Roman Military Strategies?

[Adelais Valerius]

Can anyone give me information on books/websites/other media that would describe in detail Roman Military Strategies. Issues like general manuevers in battle and things of that nature that I could get my hands on? Thanks in Advance!

Edited March 13, 2008 by mikeal1917

[caldrail]

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=T1842

[Pompieus]

If you're looking for books you might try: Theodore Ayrault Dodge's "Hannibal" & "Caesar", J F C Fuller's "Julius Caesar" and B H Liddell Hart's "Scipio Africanus". These are all written by professional military men (Dodge fought in the American Civil War the others in the British Army during World War I) who had been exposed to the classical sources and interpret the battle descriptions using their military knowledge and experience. They are a bit dated, however, - all written before WW2 I believe.

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

Goldsworthy's "In the Name of Rome: The Men Who Won the Roman Empire" (Orion,2003) is good too because it will provide you with analysis of generals and tactics of various periods that will show you the roman tactics evolved a lot due to differences in the army's composition, attitude, equipement and the like. It goes from the second punic war to Belissarius and includes Scipio, Caesar, Corbulo, Julian II, and many others.

[Diocles]

Another decent book for tactics is "The Roman Army: A Social & Institutional History" by Pat Southern. This book is more of a cultural and evolutionary history of the army, but it does delve into the Roman tactics quite well.

[Adelais Valerius]

Thanks guys for all the feedback!

[Antiochus III]

Adrian Goldsworthy is an expert on the subject of Roman Warfare, both pre and post marius, and has written several good books, like the Punic Wars, and Cannae.

 

Antiochus III

[caldrail]

When you read these books, or any other source of such information, there is something important you need to understand. Warfare is not a game of chess. Whether on land, air, or sea there is no standard countermove to any action inititiated by the enemy. Sure, there are things that will probably work and certainly those that won't, but so much depends on circumstance. Generals who rely solely on detailed prepared plans are likely to come unstuck against those think on their feet. For an excellent overview of control anf the psychology of the ancient battlefield I recommend the following publication.

 

Greek & Roman Warfare: Battles, Tactics, and Trickery

by John Drogo Montagu.

[Maty]

And of course, for a collection of dirty tricks and manouvers that would get you thrown out of your local wargames club, you could try the Strategems of Frontinius, which have the advantage of being written by a contemporary Roman general. For a good look at Roman armies from those who actually saw them from the pointy end, you should look at Polybius and Josephus. These were both serving soldiers who had more than a passing interest in how the Roman army worked, and a lot of later books are based on their reporting.

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

While we're on the subject of strategies why don't you try this Roman military strategy quiz

 

How did you get on??

[Melvadius]

While we're on the subject of strategies why don't you try this Roman military strategy quiz

 

How did you get on??

 

Basing my answers on examples from real Roman battles - badly

[caldrail]

63%. I lost a few men but I think I got away with it....

[Maty]

I want a rematch! Preferably with the quizmaster leading the other side. He wants to sail an army around Greece! (Does he know how many Roman soldiers have been delivered to Davy Jones by people who thought transport by sea was a good idea? Germanicus in the Rhineland campaign for example). And if I am going to engage someone in northern Greece, why can't I march there? I've still got the choice of going in through Illyricum or Macedonia. Also, if there is a Visigothic army that I, a Roman, am close enough to engage, I'm probably not going to be able to outrun them to the nearest city even if I have a cavalry unit. And ... and ...

 

More seriously, for a realistic quiz, you need lots more info. Like if you are going to storm a city, what missile troops to you have to clear the ramparts? If you are going by sea, what time of the year is it? etc. I did like the answers that said something along the lines of 'you made the right decision, but you are toast anyway'.

[Adelais Valerius]

When you read these books, or any other source of such information, there is something important you need to understand. Warfare is not a game of chess. Whether on land, air, or sea there is no standard countermove to any action inititiated by the enemy. Sure, there are things that will probably work and certainly those that won't, but so much depends on circumstance. Generals who rely solely on detailed prepared plans are likely to come unstuck against those think on their feet. For an excellent overview of control anf the psychology of the ancient battlefield I recommend the following publication.

 

Greek & Roman Warfare: Battles, Tactics, and Trickery

by John Drogo Montagu.

 

well i know there wasn't any certain strategy that always won, but I'm sure they had guidelines they followed and then adapted as the battle was fought, so I was just curious

[caldrail]

They had a certain style of combat on the battlefield depending on technology, fashion, and availability. There were things that were desirable - a good position on the battlefield, keeping your cavalry on the wings to utilise their mobility and counter enemy outflanking moves, keeping infantry in groups to allow them to support each other etc. Thats all very well, but if the enemy does something you're not expecting they have the initiiative. Ancient warfare is sometimes expressed as a competition between equipment much like modern warfare can be. Not so. Whilst it does make a difference, in the ancient world a man with a sword is often as godd as any other, including your enemy. So what advantage can you find? Position, timing, ambush, ruse, feint - any sort of trick to lull the enemy into a bad situation. Remember Lake Trasimene, with Hannibal tying torches to cattle to make the romans think they were leaving?