Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth

[Caius_Julius_Cato]

Anyone read "Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome" by Stephen Dando-Collins? If so, what did you think of it? And if not I think I will pick it up in a few days and maybe write a review when I am done. Thanks.

[ASCLEPIADES]

Anyone read "Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome" by Stephen Dando-Collins? If so, what did you think of it? And if not I think I will pick it up in a few days and maybe write a review when I am done. Thanks.

Salve, CJ.

 

I haven't read it nor found a review at UNRV.

 

But Viggen states it was the fifth bestselling book at UNVR during 2005 (Sequitur).

[Caius_Julius_Cato]

Anyone read "Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome" by Stephen Dando-Collins? If so, what did you think of it? And if not I think I will pick it up in a few days and maybe write a review when I am done. Thanks.

Salve, CJ.

 

I haven't read it nor found a review at UNRV.

 

But Viggen states it was the fifth bestselling book at UNVR during 2005 (Sequitur).

 

Alright, thank you. I guess it can't be that bad then. I just saw it in Borders the other day and thought I would I would give it a read. I'll write up a review when I am done with it.

[M. Porcius Cato]

I'm up to the chapter on Pharsalus, and so far it's been superb.

[Caius_Julius_Cato]

I'm up to the chapter on Pharsalus, and so far it's been superb.

 

 

Alright thank you Cato. I'm sold.

[Primus Pilus]

Anyone read "Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome" by Stephen Dando-Collins? If so, what did you think of it? And if not I think I will pick it up in a few days and maybe write a review when I am done. Thanks.

 

Just be aware that this is historical fiction. Dando-Collins is often berated for being inaccurate apparently because his work is written in such a way that it seems authoritative. From what I understand he mixes the histories of Legio X Fretensis and X Gemina as if both are Caesar's famed 10th legion (For instance, X Gemina was not at Masada but X Fretensis was), but both are entirely separate legions. For the record X Gemina was Caesar's 10th.

 

To be fair though, I haven't read it myself, but this is the rather common complaint that I'm aware of.

[Primus Pilus]

Anyone read "Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome" by Stephen Dando-Collins? If so, what did you think of it? And if not I think I will pick it up in a few days and maybe write a review when I am done. Thanks.

 

Just be aware that this is historical fiction. Dando-Collins is often berated for being inaccurate apparently because his work is written in such a way that it seems authoritative. From what I understand he mixes the histories of Legio X Fretensis and X Gemina as if both are Caesar's famed 10th legion (For instance, X Gemina was not at Masada but X Fretensis was), but both are entirely separate legions. For the record X Gemina was Caesar's 10th.

 

To be fair though, I haven't read it myself, but this is the rather common complaint that I'm aware of.

 

Editing myself... actually nobody seems to know if this is historical fiction or non-fiction. Therein lies part of the problem I suppose.

[Skarr]

Anyone read "Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome" by Stephen Dando-Collins? If so, what did you think of it? And if not I think I will pick it up in a few days and maybe write a review when I am done. Thanks.

 

Just be aware that this is historical fiction. Dando-Collins is often berated for being inaccurate apparently because his work is written in such a way that it seems authoritative. From what I understand he mixes the histories of Legio X Fretensis and X Gemina as if both are Caesar's famed 10th legion (For instance, X Gemina was not at Masada but X Fretensis was), but both are entirely separate legions. For the record X Gemina was Caesar's 10th.

 

To be fair though, I haven't read it myself, but this is the rather common complaint that I'm aware of.

 

Editing myself... actually nobody seems to know if this is historical fiction or non-fiction. Therein lies part of the problem I suppose.

 

I read this sometime last year and found it quite fascinating. The Australian author lists a number of sources at the back of the book, including Caesar's commentaries and Tacitus, some of his primary source material for the book. The writing style is more like historical fiction than a serious work of history, as he does inject a dramatic flavor to many of the incidents concerning the Xth legion and Caesar himself.

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

I read this book a while ago and it was a pretty entertaining read. It tells the story of the creation of the "Tenth" and follows them through their many battles under numerous commanders. The book contains some good maps at the front and like Skarr mentions some 30+ pages of Appendix and glossary at the back of the book which are quite informative on their own.

 

I've just dug the book out from my bookcase, here's a piece from the book.......

 

Many legions were granted official titles over the years in recognition of their courage and their loyalty. The original 6th became the Conquerors, the 12th the Thunderer, the 20th the Powerful Conqueror, while, for the same reasons, others were bestowed with the names of emperors- the 2nd, 3rd and 8th Augustans, the 7th and 11th Claudians, the 4th and 16th Flavians. Others had titles that celebrated where they had been raised, or where they achieved a great victory, such as the 5th Macedonica and the 9th Hispania. The 10thLegion didn't need an official title. Everyone knew the "world famous" 10th, knew where it had been, what it had done and what it was capable of. With it's glory days lasting perhaps 135 years from the day Julius Caesar founded it in 61BC, it would always be remembered as Caesar's finest and Rome's best.

 

I believe Dando-Collins has also written a book about Nero's 14th legion as well but I haven't got round to reading that one yet.

[Caius_Julius_Cato]

Alright, sucks that it is going to be fictiony but I'll deal. I'm also picking up biographies on Julius and Augustus. And "The Civil War" after having just finished "The Conquest of Gaul" for about the 15th time. Is there any other books that any of you would recommend?

[Skarr]

Alright, sucks that it is going to be fictiony but I'll deal. I'm also picking up biographies on Julius and Augustus. And "The Civil War" after having just finished "The Conquest of Gaul" for about the 15th time. Is there any other books that any of you would recommend?

"A History of Private Life" by Philippe Aries and Georges Duby is an interesting book, with a number of illustrations. This book focuses on the daily lives of citizens and slaves, containing various snippets, quotes and a number of photographs as well. Some of the sections I particularly liked were the detailed architectural plans of several prominent houses and other designs as well. If you like maps and know a little French, Gilles Chaillet's book is a marvel - "Dans La Rome Des Cesars" with some excellent, detailed maps of the city of Rome. Some of them fold out and are huge in size, enabling you to see almost every building in the city !

[Caius_Julius_Cato]

Skarr,

 

Thanks, I'll check out the first one you suggested. The second, I can't read French but may look for it just for the maps.

[alibegoa]

Anyone read "Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome" by Stephen Dando-Collins? If so, what did you think of it? And if not I think I will pick it up in a few days and maybe write a review when I am done. Thanks.

 

Just be aware that this is historical fiction. Dando-Collins is often berated for being inaccurate apparently because his work is written in such a way that it seems authoritative. From what I understand he mixes the histories of Legio X Fretensis and X Gemina as if both are Caesar's famed 10th legion (For instance, X Gemina was not at Masada but X Fretensis was), but both are entirely separate legions. For the record X Gemina was Caesar's 10th.

 

To be fair though, I haven't read it myself, but this is the rather common complaint that I'm aware of.

 

Somehow it appears more logical to me that the Caesar's X legion was called Equestris, suffered heavy loses at Munda, was disbanded but the survivors later recruited again under Anthony or Augustus (even Lepidus) into Gemina. I mean why would Caesar's legion be called Gemina, twin to what?

 

There is even the name Veneria floating about.

 

I guess I'll have to buy the book in question, but if there is there no explanation of all these names, can it really be good?