... rather I would say that we have layered over it many strategic lessons, and some forgetfulness.
This sort of writing augments more narrative histories by capturing the historic sensibility of the times. There should be more histories of this quality written.
Insightful Look at Roman Foriegn Policy.......2001-08-11
Looking at what modern observers would essentially call foriegn policy of the Roman principate, Matterson gives a fascinating account of the conduct of the Roman empire on an international level if you will that is both insightful and enjoyable. Perhaps what was most beneficial about the book was the author's various discussions of essentially how the Roman ruling parties viewed the world around them. The reason for the immense importance of this is that the Roman view of the outside world physically, psychologically, and geographically was inherently different than how the modern viewer would see it. What we see three-dimensionally the Romans essentially saw in 2-D, a rough analogy that does allude to the main idea of Matterson's book, an idea it would be well worth the time of anyone with an interest in history or international studies to understand. How Roman power both grew and saw sustainment cannot be fully understood without this basic comprehension of the world by Roman eyes, and there are few sources available that illustrate this fact in better and more entertaining fashion than Matterson does. Beware though, this book is relatively in depth and utilizes a lot of scholastic and antiquated sources and styles that would be a little much for a reader new to Roman studies to comprehend, and for that reason I would suggest at least a rudimentary understanding of the Principate period be obtained before investing in this title, as the true impact and importance of Matterson's ideas could be easily missed by one who knows not what to look for. Beyond that though, this book is certainly well worth your time and purchase.
Another side of Rome.......2000-09-24
Susan P. Mattern wrote a book that is well made, easy to read and has well supported ideas. She breaks down Imperial Strategy, not into where, who and how, but into why and what for. While other books focus on what the Romans are doing, she examines why they do it. She breaks it down into parts, dealing with how the army, the empire's income and the Roman values shape and mold how they respond to threats and outsiders. The hardcover might scare you, but it only took me two days to read and for a person who has a basic knowledge of Roman History, the book should not be a problem.
Peace Through Terror.......2000-07-04
Susan Mattern, a professor at the University of Georgia, has written a well-researched analysis of how the Roman Empire's leaders made strategic decisions from 31 BC to 235 AD. Chapters cover topics from the nature of the decision-making elite, the Roman image of the world around them, strategic limitations, economic resources, and strategic values. Although a bit dry and academic in tone, this work provides a valuable synthesis of the elements that enabled Roman leaders to formulate a strategic policy for the Empire.
Roman policy, as Mattern hammers home repeatedly, was not based upon either deterrence or a search for defensible borders. Rather, Roman policy rested upon overawing both external and internal enemies with the ability of the Empire to inflict massive military punishment upon all transgressors. Rome made war to avenge injuries upon the empire in order to maintain the honor of that entity. Failure to avenge a Barbarian attack or to settle disputes with diplomacy was viewed by Roman leaders as not only a sign of weakness, but also an invitation to further enemy aggression. In order to maintain peace, Barbarian arrogance (i.e. disrespect for the power of Rome) had to be kept in line by smashing military defeats, followed by humiliating surrenders. The greater the arrogance of the enemy, the more severe the Roman revenge, ranging from mere defeat to total annihilation; as Mattern wrote, "if a tribe caused too much trouble, the Romans saw no moral or ethical argument against wiping it off the face of the earth". Nor was there a time limit - Roman retribution might not come for years or even decades, but their enemies had to be assured that it would come some day.
Roman security rested far more on repeated demonstrations of military prowess and a willingness to pay any price to avenge insults to the Empire, than the size of the army or border defenses. Mattern has very useful chapters detailing the limitations of the Roman Army based on available manpower and the ability of the Empire to extract taxes. Interestingly, the Roman Army during this period amounted to only about 1% of the total population and the military budget is estimated to have been approximately 2.5% of the "Imperial GNP". These statistical points help Mattern to hammer home her points that Roman strategy, as such there was, aimed at achieving a psychological effect upon the enemy rather than achieving security through either quantitative or qualitative superiority. These chapters on the economic underpinnings of the Empire and strategic limitations make this book a valuable addition to any collection of Roman military history.
Mattern also makes interesting points on the differences between how Romans made strategic decisions compared with current methods. Amazingly, maps and geographical information were not used in planning military operations. Nor were financial considerations of cost and gained measured; major military resources were devoted to hold onto Britain despite the poor economic resources of the island. Instead, Mattern convincingly claims that it all came down to maintaining the image of the Empire as able and willing to inflict assured retribution on aggressors. Peace for Roman was thus achieved by psychologically terrorizing all challengers into subject inactivity.
How the Gladiator defied an empire?.......2000-05-17
After I saw Gladiator-the movie, I needed to know how the Romans used to think. How they made this empire last and expand. I was amazed to know that they picked their leaders with certain characteristics. This book talks about it and much more.
Customer Reviews:
I thought he ate livers?.......2005-11-11
This is a good book if you want a reader's digest of Hannibal without sacrificing any details. The book spans Hannibals entier life and talks about his family history. It is a quick and entertaining read. One of the positives of the book is that the author actually tried to travel Hannibal's route over the Alps. The author was able to throw in details that any other author would not be able to discuss about the terrain and certain land marks (even adding pictures). One of the small drawbacks is that he told information about his family trip. I think those digressions distracted from the book and I guess they were enough to make me take off an extra star. To end on a good note I would like to add that the battle scenes are very graphic. He talked about what would be going on in the soldiers mind during a massacre such as Cannae. For the most part the book jumped from battle to battle and left out some of the more `boring' topics that tend to drag a book out. I recommend this book to anyone who wants an incite to the battles of Hannibal.
Hannibal Review eh!.......2005-01-06
Hannibal Enemy of Rome is kind of a so-so book. At one perspective, it is an extremely boring book. The information is presented closely to that of a history textbook. It can be very dull and hard to get into, and it takes a while of reading it to get to the exciting things like battles. Hannibal can be a little hard for some to follow because it sort of skips around alot. It will be telling you about Hannibal's battle plans and you will be almost getting into it, and then the book will switch you to a long quote from some Roman guy that will completely destroy the intrest you just had.
On the other hand, some parts of the book are pretty good. The battles, for example, can catch your interest pretty quickly. You would be amazed at how much information this book contains on Hannibal and his strategies. You will also learn about how he used elephants in battle, which is truly amazing, though the book doesnt go into a heck of a lot of detail on them. Hannibal's journey is long and hard, with a few catching points, but overall, I would only recommend this book to someone who really wants to read about Hannibal or his journey. For someone craving action, this book isnt terrible, but you can get better.
The words of someone against the book of Hannibal.......2005-01-06
While reading this book I'm thinking, is this really necessary? We all know that Hannibal was a great guy and what he did was incredible but in this book the narrator just makes you want to never hear the word Hannibal again! Though he did put in a lot of great information and he really made it seem like you were in the battles. Everything was boring until they were in the mountains and the Gaul's started to attack that is when it really gets good. Then he would talk about some other thing or himself and it was like were did my thrilling book go? He would talk about his journey and how it related to Hannibal. Well, we really don't care about what he thought we just want to read it and try to understand all of those big words that we don't know yet. This book was definitely made for college students that majored in history, not a ninth grader. But then again there would be another battle and you could understand why he did this and what his strategy was. During this I thought that maybe there was some hope for this book, but you know us if we had a choice in reading this or another we would choose the other book.
Hannibal: Enemy of Rome.......2004-12-17
Have you ever had someone try to explain something, and you don't understand it? Well, in the book, Hannibal: Enemy of Rome, has a very similar situation. The book sort of gives you two different stories.
The author goes through the same adventure as Hannibal when he was a live. That can make the story very confusing because you have a mind set of reading about Hannibal instead of reading what the author went through. The book was very interesting when I read about what Hannibal and his men went through during the war. Also, the author uses very difficult vocabulary, and was very difficult for me because vocabulary is not my strong suit.
Over all, the book wouldn't have been that bad if the author didn't write some much about what he went through. I think that if he wrote my about Hannibal that there be more interest in the reading the book. In my opinion, Hannibal would have been an awesome book, if it followed the title.
Hannibal: Enemy of Rome.......2004-12-17
If you likes books that are packed with information about generals and battles. Then this is the book for you Hannibal Enemy of Rome is a very good book, but hard to read because of all the names and places. This book is good because of how Cottrell described the battle scenes between Hannibal and the Romans. The author really wanted to let you know how Hannibal was an excellent strategist. One of my favorite parts in the book is where the Romans are spying on Hannibal. Hannibal leaves some of his men behind to ambush the Romans. His men send cattle up the mountain with torches tied to them. The Romans follow the cattle up the mountain thinking that it is hannibal and his men. When the Romans get to the top of the mountain there are ambushed by Hannibals men. There are many more exciting parts in this book and I would recomend it to any one who wants to read a good book.
Book Description
These vigorous northern 'barbarians' were the destroyers of the Western Empire of Rome. It was they who delivered the coup de grâce to the dying colossus in the south, subsequently creating medieval Europe, the feudal system and chivalry. Their direct descendants were the knights and men-at-arms. In every sense, they were the creators of the modern world; it is ironic that many people know virtually nothing about them. This book explores the history, weapons and dress of the Germanics and Dacians who fought Rome two thousand years before our time.
Customer Reviews:
Dacians and Germans.......2007-05-13
This is a bit of a disappointment; rather dated and not very scholarly. There are better reference works out there.
More Germanic than Dacian.......2007-04-02
This book touches on most of Rome's major barbarians, Early Germans, Suebian/Marcomannic tribes, Goths, Franks, Anglo-Saxons, and Dacians, and also provides some information on the contemporary Gauls, Sarmatians, and Huns. As a previous reviewer has noted, the Dacians, one of the most exciting peoples of Ancient Eastern Europe, only get about two pages and one plate, when they really deserve their own men-at-arms title. The plates are some of G A Embleton's better and are finely detailed. I suppose this book captures the whole point of the men-at-arms, giving a brief overview of the subject's history and appearance, and thus laying the foundation for the reader to pursue a deeper knowledge of the subject.
lots of great artwork,worth it for the pictures alone........2006-07-10
although this book is now offered in a thicker Osprey title called Barbarian Enemies of Rome,and includes 2 other Osprey titles as well,mainly British Celts and Iberian warriors,it would be worth it to have by itself if a person could get a good price on it.I liked the authors use of the word"Supertribe" in regard to the movements of conquest by the Germanic tribes. Really that's what governments are trying to do even today,create,"supertribes" strength in numbers. Sometimes people don't want to join the tribe for different reasons or are excluded,then they resort to the sword. The difference are settled when one side buys out the other or exterminate or assimilate the other. all this in one little wafer thin book,saves me the time from having to read the complete works of Cicero,not that it wouldn't be fun to.
was delayed in shipping .......2005-07-28
i cancelled this order as it was going to take even longer to be shipped.
Its an okay book.......2004-12-04
Being a junior History buff, I looked into this book, interested in learning a little more about the traditional enemies (and allies) of Rome. This book wasn't too awfully dissapointing, but it wasn't all that great either, hence the 4 stars.
For one, there was a decisive lack of Dacians in this book. There was 1 Illustation for the Dacians (the cover illustration), and about a page and a half about them. Indeed, even with the Germans, there is a woefully short amount of imformation about THEM. The couple pages of historical quotes about them and their bearing in battle was interesting, but other than that, there was hardly anything of substance about these two people.
One thing though - if you are interested in Germanic and Dacians Standards, swords, axes, or shields, get this book. Half of the book, quite literally, is about the evolution of weapons and armor, their exact sizes, their shapes, etc. I did find this part helpful, since my father is in to weapons-making, especially archaic weapons. Using the diagrams in this book, we made 2 Franciscas, which came out quite nicely made.
Average customer rating:
- An Interesting Socio-Anthropological Study of Rome
|
Enemies Of Rome: Barbarians Through Roman Eyes
I. M. Ferris
Manufacturer: Diane Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Rome
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0756778409 |
Book Description
This study tells the reader much about the barbarians, about Roman art and about the Romans' view of themselves. Ferris examines the literary and historical background to these works, exposing the deep-seated fear of barbarians or primitive which lay at the heart of the Roman world. He analyzes the development of an artistic tradition that reflected the increasing power of barbarians within the Empire. He also demonstrates that, as the Empire declined, the savage characteristics of the barbarians came to be portrayed as virtues, rather than vices. This account of an interesting aspect of ancient history is illustrated with examples of Roman art, from the Dying Gaul and the imperial images commissioned by Augustus, to the columns of Trojan and Marcus Aurelius. It should be useful reading for all those interested in the archaeology and art history of the ancient world.
Customer Reviews:
An Interesting Socio-Anthropological Study of Rome.......2005-03-21
I.M. Ferris' book is an interesting socio-anthropological study of Roman civilization and its barbaric neighbors: barbarian meaning anyone not Roman. Although it tends to cover mostly the Principate as opposed to the Republic, the book provides an interesting perspective compared to others that only study Roman art only from a chronological perspective or political studies that use art work only to illustrate the event.
Ferris approaches the topic with the theory that Rome's art work of battles and its conquered peoples reflected very deep psychological states of mind held by the Romans. This is particularly true in the Republic when Romans were constantly besieged by 'barbarians' such as Hannibal's Carthagenians and Bruno's Celts. The book illustrates how Celts and Germanic tribes were constantly portrayed as savage beasts being either killed in battle, chained up, or killed in executions. The book contrasts the latter with the stereotypical depiction of Parthians as being effeminates and whose despotic culture of sycophancy was perceived as a menace to Rome. The book then follows through the Late Empire showing how Germanic savages were portrayed as more human: probably because Germanic groups comprised a good amount of the Empire's population by then. With such an anlysis, the book is important in not only clarifying issues not really addressed in the study of Rome, but also showing us that the demonization of foreign groups for political or cultural purposes is really nothing new.
I.M. Ferris' book presents a unique socio-anthropological analysis of Roman civilization and how it propagated its notion of 'us vs. them' throughout its history: particularly during the Principate. Although it tends to cover mostly the Principate as opposed to the Republic, the book provides an interesting perspective not really covered by other scholars. I wouldn't recommend this work to the casual reader unless they already have a good grasp of general background material about Rome in particular and antiquity in general. This is a great book for college-level students of classical studies.
Customer Reviews:
informative.......2000-10-07
I'm putting together a wargaming Early Imperial Roman Army. I have found this book to be useful in providing detail about all the areas in the title "organization, tactics, dress and weapons". The sections on dress and equipment can be a little tedious but provide an excellent reference. I enjoyed the section on the major battles of the period but found the descriptions a little short, but that I dare say is another book in itself. As a general reference for the period the author has done an excellent job.
Book Description
The Republican Roman army suffered heavy losses as a result of the ‘hit and run’ tactics employed by the Hispanics in Ancient Spain. After preparatory chanting, the Celt-Iberians would attack en masse and in apparent disorder. At a pre-arranged signal the warriors would retreat as if defeated. This sequence might be repeated over several days, until finally the Romans lost their discipline and broke formation in pursuit. At this point the Hispanics would quickly mount a counter-attack that would decimate the legions. This volume explores the organisation, tactics, history, arms and armour of Rome's Spanish enemies.
Customer Reviews:
Spaniards.......2007-03-31
This book details the history, tactics, and battle gear of the tribal people of what would now be Spain (Hispania) and Portugal (Lusitania) in the last three centuries before Christ. The Spaniards of this time period were a proud people with a strong warrior's tradition, and they simply refused to submit to Rome for centuries. Even when a tribe was officially 'conquered', they would still revolt time and again. In their military-minded culture the Hispanics had borrowed from the Greeks, the ancient Africans, and the Gaulish Celts, which made their very appearance, clothing, and weaponry exotic. This book also tells the heroic, and ultimately tragic stories of the revolt of the Lusitanian patriot Viriatus and the resistance of the Numantine Celtiberians to Scipio Africanus. These are also some of my favorites of Angus McBride's many plates for the Osprey series, depicting Iberian, Hispano-Celtic, and Andalusian warriors clashing with the Romans, often fighting with their brutal falcata swords, their iron soliferrum javelins, and their deadly slings.
shows where toledo steel originated from........2006-08-22
i was surprised to note the close similarities between the Spanish weaponry and art to the Ancient Greeks. I knew that the Greeks had colonized the Meditteranean but this book really brings it home.Spain must have been a vast "melting pot" of cultures,including Celtic,North African as well as roman.The seige of Numantia,a city deep in the Spanish Peninsula,by the romans occurred in 134 B.C.This was about 90 years before the great Roman seige of Alesia by Julius Caesar's army and makes for equally fascinating reading.Maps and archaeological digs highlight the brief explanation of Roman general Scipio's conquering of this major city.I remember from history class hearing that Toledo steel conquered the Aztecs,but i didn't know that the ancient spanish were already masters of iron ore and the Romans even adopted alot of Spanish weaponry.Also mentioned in the book was the fact that the Roman year initially began in September. It was changed to January due to consideration of Romes war of conquest in spain.The book ends with the pacification of Spanish territory in 19 B.C.
Another great title from Osprey Publishing.......2006-02-25
Covering a somewhat neglected front of the wars of Republican Rome, this book gives enough detail and substance to please the casual historian and dedicated wargamer. The color plates are of the high quality fans of Osprey books have come to expect from Angus McBride, and the black-and-white maps, illustrations, and pictures help to fill in the gaps. Highly recommended as an addition to your Osprey collection.
Great use of the Osprey format.......2006-01-20
Martinez/McBride's work is one of the better examples of an Osprey book: it covers an area that otherwise receives little attention, Martinez clearly knows his subject and is eager to share the knowledge, the book is concise and well illustrated. (This is some of Angus McBride's best work in my opinion.)
The classical period Iberian peninsula receives little dedicated coverage, yet it was the strategically decisive theater for the 2nd Punic War. Hannibal launched his invasion from here, and when the Carthaginian territories he left behind were finally subdued, the Romans were able to make the decisive invasion of Africa that forced Hannibal to leave Italy to defend Carthage. After defeating Hannibal, it took Rome almost 200 years to fully pacify their Iberian subjects. The discussion of Veriatus campaigns, and the Numantine wars are some of the more interesting aspects of this work. Martinez explains the mix of Iberian, Celt, and Celt-Iberian tribes that characterized the native inhabitants; and he describes which weapons and armour were associated with each group.
Despite the short length, there is good representation of archaeological findings to support the text and color plates.
As with other interesting Osprey works, it leaves the reader wishing it were longer to more fully explore the subject.
Excellent photos and drawings.......2000-09-30
A very good overview of the subject. The drawings and photos are excellent. The text is a good overview, though not a lot of detail. But I suspect that was the purpose of the book! As with most Ospreys, it is an excellent guide for re-enactors...
Book Description
The Parthians were a warrior people. Though possessing no regular army they were superb horsemen and archers, and in time of war the nobility provided heavily armoured knights mounted on weight-carrying chargers. At Carrhae, it is believed that 20,000 Roman troops out of a force of about 36,000 died at the hands of the Parthians. In the third of four volumes covering Rome's enemies, this fascinating text by Peter Wilcox examines the armies and campaigns of the Parthians and Sassanid Persians. This worthy addition to Osprey's Men-at-Arms series contains a wealth of illustrations, including eight full page colour plates by popular artist Angus McBride.
Customer Reviews:
Eastern Knights and Horsebow.......2007-04-02
Excellent men-at-arms, although personally I feel that both of these peoples deserved their own title. The text and plates both detail the Scytho-Parthian horse-archers, Partho-Sassanid savaran, and infantry and mercenaries in Persian service, as well as the virtually never ending campaigns between Rome and these two great peoples between the 1st Century BC and the 7th Century AD, when the Arabs finally overwhelmed a Sassanid Empire already weakened by Byzantine invasion.
Well done........2006-08-01
Persians were not one of many enemies of Rome. They were the only equal to Rome. Time after time Rome failed to move east because of Persia. Persia's cultural gifts to Rome / Europe is well documented.
A Good Source of information.......2005-06-23
This is one of the good sources of information without it going into a steep price tag like the Cambridge Histories [which I do own]. This is a perfect way for western readers to learn about something rather than go and learn Perisan and read the manuscripts [though I encourage you to do so]. A 5/5 for this one.
Good as a painting guide!.......2000-03-31
Osprey's Men-At-Arms seriesmay be the greatest source for depicting how historical warrior's dressed and may give you a good pallette for painting wargames miniatures, but the facts they quote as history leave alot to be desired. The illustrations are wonderful and the b&w photos of artifacts are interesting but a serious student of history can find better sources other than this book. I give them 5 stars on the pictures but only 1 on the subject matter at hand.
Book Description
Rome's desert frontier was one where the Empire faced few dangers, for here relations were generally based on a mutual interest in trade across the frontier. Yet when Rome did clash with desert peoples, particularly those of Syria and Arabia, the mobility, fighting skills and ability to withdraw into an arid wilderness often gave the Arabs, Berbers and Sudanese an extra edge. This fascinating volume by David Nicolle explores the history and armies of Rome's enemies of the desert frontier. The author's fine text is accompanied by a wealth of illustrations and photographs, including eight stunning full page colour plates by Angus McBride.
Customer Reviews:
Eastern Warriors.......2007-04-02
I could not give this book enough stars. The plates are beautiful and detailed even by Angus McBride's standards, but the text by itself would still be worth every penny. It examines a somewhat overlooked subject and researches it in a detailed and captivating manner. It covers the following peoples/regions:
North Africa
Southern Arabia
Central Arabia
Syria (including Herodian and zealot Jewish armies under Roman rule)
Mesopotamia
The plates are:
A: A Numidian prince and two of his warriors
B: A Meroitic Lady and two of her warriors
C: King Silko, a tribal archer, and a Roman mercenary
D: A Herodian cavalryman and an Arab ally are attacked by a Jewish rebel
E: Queen Zenobia of Palmyra with husband and retainer
F: Palmyran armies
G: Ethiopian Governor or Arabia Felix, with Arab troops
H: Arab auxiliaries in Romano-Byzantine service on the eve of the rise of Islam
Also has a good plate commentary and, even besides the plates is visually exciting. Highly recommended!
Not particularly inspiring.......2002-04-23
This is the usual Osprey book with the usual text by David Nicolle and the usual artwork by McBride. Definitely not McBride at his best.
Men-at-Arms series goes East.......2000-05-30
Usual Men-At-Arms series quality, lots of pictures, interesting historical background. Covers North Africa (Numidia, Nubia), Syria (Palmyra), Mesopotamia (Hatra), Arabia (Nabateans, Lakhmids and Yemenis) and a good bibliography.
Average customer rating:
- A Cursory Look at Rome's Western Barbarian Enemies
|
BARBARIANS AGAINST ROME Rome's Celtic, Germanic, Spanish and Gallic Enemies
Peter Wilcox , and
Rafael Trevio
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1841760455
Release Date: 2000-06-25 |
Book Description
This book combines Men-at-Arms 129: `Rome's Enemies 1: Germanics and Dacians', Men-at-Arms 158: `Rome's Enemies 2: Gallic & British Celts' and Men-at-Arms 180: `Rome's Enemies 4: Spanish Armies 218-19BC'. As Rome's borders increased, a multifarious clash of cultures ensued. Conflict was inevitable; to the victor, new territory and dominion; to the vanquished, humility and subjugation. The Celts, Celtiberians, Gauls, Teutones, Cimbri, and many others all fought without mercy to protect their people, territories and cultures from the Roman onslaught.
Customer Reviews:
A Cursory Look at Rome's Western Barbarian Enemies.......2000-08-26
This volume is a synthesis of earlier Osprey Men-at-Arms titles on Rome's barbarian enemies. It is composed of three chapters: one on the Germans and Dacians, one on the Gallic and British Celts and one on Spanish armies. The time period covered varies from chapter to chapter; the first covers the largest period, from about 400 BC to 476 AD, the second focuses on 115 BC to 84 AD and the last deals with 218 to 133 BC.
The first chapter, on the Germans and Dacians, is probably the least informative. Although there are plenty of illustrations of weapons, helmets and shields, there is precious little information on either actual campaigns or the real nature of these enemies. The Teutoberg disaster in AD 9 and Germanicus' subsequent retribution campaigns are glossed over in a single paragraph. Although information on these operations is not overly-abundant, the Roman historian Tacitus certainly provides enough material to add greater depth here. The Dacian campaigns of the 2nd Century AD also remain murky. A high quality color map, showing terrain and possible routes would have helped greatly.
The second chapter, on the Celts and the Gauls, provides better detail on the structure of their societies, as well as plenty of information on weapons and equipment. The Cimbrian Wars of 115-102 BC are fairly well covered but Caesar's well-recorded campaigns in Gaul are regurgitated in sterile fashion, with no supporting maps or diagrams. The final dramatic siege of Alesia certainly deserves a map and artwork. Nor is there much detail on Queen Boudicca's revolt, including a lack of any artist plates.
The third chapter, on Spanish armies, was clearly the best written. The author not only provides the standard information on weapons and equipment, but examines the impact of the Hispanic Wars on Rome. The author provides excellent analysis that these under-examined wars in Spain placed Rome in a painful dilemma. On the one hand, Spain had plentiful resources for Rome to loot or tax; in 200 BC alone, the Romans removed over 2,400 pounds of gold and 44,000 pounds of silver. On the other hand, the fanatical guerrilla-style resistance of the Spanish tribes to Roman rule were extremely costly and embarassing to the Roman army. The author estimates that the Roman population in Spain actually declined by about 65,000 between 153-133 BC. The author provides two well-written campaign summaries to illustrate the nature of the war in Spain: the campaigns of Viriatus (147-139 BC) and the Numantine Wars (153-133 BC). Unlike the earlier chapters, the author here provides useful sketches and diagrams on the siege of Numantia. There are also useful sections on Hispanic cavalry and Balaeric slingers. The only flaw in this chapter is the over-use of photographs of broken pottery fragments to illustrate some aspects of equipment. To me, all I see is pieces of broken pottery with scratch marks on them, not proper illustrations.
Taken as a whole, this volume is a useful synopsis of the most important western barbarian tribes that opposed Roman hegemony. Unfortunately, Osprey has merely glued three separate volumes together but failed to provide proper editing or any value-added products, such as high quality maps or new artwork. Thus, if you already own the original Men-at-Arms titles, there is no reason to purchase this volume. However if you do not, then this volume is a useful addition for anyone interested in Roman warfare.
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