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    In ‘The Last Legionary’, Paul Elliott has attempted in an introduction, eight chapters and a ‘post-script’ to describe the routine daily life of a Roman legionary based in Britain in the twilight of the Roman Empire. After the short introduction, each of the chapters focuses primarily on a single aspect of army life, including ‘Joining Up’, ‘Training’, ‘Perks of the Job’, ‘The Fort and Work’, ‘On the March’, ‘Belief’, ‘On Campaign’, and ‘To War!’.

     

    At first the read is a little difficult: the author’s method of interspersing a fictional account of a Roman soldier in Britain with an overview of historical events coupled with archaeological evidence and his own experience of being a re-enactor takes a little getting used to. However, once the reader crosses this hurdle it is possible to settle down to an interesting narrative which sees Gaius, the ‘hero’ of the story, at work in northern Britain – more specifically Yorkshire – in the years up to AD 400...

     

    ...continue to the full review of The Last Legionary: Life as a Roman Soldier in Britain AD400 by Paul Elliott

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    This book explores an intriguing thesis. Basically author Judy Gaughan argues that the basic object of criminal legislation in the Roman Republic was to protect the state. Because one of the most important elements of the state was the family bloc based on the paterfamilias, some deeds – such as murder – were not subject to criminal sanctions, because resolving the issue was in the power of the paterfamilias and not of the state. Indeed, for the state to get involved in trying cases of murder would undermine the power of the family, and thus weaken the state itself...
     
    ...continue to the full review of Murder Was Not a Crime: Homicide and Power in the Roman Republic by Judy E. Gaughan
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    Thesis submitted to the Tenneesee State University for the Degree of Masters of Arts by Victor Clark
     
    In Italy during the fourteenth century some men began to study ancient Roman coins. This should not be a surprise though, as it was the Renaissance, and there was a great interest in the classical past. The humanist Petrarch was the most famous of these early numismatists. Petrarch said in a letter that often people would approach him with a request to identify a newly discovered ancient coin. “Often there came to me in Rome a vinedigger, holding in his hands an ancient jewel or a golden Latin coin, sometimes scratched by the hard edge of a hoe, urging me either to buy it or to identify the heroic faces inscribed on them...
     
    ...continue to Constantine the Great: The Coins Speak
     
     
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    Over recent decades there has been an explosion of publications about the last days of the Western Empire and the rise of the "barbarian" kingdoms: a new generation with an interest in Late Antiquity is making itself heard. One of the main players in this phenomenon is Peter Sarris. In Empires of Faith - The Fall of Rome to the Rise of Islam, c.500-700 (Oxford, 2011 -Volume 1 in the Oxford History of Medieval Europe) Sarris has written an overview of the period encompassing the Fall of the West to the Rise of Islam in the East and its conquest of much of the old "Roman" world...
     
     
     
    continue to the review of Empires of Faith: The Fall of Rome to the Rise of Islam by Peter Sarris
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    In Medicus, Ruth Downie uses the tensions between Roman army and British locals to create a believable historical setting and a page-turning mystery
     
    Roman army medic Gaius Petrius Ruso is just trying to keep up appearances for his impoverished family without letting anyone know just how deeply in debt his father was. When an old army buddy, Valens, suggests that Ruso join him in a forsaken outpost of the Roman empire, Ruso jumps at the chance to make some money and maybe also to get away from his ex-wife. Of course, Valens hadn’t quite mentioned all the miserable weather, surly natives and hospital bureaucracy that Ruso would encounter in Britannia....
     
    ....go to full review of Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie
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    You always wanted to ask an author a question? Now is your chance, and by doing so you even have the opportunity to get a free download of his novel "Legio XVII: Roman Legion at War"!
     
    All you have to do is reply to author Thomas A. Timmes in this forum thread.
     
    We going to choose two lucky winners from all replies/comments/questions. Author Thomas A. Timmes is looking forward to your comments!
    All the best and good luck for the lucky draw,
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    Alex Johnston, author of the novel Caesar's Daughter: Julia's Song is giving from May 16 until May 20 his novel away for free. You can download his novel from Amazon at no cost! He had fun writing it, and he really hope that you will enjoy it!
     
    Here is the Amazon link to the book --> http://amzn.to/1hQOehX
     
    Don't miss the time window for the free download, or you will be required to pay 99 cents to get your virtual hands on it!
    If you have friends who you think would like to read his story, please feel free to forward this offer to them.
     
    Feel also free to like him on Facebook --> https://www.facebook.com/AJohnstonAuthor
     
    ******************************************************************************
    One more thing....
    If you missed the first two books in his series, Caesar's Ambassador and Caesar's Emissary You can pick them up here: http://amazon.com/author/alexjohnston
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    In that great soap opera we call the Julio-Claudians, a nomination for Best Supporting Actor must surely go to Germanicus. But for what? Some people reading this won't have even heard of him. I must be honest, I'd never really developed an interest. He's there in the background, performing admirably and ultimately failing to survive the murderous politics of the Roman Empire. Even the author of the book himself tells us that Germanicus has gone out of fashion in the modern day...
     
     
    read the full review of Germanicus by Lindsay Powell
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    The Agricola and The Germania are the shortest works of Tacitus, and in my view his best. Because they were designed to be orated, they are faced fast paced, active and a perfect text for the time constrained classicist. For someone like myself who often finds mainstay classical texts long winded and bland, the short sentences and timely paragraphs make a happy change. They certainly have defects such as historical inaccuracy and astounding lack of detail that can be frustrating at times, especially when you are interested in the parts he glosses over. However, they still rank as two of my favorite pieces of classical literature, and Tacitus my favorite historian...
     
    continue with the review of Agricola and Germania (Penguin Classics) by Tacitus
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    The story of Pilate’s wife begins with a girl, Claudia, born into a family of privilege during the reign of the Roman Empire. Claudia’s father and uncle are prominent leaders in the roman army. As a young girl her family is stationed in Monokos but her father and uncle travel often for battle. Claudia’s family spends a lot of time with her Aunt Agrippina and her children since both fathers were often away at battle. When she is young Claudia often dreams of things that come to pass and this “gift” becomes both a blessing and a curse at various times during her life...
     
    ...continue with the review of Pilate's Wife: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Antoinette May
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