Legion: life in the Roman army - Richard Abdy

‘Legion: Life in the Roman army, is a wonderful, lasting version of that show, giving us a very different view of the Roman army.’ – Mary Beard ‘Everything the best history books can be: erudite, entertaining and eloquent.’ – Terry Deary, author of Horrible Histories ‘Splendidly direct, clear and jargon free… You are unlikely to find a clearer or more comprehensive account’ – Classics for All The scale and organisation of the Roman army was unprecedented in the ancient Western world. This book tells the story of everyday aspects of the army in the heyday of the Roman Empire – from life in a tent to the food soldiers consumed – and explains its hierarchy, roles, equipment and place in a vast multiethnic society divided between citizens and subjects. The Roman army has been immortalised in heroic art and screen epics, but what was life really like for an ordinary soldier? This book explores everyday life in the army – including the experiences of women and enslaved people – through a range of rare objects and testimonies. These include letters from Apion and Terentianus, young Egyptian soldiers writing home to their families; the tombstone of 4-year-old Vacia, a touching reminder of the presence of children near forts; the remains of a soldier found at Herculaneum, killed in the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79; and a board game played by soldiers in their spare time. Human experie
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