Armies of the Germanic Peoples, 200 BC to AD 500: History, Organization and Equipment

by Gabriele Esposito

Gabriele Esposito presents an overview of the military history of the Germanic peoples of this period and describes in detail the weapons and tactics they employed on the battlefield. He starts by showing how, from very early on, the Germanic communities were heavily influenced by Celtic culture. He then moves on to describe the major military events, starting with the first major encounter between the Germanic tribes and the the invasion by the Cimbri and Teutones. Julius Caesar's campaigns against German groups seeking to enter Gaul are described in detail as is the pivotal Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, which effectively halted Roman expansion into Germany and for centuries fixed the Rhine as the border between the Roman and Germanic civilizations. Escalating pressure of Germanic raids and invasions was a major factor in the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

The author's analysis explains how Germanic warriors were able to crush the Roman military forces on several occasions, gradually transformed the Roman Army itself from the inside and, after the fall of the Empire, created new Romano-Germanic Kingdoms across Europe. The evolution of Germanic weapons, equipment and tactics is examined and brought to life through dozens of color photos of replica equipment in use.

176 pages, Hardcover

Published October 29, 2021

About the author

The author of numerous books on armies and uniforms, Gabriele Esposito is a contract professor of Medieval, Modern and Contemporary History at the "Luigi Vanvitelli" University of Campania.

Reviews

[Douglas Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good history of the military aspect of the Germanic peoples in the time of the Roman Empire. Esposito gives a serviceable account of almost all of the documentary evidence from Classical literature- although this reviewer just wishes there were more material on the Marcomannic Wars of Marcus Aurelius, otherwise this is a great resource for historians and wargamers. There are also descriptions of weapons and some material on tactics. This book is well illustrated with photos of reenactors wearing credible costumes with appropriate weapons, equipment and shields. The author does some good in dispelling the notion that all Germanic tribal armies were untrained and undrilled mobs. Additionally, it is always helpful when authors on this topic are able to trace the changes and developments among the Germanic tribes, which Esposito does well.