The Last Legionary: Life as a Roman Soldier in Britain AD400

by Paul Elliott

A meticulously detailed account of life as a Roman legionary in the last days of the Roman Empire—from battle to rations, camp duties to clothing In 400 AD, Roman rule in Britain was collapsing as the thinly stretched empire was besieged on all sides. This guide explores all aspects of Late Roman military life, from recruitment to weaponry, marriage to wages, warfare to religion. It explores the world of the Roman soldier through the eyes of one man, posted to a British garrison at the edge of the empire, and follows the soldier's life through training, battle, marriage, and business dealings, finally following him south as he leaves Britain for good in defense of Rome. When the legionary finally escapes the worst posting in the Roman Empire, it is only to join what effectively became a death march over the Alps, without food or shelter. Readers of this mesmerizing account will know what it was like to face the chanted battle cry and the charge and slashing axes of the Goths, and why the order "March out!" was so terrifying.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Military Fiction

373 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was unbelievable and informative!!! Very easy to read, three strands of narrative are woven together to give you the complete picture of the Roman soldier in Britannia in the late Roman Empire. First, there was straight nonfiction information. Secondly, narration included the representative experiences of a fictional 'Everyman' Roman common soldier, Gaius. The book covers Gaius's whole military career: from enlistment through honorable discharge and beyond. Thirdly, the author brings in his own experiences in a re-enactment group of which he was a member, to illustrate some point he discusses in the book. All aspects of military life as limitanei [frontier guards], as opposed to comitatensis [regular field army], are discussed, in palatable, easy to remember form. The author's information has come from archaeology and from ancient military writers, such as Ammianus Marcellinus, Vegetius, and the 6th century Byzantine emperor and military strategist: Maurice's Strategikon: Handbook of Byzantine Military Strategy. Gaius and his contubernium ; other army personnel; and wife and son are all presented realistically. The soldiers' religions were presented: Roman paganism; Christianity; and Mithraism. The soldiers were dressed very unlike the classical Roman army of centuries before--Plate I.

Everything from weapons to clothing [many elaborately decorated] to foods to military life in the fort, on the march, and in skirmishes and battles was examined. Though most of the food sounded horrible [to my modern taste, at least], out of curiosity and as an experiment, I did cook one dish the soldiers ate--fried parsnips with salt, pepper, and cumin seeds. It was surprisingly tasty, rather like something Indian or Pakistani.

I especially liked the sections on life on the march; setting up temporary camps; the departure of troops from Britannia on Stilicho's orders and the march through Gaul to Mediolanum. The Battle of Pollentia [402 AD] against the Goths was very vividly described.

Finally, there were a few pp. about the fall of the Western Roman Empire and what you can see today of Gaius's world [locations mentioned in the book]. The bibliography was excellent, as well as annotated footnotes and index. There was also a section of black and white plates and many line drawings. This book is a fantastic reference!

Most highly recommended!

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative book covering an (in my opinion) under-represented part of Roman history, it delves into the minutiae of the typical daily life experiences of a Roman limitanei on the very fringes of the Roman empire, from their diets, clothing, arms and armor, pay and their daily tasks around the fort ranging from watch duty, shoe repair or cleaning the latrines. Additionally, the author vividly describes the process and characteristics of a Roman army's fortified camp construction on campaign, from digging ditches to implementing sudis (stakes) and obstacles to deter enemies.

The narrative crutch of following from the perspective of a low rank soldier allows the author to concisely and effectively explain the various parts of a soldier's life while still finding ways to provide relevant sources and give excellent historical context. Another interesting aspect is the author's recounting of his experience participating in a Roman march re-enactment. This chapter was particularly enlightening, vividly recreating the physical details of a soldier's march, including the pain of carrying their pack, worn-through shoes, and the constant need to chase daylight between camping spots. This detailed view provides a perspective on the labour and logistics involved in a march, which I feel are often lost in the grand scale of history.

The author also delves into battle formation and the Romans' rigid engagement structure, primarily using the strategikon as a source. The author even participated in mock battles to provide a tangible perspective on how these battles unfolded.

Highly recommend for someone interested in the beginning of the end of the Western Roman Empire and anyone looking for a 'boots on the ground' perspective of Roman military life.

9/10

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much of a story, but this is a GREAT resource for 4th, 5th Century research. It goes as far as breaking down to the different articles of clothing, and how it was decorated.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of detail about the end of the empire in Roman Britain. The author really knows his stuff. Interesting observations based on his own experiences reenacting the life a Roman soldier.