In the Name of Rome : The Men Who Won the Roman Empire

Rating:
Summary: Another Great Book!
Review: Adrian Goldsworthy has written another outstanding book on the Roman military. I've read every book and I just cannot wait for the next one.

Rating:
Summary: Marvelous
Review: Goldsworthy successfully draws a picture of how Roman generals actually commanded their armies. This book is in similar style to Goldworthy's first book "The Roman Army at War", which covers how the Roman Army actually fought its battles.

Besides the story of individual generals, this book also traces the development of the Roman style of command as it evolved along with changing Roman society. The story starts with Fabius Maximus and Claudius Marcellus who are elected leaders of citizen soldiers in the Second Punic War and ends with Belisarius, a member of the Imperial household, who is general of an army of unruly mercenary cavalry and questionable infantry. A definite "Roman", style of command emerges which Goldsworthy then follows past the end of the Roman world and into modern times through leaders like Gustavus Adolphus, du Picq and especially Napoleon.

The main Roman leaders covered in the book are:

Fabius Maximus (2nd Punic War)
Claudius Marcellus (2nd Punic War)
Scipio Africanus (2nd Punic War)
Aemilius Paullus (Conquest of Macedonia)
Scipio Aemilianus (Numantia)
Gaius Marius (Jugurthine War / Cimbri & Teutones)
Quintus Sertorius (Roman Civil war in Spain)
Pompey the Great (Conquest of the East)
Julius Caesar (Conquest of Gaul)
There is also a chapter on Pompey vs. Caesar in the Civil War.
Germanicus Caesar (Reprisal war across the Rhine after defeat of Varus)
Domitius Corbulo (Armenian War)
Titus Vespasianus (Siege of Jerusalem)
Emperor Trajan (Dacian Wars)
Emperor Julian (Career on the Rhine and in Parthia)
Belisarius (Persian Wars / Battle of Dara)

Goldsworthy also manages to work in many other prominent Roman generals such as Sulla, Lucullus, Agrippa and Paulinus Seutonius.

If you are interested in military leadership, ancient military history or Roman history in general you should read this book.


Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable, intelligent and comprehensive military history
Review: I am a new-comer to military history, and thought I should start with the Romans, the ancestors of tactical warfare. I am glad I picked up Mr. Goldsworthy's book. By selecting various generals who have influenced or been indicative of some evolution in military/political atmospheres Goldsworthy has created an extremely broad and interesting history stretching from Fabius Maximus in the Second Punic War right up to Belisarius fighting for the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. Before delving into their military achievements, Goldsworthy outlines the historical context, as there are many century long jumps or more in later chapters where generals became less influenial (or were not allowed to be by paranoid emperors afraid of being toppled), then gives a brief biography of each general - perhaps too brief for my liking. I would have preferred Goldworthy to extend the book by a couple of hundred pages and hand out some more detailed information and analysis of their lives and times; at present these often one or two page linkages are forgotten by the end of the chapter, and certainly by the end of the book. His writing and research is of a high enough standard for any reader to accept such extensions.

On the plus side - and there are many plus sides - Goldsworthy presents a detailed (as detailed as ancient sources can provide) and comprehensive account of military tactics and concerns which are absolutely fascinating. Contrary to popular belief, battles of the time were not simply two big armies walking in to each other. It was a complicated game of flanking and routing, feints and deception, supply line maintenance and organisation, sieging and recruting.

The maps and diagrams are an excellent addition, though I sometimes wish there was a section dedicated purely to maps of the different discussed periods so I can be at least vaguely aware (even if the location is mostly hypothetical) of the locations of provences, cities and enemy lands - though to be fair there are maps sprinkled throughout the volume, but not nearly enough. On the flipside, the glossary and timeline is invaluable.

After reading and immensely enjoying this book, Mr. Goldsworthy can safely say about military history what Gaius Julius Caesar said about himself over two-thousand years ago: "veni, vidi, vici!"

Rating:
Summary: Excellent/Brillant/Superb
Review: I cannot come up with enough positive adjectives for this book. Adrian Goldsworthy makes history very readable and enjoyable but at the same time very informative and in depth.

The only problem with this book is that the maps are worthless and that Goldsworthy takes it for granted that the reader has some previous knowledge of roman history. These are minor flaws however and the book clearly deserves a 5 star rating.

Buy it if you are interested in roman history or military history.

Rating:
Summary: Valuable Supplementary Reference
Review: This book is well researched and well written. Depending on your level of experience and reading, this book will enhance and supplement your understanding of both the basics of warfare in Antiquity and also wll provide good examples of tactical, operational and strategic lessons learned. The book also provides excellent vignettes on the crucial importance that politics and diplomacy have in war; as well as some glaring examples of the consequences for those that fail to follow the subtle rules of power politics while attempting to advance one's career.
Although the Author indicates that this book is about the men that won the Roman Empire, it also provides useful examples that illustrate the fog, friction and uncertainty of war. For instance; Chapter three speaks to the Conqueror of Macedonia, Aemilius Paullus, but this chapter also provides a useful illustration of an "meeting engagement". All in all, this is a very valuable reference tool for the novice to the subject matter expert.