Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual

Gutes Buch, sehr unterhaltsam geschrieben.

liked this easy to read and humorous guide to life in the legions

So you want to join the roman army, yes?Start by reading this great work that will introduce you to this war machine. But do you have what it takes to belong to this brotherhood? This is a life commitment; I hope you - the reader - understand that.Philip Matyszak is a true visionary and in the classical history niche no one is as capable of hooking a reader as him. With immense sense of humor, but maintaining always historical rigor, you will grasp how a Roman legionary lived without realizing that you were reading an history book!The author investigated thoroughly, consulted other specialists like Adrian Goldsworthy and even used the practical experience and know-how of reenactment groups.The reader gets a "you-are-there" feeling when he understands the importance of having good footwear, how they were recruited, what legionaries ate, what was their kit, how they lived in the camp and on campaign, how they trained, who their enemies were and how they fought in battles and sieges. You will also get a short history of the roman army and an overview of the most famous legions.Well illustrated with photos, Peter Connollys great paintings and several line drawings, with priceless chapter introductions in Latin, well documented information displayed with humor and with interesting summaries that focus the most important data to remember, you will have a hard time finding a better way to learn about the roman military.There are some minor mistakes (like puglio instead of pugio) but overall, and for its target - the non specialist public, this is a well deserved five star book.

I purchased this with fairly low expectations, and was VERY pleasantly surprised. I've had an interest in the Romans for some years now, and I still managed to learn an awful lot from this little book - AND at times it made me laugh out loud in the process.I hadn't realised it was going to be a hardback, so that was a nice bonus. The quality of the binding means it will last a long, long time.Each chapter starts with a Latin inscription, with a translation at the bottom of the page. Some of these are wonderful. 'Try to appear unimportant - the enemy may be low on ammunition.' 'We were against the cream of the Gallic army. The odds were a thousand to one... but he was a very tough Gaul.'The text is also peppered with relevant quotations by actual Roman writers (in English!)Lots of illustrations, including a photo section of modern-day reenactment guys in full battle gear.Chapter headings include:Joining the Roman Army.The 'Good Legion' Guide.Alternative Military Careers.Kit and equipment.People who will want to kill you.And much more.Even if you're an expert on the subject of ancient Rome, you'll still find this a fun read. If you're not, you'll find it a fun read AND learn lots in the process.Very highly recommended.

A nicely written book explaining the Roman Army. I personally like Mr. Matyszak sarcastic little blurbs which make the book