The evolution of the Roman military machine

Review of The Complete Roman Army by Adrian Goldsworthy

This book follows the development of the Roman Army from its mythic founding (in 753 BCE) to the collapse of the West in the 5^th century CE, over nearly 700 years. The writing is dense and to the point, skipping narrative treatment for hard-nosed analysis. What made the Roman Army unique”? How did it adapt to different circumstances? What was interplay …