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Già sua (Le cronache dei Caversham, libro #2)
by F. Rossi Sandy RavenLo ama da tutta una vita. Lady Elise Halden sa come far piegare al suo volere i cavalli, con il suo tocco gentile e persuasivo, ma sta imparando che farsi obbedire dal nuovo conte di Camden non è paragonabile ad addestrare una cavalcatura. Se vuole una qualche speranza di imbrigliare gli affetti del conte, le servirà un piano. Con l'aiuto della sua amica lady Beverly e di sua cognata, la duchessa, Elise si prefigge di vincere il cuore del suo indifferente conte. Lui l'ha sempre ammirata da una rispettosa distanza. Da ragazzi, Michael Brightman e il suo migliore amico hanno giurato di lasciar perdere le rispettive sorelle, una promessa fatta solo per proteggere la sua dai modi affascinanti e libertini dell'amico. La sorellina del duca di Caversham è sempre stata una sfacciatella precoce da evitare, finché un giorno Michael si accorge che lady Elise è cresciuta, e le cose che vorrebbe fare con lei di certo metterebbero a repentaglio l'amicizia con suo fratello. Insieme scoprono che le prove fisiche non corrispondono necessariamente alla verità e che fidarsi del cuore a volte è la lezione più difficile da imparare. Il romanzo è il secondo della serie "Le cronache dei Caversham", dopo "La sposa di Caversham" e il prequel, "Miss Amelia accalappia un duca", entrambi già disponibili in tutti gli store. Pur non essendo prettamente un erotico, contiene scene di sesso. Le date di pubblicazione dei prossimi volumi: Libro terzo: "L'amore di Sarah", disponibile dal dicembre 2015 Libro quarto: "La signora di Lucky", disponibile dal febbraio 2016
Glacier National Park
by Bill YenneGlacier National Park is a majestic million acres of towering mountains, ancient glaciers, and amazing biodiversity. Located astride both the Continental Divide and Hudson Bay Divide, Glacier contains Triple Divide Peak, the only point in North America from which the waters drain into three oceans. The land that George Bird Grinnell called the "Crown of the Continent" and that John Muir described as "the best care-killing scenery on the continent" has beendelighting visitors since well before it was set aside as a park in 1910. Through the years, countless people have come to Glacier to hike its nearly thousand miles of trails, marvel at its unrivalled scenery, and drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road, America's most spectacular alpine highway. Glacier is also home to remote mountain chalets and magnificent grand lodges. While most national parks have a singular signature lodge, Glacier has three.
Glacier National Park
by Tom MulvaneyPres. William Howard Taft signed the bill creating Glacier National Park in 1910, and a wilderness paradise in northwestern Montana was born. This book illustrates the park's evolution, from the Great Northern Railroad days, Native American presence, lodges, chalets, and camps, to majestic scenery and wildlife--all in vintage postcards. The opening of Glacier National Park coincided with the popularity of postcards across the nation, and hence this visual documentation of Glacier's many wonders is thorough and encompassing. With the celebration of its centennial in 2010, Glacier National Park continues to provide us with one of the last best places to visit.
Glaciers of Georgia
by Levan TielidzeThis book gives the most detailed and comprehensive insights into the morphology, morphometry and dynamics of glaciers in the Georgian Caucasus region up to date. It examines the variability of valley glaciers after the Little Ice Age maximum and identifies glacial dynamics during historical periods. The reconstruction of glaciation in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene was conducted based on long lasting detailed glacial-geomorphological observations by the author. It further analyses moraine structures, river terraces, geodynamics of the relief, and snow and firn line locations derived from field surveys in most glacier basins in the southern and northern slopes of the Georgian Caucasus. A whole set of methodological approaches was applied including remote sensing and GIS, glacio-geomorphological, cartographical, aerial image processing and petrographic methods, unveiling accurate information about glaciers difficult to access, e. g. in the Abkhazeti and Tskhinvali regions. The book provides a full database of Georgia's modern glaciation and displays a set of compiled maps of the distribution of the Late Pleistocene glaciation of the Georgian Caucasus.
Glad to the Brink of Fear: A Portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson
by James MarcusAn engaging reassessment of the celebrated essayist and his relevance to contemporary readersMore than two centuries after his birth, Ralph Waldo Emerson remains one of the presiding spirits in American culture. Yet his reputation as the starry-eyed prophet of self-reliance has obscured a much more complicated figure who spent a lifetime wrestling with injustice, philosophy, art, desire, and suffering. James Marcus introduces readers to this Emerson, a writer of self-interrogating genius whose visionary flights are always grounded in Yankee shrewdness.This Emerson is a rebel. He is also a lover, a friend, a husband, and a father. Having declared his great topic to be &“the infinitude of the private man,&” he is nonetheless an intensely social being who develops Transcendentalism in the company of Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, Bronson Alcott, and Theodore Parker. And although he resists political activism early on—hoping instead for a revolution in consciousness—the burning issue of slavery ultimately transforms him from cloistered metaphysician to fiery abolitionist.Drawing on telling episodes from Emerson&’s life alongside landmark essays like &“Self-Reliance,&” &“Experience,&” and &“Circles,&” Glad to the Brink of Fear reveals how Emerson shares our preoccupations with fate and freedom, race and inequality, love and grief. It shows, too, how his desire to see the world afresh, rather than accepting the consensus view, is a lesson that never grows old.
Gladesmen: Gator Hunters, Moonshiners, and Skiffers (Florida History and Culture)
by Glen Simmons Laura OgdenFew people today can claim a living memory of Florida's frontier Everglades. Glen Simmons, who has hunted alligators, camped on hammock-covered islands, and poled his skiff through the mangrove swamps of the glades since the 1920s, is one who can. Together with Laura Ogden, he tells the story of backcountry life in the southern Everglades from his youth until the establishment of the Everglades National Park in 1947.During the economic bust of the late ‘20s, when many natives turned to the land to survive, Simmons began accompanying older local men into Everglades backcountry, the inhospitable prairie of soft muck and mosquitoes, of outlaws and moonshiners, that rings the southern part of the state. As Simmons recalls life in this community with humor and nostalgia, he also documents the forgotten lifestyles of south Florida gladesmen.By necessity, they understood the natural features of the Everglades ecosystem. They observed the seasonal fluctuations of wildlife, fire, and water levels. Their knowledge of the mostly unmapped labyrinth of grassy water enabled them to serve as guides for visiting naturalists and scientists. Simmons reconstructs this world, providing not only fascinating stories of individual personalities, places, and events, but an account that is accurate, both scientifically and historically, of one of the least known and longest surviving portions of the American frontier.
Gladiador
by Gordon RussellUna recreación magistral del fascinante mundo de los gladiadores, el espectáculo bárbaro y sangriento que apasionó a la sociedad de la Roma imperial: un juego macabro en el que el combate es la única forma de sobrevivir... y, para algunos, de vengarse. De pie, en la arena, con los ojos entrecerrados, Orfeo escucha los gritos ensordecedores de la turba sedienta de sangre. Al fondo, dos puertas: una dará salida al vencedor, la otra al cuerpo sin vida del vencido. Año 68 d.C. Nerón ha muerto y cuatro hombres se disputan la sucesión del Imperio en una cruenta guerra civil. En esos tiempos turbulentos, Vitelio, gobernador de Germania y aspirante a emperador, visita a una sacerdotisa, que le augura una muerte temprana: alguien llamado Orfeo será el instrumento del destino. Aterrado por la predicción, el gobernador mata a la adivina. El desafortunado Valerio, amante de la sacerdotisa, es acusado de la muerte de su amada; a partir de ese momento, su vida sufre un vuelco: en el mercado de esclavos es vendido al jefe de los gladiadores, bajo el que comienza su formación y transformación en un temible guerrero, cuyas ansias de venganza harán que su nombre destelle sobre la arena del circo. Reseña:«Una exquisitez, sin lugar a dudas, para los apasionados de la antigua Roma.»Loredana Lipperini, La Repubblica
Gladiator Boy: Three Stories in One Collection 1 (Gladiator Boy #1)
by David GrimstoneCaptured and sold into slavery, Decimus Rex is trained to fight as a gladiator in the infamous Arena. Our young hero must take on the might of Rome in order to survive. A Hero's QuestWhen Decimus Rex arrives at Arena Primus, he must endure trials involving burning hot coals, hammers, spikes and combat. The journey to manhood has begun...Escape From EvilIn the dreaded Arena of Doom, Decimus faces a race over burning hot coals and violent hand-to-hand combat with a fellow slave. Surely life can't get any more difficult than this?Stowaway SlavesDecimus Rex has escaped Arena Primus in the company of a fellow slave, Olu Umbika. Together, the pair have managed to do what no one else has ever done - flee the clutches of Slavious Doom. As expected, the overlord is furious and demands their immediate capture.
Gladiator Boy: Three Stories in One Collection 2 (Gladiator Boy #2)
by David GrimstoneCaptured and sold into slavery, Decimus Rex is trained to fight as a gladiator in the infamous Arena. Our young hero must take on the might of Rome in order to survive.The Rebels' AssaultDecimus Rex has escaped Arena Primus in the company of a fellow slave, Olu Umbika. Together, they manage to board a slave ship and sail away from the trials and Slavious Doom. But can they rescue four friends they left behind?Rescue MissionDecimus Rex is once more back in the clutches of the evil Slavious Doom. Tasked with entering the catacombs beneath the arena to bring back the fabled Blade of Fire, Decimus immediately demands the release of all his friends in return for agreeing to take on the mission. Doom, however, has other plans ...The Blade of FireDecimus Rex is fighting his way through the perilous maze beneath the arena to locate the blade of fire, a legendary sword that Doom is intent upon possessing. But before he can retrieve the sword, Decimus must first rescue his friends. Will he save them, or is his time about to run out?
Gladiator Boy: Three Stories in One Collection 3 (Gladiator Boy #3)
by David GrimstoneFive old friends, one dangerous new enemy ... and a voice from beyond the grave! Decimus Rex may have escaped slavery, but he cannot escape his destiny! Vs The Living DeadDecimus Rex reunites with his five friends to follow a message sent to them all from Teo - a friend they know to be dead. It begs them to risk dangers and rescue him. Is it really from Teo, or is the evil Slavious Doom behind it? The only way to find out is to work out what it means ...Vs The Raging TorrentDecimus Rex and his four friends sail to China on the trail of the Golden Warrior and in search of Teo, but they are captured by the King of Yelang and imprisoned in his Water Maze. Will they ever escape?Vs The Three NinjasThe five friends now have a new enemy - three ninjas, the most deadly warriors in Japan. But Decimus Rex and his friends won't give in that easily.
Gladiator Boy: Three Stories in One Collection 4 (Gladiator Boy #4)
by David GrimstoneFive old friends, one dangerous new enemy ... and a voice from beyond the grave! Decimus Rex may have escaped slavery, but he cannot escape his destiny! Vs The Insane FuryDecimus Rex has been badly wounded. Gladius goes in search of help, but in the meantime Decimus disappears. The friends must return to the Winter Palace and try to rescue Decimus. But there is more than one surprise in store ...Vs The White SnakeCaptured once again by the evil Slavious Doom, the slaves are bound for Pin Yon Rock. There, Decimus is ordered to capture the White Snake in return for his friends' lives. Once again they are all embroiled in a battle of life and death ...Vs The Golem ArmyDecimus Rex and Ruma are surrounded by statues on Pin Yon Rock and are horrified when they come to life. Will they be cut down by this new enemy, or will they persuade them to fight together and take a final stand against the evil Slavious Doom?
Gladiator Boy: Three Stories in One Collection 5 (Gladiator Boy #5)
by David GrimstoneFive old friends return home expecting peace, only to face their worst nightmare yet. Will Decimus Rex ever defeat the evil Slavious Doom?Vs The Screaming VoidOver two hundred children have vanished. There are rumours that the cruel Mirror Master and his black-hearted sidekick, Captain Lich, have something to do with it ... But where are the children being taken and why? It seems Decimus and his friends have a new battle on their hands ...Vs The Clone WarriorsDecimus and his friends must overcome the demons lurking within the Screaming Void. But even if they defeat these fearful monsters, can they survive a battle against the undefeated Clone Warriors?Vs The Ultimate EvilAn old enemy has returned and will stop at nothing in his quest for power. But when he kidnaps Decimus' parents and captures his friends, Decimus is forced to go and face his only undefeated enemy yet.
Gladiator Fight for Freedom (Gladiator)
by Simon ScarrowEleven-year-old Marcus is forced to train and fight as a gladiator in this fast-paced action-adventure set in Ancient Rome.
Gladiator vs CR.42 Falco
by Hakan GustavssonBritish and Italian biplanes clashed over the Mediterranean at Crete and Malta, and in East and North Africa early in World War II. Both the Gloster Gladiator and the Fiat CR.42 Falco represented the peak in the development of the biplane fighter, which could trace its lineage back to World War I. However, by the time both aircraft entered service in the late 1930s, they were already obsolete. Nevertheless, they gave sterling service on all fronts in the Mediterranean and Africa in 1940-41. Indeed, the CR.42 was the Regia Aeronautica's staple fighter in both North and East Africa, Greece and over Malta in 1940-41, during which time its pilots routinely fought British and Commonwealth squadrons equipped in the main with Gladiator biplanes. Some bitter dogfights were fought between these two types as the Allies attempted to gain control of the skies over North Africa, Greece and East Africa. Both types were flown in the main by highly experienced pre-war pilots, and this in turn made for some closely fought engagements. The first known combat between the CR.42 and the Gladiator took place on 14 June 1940 over North Africa and the last engagement between the two types occurred on 24 October 1941 over the East African front.
Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's [Unofficial] Manual
by Philip MatyszakAn entertaining yet factual insider's guide: how to become a gladiator, hone your fighting skills, and thrill the crowds in the Colosseum. So you think you'd like to be a gladiator? Find out how to get thousands to idolize you as the strongest, meanest fighter in the Roman empire. Win fame and fortune in one of Rome's most glamorous locations, in the presence of the emperor himself. Who wouldn't kill for a job like that? This handy guide tells you everything you need to know before you step out to fight for your life in front of a roaring crowd: Why you should become a gladiator How to join the most glamorous--yet lethal--profession on earth Who will try to kill you, and with what Which arena of the empire is the right one for you When and how often you will fight What happens before, during, and after a duel Combining the latest research with modern reconstructions, Gladiator helps you experience firsthand the spectacular yet brutal life and death of the most iconic figure of ancient Rome.
Gladiator: Vengeance (Gladiator #4)
by Simon ScarrowThe fourth thrilling title in Simon Scarrow's epic, bestselling Gladiator seriesMarcus may be free from the brutal training regime of the gladiators but he will not rest until he finds his mother. With his old friends Festus and Lupus at his side, and a letter from Caesar instructing all who cross his path to help him, he begins his journey. He is going back to the lands where he lived as a slave boy: the remote farming estate of the savage Decimus. Yet Ancient Greece is ruled by deceit and corruption. Many do not want to see Marcus succeed. Many more would rather see him dead. As the most powerful men in the country plot against him, is it finally over for the son of Spartacus?Simon Scarrow will do for boy gladiators what J. K. Rowling did for boy wizards - Waterstones.comThe perfect introduction to Roman history and gladiators for young readers - great for fans of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter.Simon Scarrow was born in Africa and lived in a number of countries, including Hong Kong and the Bahamas before settling in Britain. He has always been interested in writing and his love of history began at school, in particular when he was being taught about the ancient world by his Latin and History teachers. Since then he has travelled with his wife and children across the world to Italy, Greece, Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Egypt to research his historical novels. Simon was an enthusiastic teacher for a number of years. He now writes full time, but does intend to return to teaching when he can find the time.
Gladiators & Beast Hunts: Arena Sports of Ancient Rome
by Christopher EpplettGladiators and Beasthunts is a comprehensive survey of arena sports in ancient Rome, focusing upon gladiatorial combat and the beast-hunts (venationes). Whilst numerous books have already been written on arena spectacles in ancient Rome, they generally neglect the venationes, despite the fact that the beast-hunts, in which men were pitted in mortal combat against various dangerous wild animals (including lions, tigers, elephants and rhinos), were almost as popular as gladiatorial spectacles and were staged over a longer period of time. Dr Christopher Epplett, gives a full and detailed treatment of both types of spectacle. The author starts by explaining the origins of these bloody combat sports in the late Roman Republic, before surveying the growth of these events during the first two centuries of the Empire, when emperors possessed the resources to stage arena spectacles on an unmatched scale. The details of the training, equipment and fighting styles used by different types of combatants are covered, as are the infrastructure of the arenas and behind-the-scenes organization that was essential to the successful staging of arena events. Particular attention will be paid to the means by which Roman spectacle organizers were able to procure the countless wild animals necessary for the staging of venationes throughout the Empire. This is a gladiator book with added bite and sure to be welcomed by scholars and general readers alike.
Gladiators and Caesars: The Power of Spectacle in Ancient Rome
by Eckart Köhne Cornelia EwiglebenBread and circuses were what the Romans demanded of their emperors, and for more than 500 years spectacular events in amphitheaters, circuses, and theaters were the most important leisure activities of the masses in all parts of the Roman empire. In Rome itself, public holidays featuring magnificent and costly shows occupied more than half the year. Comedies and tragedies, pantomimes and bawdy folk plays were staged in the theaters, while in the arena of the Colosseum, opened in a.d. 80, gladiators fought in pairs or with wild animals to satisfy the blood lust of the crowd, and hundreds of thousands of race-goers packed the stands of the Circus Maximus to enjoy the thrills of chariot racing. The organization of games came to be part and parcel of electioneering in towns and cities and was increasingly used as a means to consolidate the power of the reigning emperor. Like the sports stars of today, the top gladiators, charioteers, and actors were folk heroes, and the power of their universal appeal was recognized and exploited by politicians and emperors alike. Two thousand years later, the Roman games may seem remote, but, as this superbly illustrated book shows, they satisfied the same need for excitement and hero-worship that gives rise to the intense media coverage of sports in our own time.
Gladiators: Deadly Arena Sports of Ancient Rome
by Christopher EpplettA history of gladiators-with an added bite!It’s hard for modern readers to truly grasp the spectacle that was arena sports in ancient Rome, which pitted man against man and man against beast in mortal combat. Our modern games of football and hockey, or even boxing and MMA, truly pale in comparison. The Gladiators is a comprehensive survey of these ancient sports, focusing on gladiatorial combat and the beast hunts (venationes). While many books have been written on arena spectacles in ancient Rome, they generally neglect the venationes, despite the fact that the beast hunts, of various dangerous wild animals (including lions, tigers, elephants, and rhinos), were almost as popular as gladiatorial spectacles and endured over a longer period of time. Dr. Christopher Epplett gives a full and detailed treatment of both types of spectacle.The author starts by explaining the origins of these bloody combat sports in the late Roman Republic before surveying the growth of these events during the first two centuries of the Empire, when emperors possessed the resources to stage arena spectacles on an unmatched scale. The details of the training, equipment, and fighting styles used by different types of combatants are covered, as are the infrastructure of the arenas and behind-the-scenes organization that was essential to the successful staging of arena events. Particular attention is paid to the procurement of the countless wild animals necessary to stage venationes throughout the Empire. A gladiator book with added bite, The Gladiators is sure to be welcomed by scholars and general readers alike.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Gladiators: Fighting to the Death in Ancient Rome (Casemate Short History)
by M.C. BishopA concise history of ancient Roman gladiators—how they lived, fought, and died in the Colosseum—by the archeologist, author, and Roman military expert. Heroic despite their lowly status, the gladiators of ancient Rome fought vicious duels in large arenas filled with baying crowds. Few lasted more than a dozen fights, yet they were a valuable asset to their owners. Gladiators reveals the fascinating history of these men, how they fought, and how their weapons and techniques developed—debunking myths along the way. Historian M. C. Bishop examines the different forms of gladiator combat, including simulated naval battles held on large artificial lakes. He also discusses how gladiators were carefully paired against each other to balance their strengths and weaknesses. Although their lives were brutal and short, gladiators were the celebrities of their day, admired for their bravery. This short history reveals what we know about the gladiators and how we know it: ancient remains, contemporary literature, graffiti, modern attempts to reconstruct ancient fighting techniques, and the astonishing discovery at Pompeii where a complete gladiator barracks was found alongside multiple skeletons, telling their story.
Gladiators: Violence and Spectacle in Ancient Rome
by Roger DunkleThe games comprised gladiatorial fights, staged animal hunts (venationes) and the executions of convicted criminals and prisoners of war. Besides entertaining the crowd, the games delivered a powerful message of Roman power: as a reminder of the wars in which Rome had acquired its empire, the distant regions of its far-flung empire (from where they had obtained wild beasts for the venatio), and the inevitability of Roman justice for criminals and those foreigners who had dared to challenge the empire's authority. Though we might see these games as bloodthirsty, cruel and reprehensible condemning any alien culture out of hand for a sport that offends our sensibilities smacks of cultural chauvinism. Instead one should judge an ancient sport by the standards of its contemporary cultural context. This book offers a fascinating, and fair historical appraisal of gladiatorial combat, which will bring the games alive to the reader and help them see them through the eyes of the ancient Romans.It will answer questions about gladiatorial combat such as: What were its origins? Why did it disappear? Who were gladiators? How did they become gladiators? What was there training like? How did the Romans view gladiators? How were gladiator shows produced and advertised? What were the different styles of gladiatorial fighting? Did gladiator matches have referees? Did every match end in the death of at least one gladiator? Were gladiator games mere entertainment or did they play a larger role in Roman society? What was their political significance?
Gladiatrix
by Russell WhitfieldThe Ancient Roman public's hunger for gladiatorial combat has never been greater. The Emperor Domitian's passion for novelty and variety in the arena has given rise to a very different kind of warrior: the Gladiatrix.Sole survivor of a shipwreck off the coast of Asia Minor, Lysandra finds herself the property of Lucius Balbus, owner of the foremost Ludus for female gladiators in the Eastern Empire. Lysandra, a member of an ancient Spartan sect of warrior priestesses, refuses to accept her new status as a slave. Forced to fight for survival, her deadly combat skills win the adoration of the crowds, the respect of Balbus.But Lysandra's Spartan pride also earns her powerful enemies: Sorina, Gladiatrix Prima and leader of the Barbarian faction, and the sadistic Numidian trainer, Nastasen. When plans are laid for the ultimate combat spectacle to honor the visit of the emperor's powerful new emissary, Lysandra must face her greatest and deadliest trial. This is a thrilling first novel that combines fascinating historical detail with blistering action.
Gladius: Living, Fighting and Dying in the Roman Army
by Guy de BédoyèreThe Roman army was the greatest fighting machine the ancient world produced. The Roman Empire depended on soldiers not just to win its wars, defend its frontiers and control the seas but also to act as the engine of the state. Roman legionaries and auxiliaries came from across the Roman world and beyond. They served as tax collectors, policemen, surveyors, civil engineers and, if they survived, in retirement as civic worthies, craftsmen and politicians. Some even rose to become emperors. Gladius takes the reader right into the heart of what it meant to be a part of the Roman army through the words of Roman historians, and those of the men themselves through their religious dedications, tombstones, and even private letters and graffiti. Guy de la Bédoyère throws open a window on how the men, their wives and their children lived, from bleak frontier garrisons to guarding the emperor in Rome, enjoying a ringside seat to history fighting the emperors' wars, mutinying over pay, marching in triumphs, throwing their weight around in city streets, and enjoying esteem in honorable retirement.
Gladius: Living, Fighting and Dying in the Roman Army
by Guy de BédoyèreThe Roman army was the greatest fighting machine the ancient world produced. The Roman Empire depended on soldiers not just to win its wars, defend its frontiers and control the seas but also to act as the engine of the state. Roman legionaries and auxiliaries came from across the Roman world and beyond. They served as tax collectors, policemen, surveyors, civil engineers and, if they survived, in retirement as civic worthies, craftsmen and politicians. Some even rose to become emperors. Gladius takes the reader right into the heart of what it meant to be a part of the Roman army through the words of Roman historians, and those of the men themselves through their religious dedications, tombstones, and even private letters and graffiti. Guy de la Bédoyère throws open a window on how the men, their wives and their children lived, from bleak frontier garrisons to guarding the emperor in Rome, enjoying a ringside seat to history fighting the emperors' wars, mutinying over pay, marching in triumphs, throwing their weight around in city streets, and enjoying esteem in honorable retirement.
Gladius: The World of the Roman Soldier
by Guy de la BédoyèreThis &“encyclopedic [volume] collects pretty much every fact known about what it was like to be in the military arm of the Roman Empire" (The New York Times Book Review). The Roman army was the greatest fighting machine in the ancient world. It was also the single largest organization in Western antiquity, taking in members from all classes, from senators to freed slaves. The Roman Empire depended on its army not just to win wars, defend its frontiers, and control the seas, but to act as the very engine of the state. In Gladius—the Latin word for sword—Guy De la Bédoyère reveals what it meant to be a soldier in the army that made the empire. Surveying numerous aspects of Roman military life between 264 BCE and 337 CE, De la Bédoyère draws not only on the words of famed Roman historians, but also those of the soldiers themselves, as recorded in their religious dedications, tombstones, and even private letters and graffiti. He vividly recreates their everyday lives, whether in a bleak frontier garrison in Britain or North Africa, guarding the emperor in Rome, fighting on foreign battlefields, mutinying over pay, marching in triumph, throwing their weight around on city streets, or enjoying honorable retirement. By illuminating the history of one organization that reflected all corners of the Roman world, Gladius gives us a portrait of an ancient society that is unprecedented in both its broad sweep and gritty intimacy.