The Roman War Machine

In this wide-ranging account of the military and naval structure of the late Republic and early Empire, John Peddie draws on first-hand sources to reveal the true nature of events on the battlefield.

In this wide-ranging account of the military and naval structure of the late Republic and early Empire, John Peddie draws on first-hand sources to reveal the true nature of events on the battlefield. In addition, he also examines an area hinted at but but almost exclusively overlooked by classical writers - the logistical and operational techniques which made the success of the German armies possible. The coverage includes an examination of the communication problems of handling large armies on the battlefield, the vulnerability of baggage trains on the march, siege tactics and the technique of the marching camp, as well as the themes of Roman generalship, command and control, supply trains, supporting arms and weaponry and waterborne operations. This book challenges contemporary interpretations of Roman military campaigns as haphazard affairs and emphasises the problems of control which confronted commanders in ancient times, while suggesting the logistical and tactical solutions they may have pursued.