Storming the Heavens: Soldiers, Emperors, and Civilians in the Roman Empire

278 Pages·2003·16.22 MB·English

by  Antonio Santosuosso

STORMING
THE
HEAVENS
H I S T O R YA N DW A R F A R E
A r t h e rF e r r i l l S, e r i e sE d i t o r
Storming the Heavens: Soldiers, Emperors, and Civilians in the Roman Empire
Antonio Santosuosso
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STORMING
THE
HEAVENS
the Roman Empire
~~
ANTONIOS ANTOSUOSSO
A Member of the Perseus Books Group
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may be reproduced or transmitted in any formo r by any means, electronico r mechanical,
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Copyright 0 2001 by Westview PressA, Member of the Perseus Books Group
Published in 2001 in the United Statoesf America by Westview Press, 550C0 entral Avenue,
Boulder, Colorado 80301-2877, and in the United Kingdom by Westview Press, 12 Hid's
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Find us on theW orld Wide Web at www.westviewpress.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Santosuosso, Antonio
Storming the heavens: soldiers, emperors, and civilians in the Roman Empir/e by
Antonio Santosuosso.
p. cm. - (History and warfare)
Includes bibliographical referencesa nd index.
ISBN 0-8133-3523-X (hc)
1. Rome-Army-Political activity. 2. Rome-Politics and government-30 B.C.476
A.D. 3. Social conflict-Rome-History. 4. Rome-Army-Recruiting, enlistment, etc.
5. Rome-History-Military-30 B.C.476 A.D. I. Title. 11. Series.
DG276.5 .S26 2001
937'.06dc21
00-068537
The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National
Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials 239.48-1984.
1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Alma with love
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Cont ents
List of Figures ix
Acknowledgments xi
INTRODUCTION 1
1 ALL-RICH AND POORW, ELL-BORANN D COMMONERS-
MUSTD EFENTDH E STATE 5
Recruiting All Citizens, 10
Soldiers’ Pay, 14
The Equipment of the Roman Soldier, 16
The Making of the Roman Man, 22
2 ARMIEOSF PILLAGERS 29
The Social Wars,3 0
The Face of the New Soldier, 34
Spartacus and theS lave Revolt,4 3
Caesar’s Soldiers, 46
Typology of Warfare in the Last Days of the Republic, 50
3 JULIUS CAESART:H OUGHTASN D ACTIONSO F
A COMMANDER 57
The Conquest of Gaul, 58
War According to Caesar: Psychological, Strategic,
and Tactical Concepts, 64
The Matter of Logistics, 76
4 OFG ODS,M ILITARLYE ADERS,A ND POLITICIANS 81
Murder as a Religious Sacrifice,8 1
The Symbols of Political Power, 84
How to Deify a Leader, 85
vii
.,.
v111 Contents
5 “MY SOLDIERMS, YA RMYM, YF LEET” 91
The Emperor’s Men, 92
Commanders and theR ank and File, 98
Recruitment and Social Status, 99
Discipline, Pay, and Rewards, 102
The New Army, 106
The Reluctant God, 109
A Physician for a Disease-Ridden Body, 11 1
6 How TO MANAGEA N EMPIRES: TRENGTHASN D PITFALLS 119
The Limits of Roman Imperialism, 120
The Emperor as Manager of War, 130
The Verdict of the Battlefield, 132
Boudicca’s Rebellion, 136
The Germans, 139
The Stand atM asada, 148
How to Make Your Subjects Roman, 153
7 ENEMIESO N THE BORDERSV, IOLENCAET HOME:
SOLDIERASS THE MAKEROSF EMPERORS
Blood on theP retorians’ Swords, 169
The Emperor fromA frica, 172
The Field Army and theC avalry, 180
8 ROMEI s No MORE: THEE ND OF THE EMPIRE
The Late Roman Army, 192
The Invaders, 197
Defeat at Adrianople, 200
The Battles of Ad Salices and Strasburg, 21 1
The Illnesses of the Empire, 2 18
EPILOGUE
Glossary 23 1
Appendix l: Time Line, 218 B.C.-A.D. 476 235
Appendix II: Roman Emperors,2 7 B.C.-A.D. 476 24 1
Selected Bibliography 245
of
List Figures
1.1 Marius Against the Teutones and the Cimbri, 102-101 B.C.
1.2 Roman Provinces, ca. 120 B.C.
1.3 TheM anipular Legion
1.4 Formations of the Cohortal Legion
Ita2 l.y1
3.1 Gaul
3.2A lesia5, 2 B.C.
5.1 Roman Empire, A.D. 14
6.1 Roman Empire, A.D. 116
6.2 Roman Britain
6.3 German Lands and Tribal Groups Around the First Century A.D.
6.4 Area of the Teutoburg Battle
6.5 The Siege of Masada, ca. A.D. 74
7.1 Roman Empire Under Diocletian
8.1 TheF ourth-Century Frontier
8.2 Adrianople Campaign, A.D. 376-378
8.3 Adrianople, A.D. August 9,378: The Initial Deployment
8.4 Adrianople: Defeat of the Roman Right Cavalry
8.5 Adrianople: Defeat of the Roman Left Cavalry
8.6 Adrianople: The End of the Battle
8.7 Strasburg, A.D. 357: The Initial Deployments
8.8 Strasburg: Roman Victory on the Left, Defeat on the Right
8.9 Strasburg: The Final Phase
8.10 Western and Eastern Empires, ca. A.D. 400
8.1 1 The End of the Western Empire
ix