War in Late Antiquity

309 Pages·2007·2.33 MB·English

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WAR IN LATE ANTIQUITY
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Ancient World at War
Thebooks in this series areauthoritativesurveys of the relationship
betweenwarfareand the economy and culture of ancient Near Eastern
and Mediterranean societies.Theseriesexplores the impact of military
organization on social life andthe place of war inthe culturaland
imaginative life ofcommunities. It also considers the ‘‘face of battle,’’
examining the experiences of combatants andcivilians.
Published
War in Late Antiquity
A. D. Lee
War inthe Hellenistic World
AngelosChaniotis
War inAncient Egypt
AnthonyJ.Spalinger
In Preparation
War in the Ancient Greek World
John Buckler
War inthe AssyrianEmpire
Mario Fales
War inthe Roman Republic
JohnSerrati
War in the Ancient World
Philip de Souza
War in the ByzantineWorld
Frank Trombley
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WAR IN
LATE ANTIQUITY
A Social History
A. D. Lee
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(cid:1)2007byA.D.Lee
BLACKWELLPUBLISHING
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Firstpublished2007byBlackwellPublishingLtd
1 2007
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Lee,A.D.
Warinlateantiquity:asocialhistory/A.D.Lee.
p.cm.—(Ancientworldatwar)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-631-22925-4(hardcover:alk.paper)—ISBN978-0-631-22926-1
(pbk.:alk.paper)1.Militaryartandscience—Rome—History.2.Rome—History,
Military—30B.C.-476A.D.3.Warandsociety—Rome.I.Title.
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2006036159
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For James, Philip, and Naomi
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CONTENTS
List of Figures ix
List of Maps x
List of Tables xi
Preface xii
Acknowledgments xv
Selected RomanEmperors during Late Antiquity xvi
Selected PersianKingsduringLate Antiquity xviii
Table of Significant Events xix
Glossary xxi
List of Abbreviations xxiv
Introduction 1
1.War and its Causes in LateAntiquity:AnOverview 3
2.The Evolutionof the LateRoman Army:An Outline 9
3.AncientSources for War and theArmy inLateAntiquity:
A Guide 14
1 Emperors and Warfare 21
1.1. Changing Patterns ofImperial Involvement inWarfare 21
1.2. TheUnchangingIdeology of Victory 37
2 MilitaryLoyalties and Civil War 51
2.1. Retaining Soldiers’ Loyalties 51
2.2. Civil War andMilitaryUnrest 66
3 The Infrastructure of War 74
3.1. Manpower 74
3.2. Supplying the Army 85
3.3. Fortifications 98
4 The Economic Impact of War 101
4.1. Economic Benefits of War 101
4.2. Economic Costs of War 105
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CONTENTS
5 The Experience ofWar 123
5.1. Soldiers 125
5.2. Urban Communities 133
5.3. Rural Communities 138
5.4. Women 141
6 Soldiers and Society 147
6.1. Soldiersand their Families 147
6.2. Interactionbetween Militaryand Non-MilitaryElites 153
6.3. Military–Civilian Interaction at Non-EliteLevels 163
7 Army, Warfare, and Religion 176
7.1. The Changing Religious Complexion of the Army 176
7.2. The Army and Religious Policy 193
7.3. A Christian Empire at War 205
Notes 212
Bibliography of AncientSources 234
Bibliography of ModernWorks 240
Index of Ancient Sources 263
GeneralIndex 270
viii
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FIGURES
1.1. Silver largesse plate ofValentinian I or II 43
1.2. TheBarberini ivory 44
1.3. Thevictorycolumn of Arcadius 46
1.4. Gold solidus ofthe emperor Anastasius (491–518) 49
1.5. Gold solidus ofthe emperor Valentinian III(425–55) 49
3.1. Illustrationsof the office of magister officiorum from the
Notitia Dignitatum, showing the output of state arsenals
(fabricae) 93
5.1. Graffito from Dura-Europos depicting a town under siege 131
5.2. Relief from the Arch of Constantine depicting the siege
of Verona 132
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