Opis w j. angielskim:

Before the Second Punic War (218BC-201BC), Rome’s influence extended no further than the Alps. Within a century the seeds of empire had been sown in Iberia, Africa and the Greek east. The Roman republican army was the most successful of its day, and established standards of discipline, organization, and efficiency that set a bench mark for the later armies of Rome. In contrast the wars fought by early Rome consisted of small-scale raids and cattle rustling, with perhaps the occasional battle between armies. The latter were little more than warrior bands formed by an aristocrat, his kin and clients. As the Roman Republic developed so too did its tactics with the adoption of the manipular legion. This was developed from the hoplite phalanx but with the Romans if was encorporated into a sophisticated army with a highly organized system of training, recruitment and logistics. The first mass deployment of the manipular legion was during the Punic Wars fought against the North African city of Carthage. As Roman power and influence extended within Italy and beyond she was destined for a collision course with the Carthaginian empire which dominated the Mediterranean. The second Punic War was the definitive struggle in which there could only be one victor. The Romans were initially outmanoeuvred and outgeneraled by Hannibal who had bought his troops from Spain into Italy by a monumental march across the Alps. However, when the Roman manipular legions were under the control of a talented general, such as Scipio Africanus, their sheer weight of numbers and superior quality of troops began to tell. This book will cover the course of the major conflicts between these two people as Roman tactics developed and improved from the catastrophic defeat at Cannae until their final success at Zama.

As Rome’s power and influence extended across the Mediterranean, she was destined for a collision with the Carthaginian Empire, a clash ultimately resulting in the decisive Second Punic War. At first the Roman Army was no match for the superior tactics and leadership of Hannibal and his troops. However, talented generals like Scipio Africanus transformed the legions into a formidable fighting force. Covering Rome’s catastrophic defeats at Lake Trasimene and Cannae to her final victory at Zama, this book examines the development of Roman tactics and organization through Rome’s transition from a city-based state to a Mediterranean powerhouse.


Contents

* Introduction
* Roman military organization
* Socii military organization
* Command and control
* Roman Army in battle
* Engineering
* Second Punic War
* Military superpower
* Chronology
* Ancient authors
* Bibliography
* Glossary
* Index


About the Author:

Dr Nic Fields started his career as a biochemist before joining the Royal Marines. Having left the military, he went back to University and completed a BA and PhD in Ancient History at the University of Newcastle. He was Assistant Director at the British School at Athens, Greece, and then a lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh. Nic is now a freelance author and researcher. The author lives in France.