Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome

by Stephen Dando-Collins

Overview

A unique and splendidly researched story, following the trials and triumphs of Julius Caesar's Legio X-arguably the most famous legion of its day-from its activation to the slogging battle of Munda and from Thapsus, Caesar's tactical masterpiece, to the grim siege of the Jewish fortress of Masada. More than a mere unit account, it incorporates the history of Rome and the Roman army at the height of their power and gory glory. Many military historians consider Caesar's legions the world's most efficient infantry before the arrival of gunpowder. This book shows why. Written in readable, popular style, Caesar's Legion is a must for military buffs and anyone interested in Roman history at a critical point in European civilization.
—T. R. Fehrenbach, author of This Kind of War, Lone Star, and Comanches

Stephen Dando-Collins paints a vivid and definitive portrait of daily life in the Tenth Legion as he follows Caesar and his men along the blood-soaked fringes of the Empire. This unprecedented regimental history reveals countless previously unknown details about Roman military practices, Caesar's conduct as a commander and his relationships with officers and legionaries, and the daily routine and discipline of the Legion. From penetrating insights into the mind of history's greatest general to a grunt's-eye view of the gruesome realities of war in the Classical Age, this unique and riveting true account sets a new standard of exellence and detail to which all authors of ancient military history will now aspire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471095705
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	02/01/2002
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	584,276
Product dimensions:	6.48(w) x 9.46(h) x 1.06(d)

About the Author

STEPHEN DANDO-COLLINS is the author of Nero's Killing Machine: The True Story of Rome's Remarkable 14th Legion (Wiley). He is an Australian-born researcher, editor, and author who has spent the last three decades identifying and studying the individual legions of the Roman army of the late Republic and the empire of the Caesars.

Table of Contents

	Atlas	v
	Acknowledgments	xiii
	Author's Note	xv
I	Staring Defeat in the Face	1
II	Impatient for Glory	6
III	Savaging the Swiss, Overrunning the Germans	13
IV	Conquering Gaul	24
V	Invading Britain	30
VI	Revolt and Revenge	50
VII	Enemy of the State	65
VIII	Broken Promises	76
IX	The Race for Durres	90
X	A Taste of Defeat	98
XI	The Battle of Pharsalus	113
XII	The Sour Taste of Victory	130
XIII	The Murder of Pompey the Great	138
XIV	The Power of a Single Word	144
XV	The North African Campaign	149
XVI	Caesar's Last Battle	165
XVII	Mark Antony's Men	179
XVIII	Philippi and Actium	183
XIX	In the Name of the Emperor	195
XX	Knocked into Shape by Corbulo	205
XXI	Orders from the Emperor	217
XXII	Objective Jerusalem	224
XXIII	The End of the Holy City	238
XXIV	Masada	258
XXV	Last Days	265
Appendix A	The Legions of Rome, 30 B.C.-A.D. 233	269
Appendix B	The Reenlistment Factor	273
Appendix C	The Uniqueness of the Legion Commands in Egypt and Judea	277
Appendix D	The Naming and Numbering System of the Roman Legions	281
Appendix E	The Title "Fretensis"	285
Appendix F	Imperial Roman Military Ranks and Their Modern-Day Equivalents	287
Appendix G	Sources	291
	Glossary	303
	Index	309

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A unique and splendidly researched story, following the trials and triumphs of Julius Caesar's Legio X--arguably the most famous legion of its day--from its activation to the slogging battle of Munda and from Thapsus, Caesar's tactical masterpiece, to the grim siege of the Jewish fortress of Masada. More than a mere unit account; it incorporates the history of Rome and the Roman army at the heighth of their power and gory glory. Many military historians consider Caesar's legions the world's most efficient infantry before the arrival of gunpowder. This book shows why. Written in readable, popular style, CAESAR'S TENTH, is a must formilitary buffs and anyone interested in Roman history at a critical pointin European civilization." (T. R. Fehrenbach, author of THIS KIND OF WAR, LONE STAR, COMANCHES, and other distinguished works of history.)

Editorial Reviews

This is a short history of Julius Caesar's fabled Tenth Legion, one of the main instruments in his many conquests and something of a military legend that lasted long after Caesar's death. Dando-Collins has a grand, gripping story to tell here: We get massive battles, hard-won victories, and a parade of memorable characters. This is certainly a vigorous and entertaining way to read Roman history.

bn.com

"A unique and splendidly researched story, following the trials and triumphs of Julius Caesar's Legio X-arguably the most famous legion of its day-from its activation to the slogging battle of Munda and from Thapsus, Caesar's tactical masterpiece, to the grim siege of the Jewish fortress of Masada. More than a mere unit account, it incorporates the history of Rome and the Roman army at the height of their power and gory glory. Many military historians consider Caesar's legions the world's most efficient infantry before the arrival of gunpowder. This book shows why. Written in readable, popular style, Caesar's Legion is a must for military buffs and anyone interested in Roman history at a critical point in European civilization." —T. R. Fehrenbach, author of This Kind of War, Lone Star, and Comanches

From the Publisher