BOOKS & RESEARCH MATERIALS
Recommended references in the Legio VI Victrix Library

We used the following publications in researching this website and our approach to reenacting in general, and can heartily recommend them for your own library.

Osprey Books
The slim but well-researched and beautifully illustrated Osprey books on military history are where many historical reenactors first gotten bitten by the "bug."  While some of the earlier books on ancient Rome are a little outdated, they are still immensely useful and it is well worth the modest price of assembling a collection of these volumes.

Cowan, Ross and McBride, Angus. Imperial Roman Legionary 58 BC-AD 69. Osprey Warrior Series #71.London, Osprey, 2003. ISBN 1841766003. The period 31 BC-AD 43 saw the greatest expansion of the Roman Empire. In 31 BC Octavian defeated Antony at the battle of Actium and remodelled the semi-professional Roman army into a permanent force of 28 legions. Octavian became the first emperor (Augustus) and under his leadership the legions conquered northern Spain, all Europe south of the Danube line and Germany west of the Elbe. The legionaries exemplified the heroic culture of the Roman world and this title takes a behind-the-scenes look at their lives, training, weaponry and tactics, including the bloody massacre of the Teutoberg Forest. The text succinctly recounts the rapid evolution in Roman equipment and tactics, and these are vividly brought to life in he paintings of the great Angus McBride. Buy it at Amazon.

Cowan, Ross and McBride, Angus. Imperial Roman Legionary AD 161-184. Osprey Warrior Series #72. London, Osprey, 2003. ISBN: 1841766011. Although it deals with a time of upheaval in the Roman military, this books stresses the fundamental continuity between the old Roman legionary system of the late Republic and early Empire and the army of the late second and third centuries AD. The illustrations by the legendary Angus McBride are not up to his usual standard as his characters become steadily more squat and Neanderthal-like. Also, Cowan and McBride's research regarding certain aspects of Roman equipment, particularly the appearance of the Newstead cuirass, seems surprisingly out-out-of-date. Nevertheless, there are several eye-opening illustrations, including the cover painting, which shows two Severan-era Roman armies mixing it up sans armor or helmets, with the aquilifer for one legion carrying a live eagle in a cage!  The photographic illustrations and text are also invaluable for this little-covered epoch in Roman military history, making this an essential addition. Buy it at Amazon.

Macdowall, Simon. Late Roman Infantryman, 236-565 AD. Osprey Warrior Series #9, London: Osprey, 1994. ISBN 18555324199. Illustrations by Gerry Embleton.  One of the best, most concise volumes around covering this fascinating and often neglected period of Roman history. Our only quibble is that the era from AD 236 to 285, when much of the transition from earlier to late Imperial equipment and tactics take place, is neglected as far as illustrations go. But the rest of the volume more than makes up for this minor deficiency. Buy it at Amazon.

Macdowall, Simon. Late Roman Cavalryman, 236-565 AD. Osprey Warrior Series #15. London: Osprey, 1995. ISBN 1855325675. Illustrated by Christa Hook. A companion volume to the previous, covering the mounted side of the equation. The illustrations of fully-armored Roman heavy cavalrymen, resembling prototypical medieval knights, are wonderful! Buy it at Amazon.

Rankov, Boris. The Praetorian Guard. Osprey Elite Series #50. London: Osprey, 1994. ISBN 1855323613. Illustrations by Richard Hook. Covers the elite guard unit quartered in Rome that protected-- and sometimes murdered!-- Roman emperors and often meddled in Imperial politics. Some of Rankov's theories are open to debate (for instance, that Praetorians never wore armor, but donned the civilian toga while accompanying Roman emperors about the city), but the illustrations are decent and the record of the Praetorians' fighting history is welcome. Buy it at Amazon.

Sekunda, Nick. Republican Roman Army 200-104 BC. Osprey Men-At-Arms Series #291. London: Osprey, 1994. ISBN 1855325985. Illustrations by Angus McBride. This books covers the period when the Roman Army conquered most of the Mediterranean world. Sekunda seems to have a somewhat hostile attitude toward Romans in general (he theorizes late in the book that the Roman army defeated its enemies not through better tactics, equipment and training, but simply because the Romans were a more violent, bloodthirsty people than their [supposedly peace-loving] enemies!). Still, as always, the illustrations are excellent and the book contains a lot of useful information. Buy it at Amazon.

Sekunda, Nick. Early Roman Armies. Osprey Men-At-Arms Series #283, London: Osprey, 1995. ISBN 1855325136. Illustrated by Richard Hook. Covers the period from Rome's origins circa 750 BC to the war with Pyrrhus of Epirus, ca 275 BC. The title is somewhat misleading, since the book also devotes a lot of time to non-Roman Italic peoples such as the Samnites and Etruscans. The clothing and equipment is very colorful and artistic, although less protective and practical than later Roman gear.  Buy it at Amazon.

Simkins, Michael. Roman Army from Caesar to Trajan. Osprey Men-At-Arms #46. London: Osprey, 1980. ISBN 0850455286. Illustrations by Ron Embleton. One of the earliest Osprey volumes on the Roman era, based on the (then brand-new) findings of H. Russell Robinson and fleshed out with some of Simkins own theories and reconstructions. Some of the information included has been superseded in recent years (for example, Simkins follows Robinson in placing the introduction of the Newstead cuirass in the late first century AD, while more recent findings have pushed the date well into the second), but still very worthwhile. Buy it at Amazon.

Simkins, Michael. Roman Army from Hadrian to Constantine. Osprey Men-At-Arms #93. London: Osprey, 1981. ISBN 085045333X. Illustrations by Ron Embleton. The follow-up to Men-At-Arms #46, this volume covers the next phase in Roman military development. Again, some of the information has been fleshed out in recent years, and the later Empire is better-covered in McDowall's Warrior Series #9, but this is still a must-have for any Roman reenactor. Buy it at Amazon.

Sumner, Graham. Roman Military Clothing (1), 100 BC-AD 200. Osprey Men-At-Arms #374. London: Osprey, 2002. ISBN 1841764876. Illustrated by the author. This book covers the clothing worn by Roman soldiers, as opposed to their armor and equipment, and as such is quite invaluable. Those hoping that Sumner would end the ongoing tunic color debate (red vs. white), however, may come away a little disappointed or baffled.  Sumner refuses to weigh in with a definitive verdict, but the mound of evidence he presents seems to suggest that the Roman soldier might have kept at least two tunics-- a red one for wear under his armor, and a white one for all other occasions. Other evidence presented is less contentious, including the surprising revelation that caligae, widely accepted as the standard Roman military footgear, seem not to have been worn beyond the later first century AD. In conclusion, this is a worthwhile and essential addition to the Roman military enthusiast's or reenactor's bookshelf. Buy it at Amazon.

Sumner, Graham. Roman Military Clothing (2), AD 200-400. Osprey Men-At-Arms #390. London: Osprey, 2003. ISBN 1841765597. Illustrated by the author. Companion volume to the previous, this books covers the period of transition from the end of the Antonine era through the establishment of the Christian Roman Empire that later morphed into Byzantium. Changing styles in tunics, cloaks, trousers, headgear and footwear and beautifully rendered in the author's crisp illustrations, and the text contains a summation of all the evidence for various colors in military clothing. Sumner notes that in the third century, perhaps for the first time, the Roman Army began to take on a surprisingly "uniform" appearance, with long-sleeved tunics decorated with appliqués, long trousers, enclosed shoes, square cloaks, and broad belts and baldrics became nearly universal among all branches of the military. Buy it at Amazon.

Wise, Terrence. Armies of the Carthaginian Wars, 265-146 BC. Osprey Men-At-Arms #121. London: Osprey, 1984. ISBN 0850454301. Illustrations by Richard Hook. Covers the greatest wars in all of history prior to the Napoleonic era. As usual, well-researched and illustrated. Buy it at Amazon.

Important Reference Works

ARMA: Newsletter of the Roman Military Equipment Conference. ISSN 09609172. A yearly publication filled with the latest finds and analysis on Roman military gear of all eras. Subscription and back issues available from M.C. Bishop at http://www.mcbishop.co.uk.

Bishop, M.C.  Lorica Segmentata, Volume I.  JRMES Monograph No. 1.  Armatura Press, 2002.  ISBN 0953984842.  The first volume devoted solely to the most famous and well-researched form of Roman armor, this new book is absolutely essential for any Roman reenactor. The fascinating first chapters cover the slow progress in understanding this form of armor, from the Renaissance to the revolutionary discovery of the Corbridge hoard in 1964 and subsequent developments in archaeology and experimental reconstruction. The meat of the book is a series of chapters examining in-depth each of the variant types of lorica-- Kalkriese, Corbridge, Newstead, and Alba Iulia. Now out of print after a short run, but still available from a variety of sources. Volume 2 by Mike Thomas will be a catalog of finds.  Also see http://www.loricasegmentata.org 

Bishop, M.C. and Coulston, J.C.N.  Roman Military Equipment. London: BT Batsford, 1993.  ISBN 0713466375.  One of the "Bibles" of Roman military studies, this indispensable work incorporates all important discoveries of Roman equipment up through 1993 and does an excellent job using the evidence to follow the evolution of the Roman soldier from the Republic through the late Empire. Now out of print, but infrequently available on the secondary market. A new edition is supposedly forthcoming.

Bowman, Alan K. Life and Letters on the Roman Frontier. New York. Routledge, 1994. ISBN 0-415-92025-6. A simply amazing volume detailing what must rank as one of the key archaeological finds of all time, namely, the discovery of a huge cache of letters and other written records from the site of a Roman auxiliary fort in northern Britain dating to the late first century AD. The letters, many of them between the auxiliary commander Flavius Cerialis, his wife Sulpicia Lepidina, and dozens of other officers, soldiers, civilian contractors and slaves in and around Vindolanda, paint a vivid portrait of a surprisingly genteel Roman provincial life at the furthest fringes of the civilized world. Bowman spends several chapters analyzing the information revealed in this literary treasure trove before getting to the real meat of the volume: An appendix containing the original Latin text and English translations of 37 of the most complete Vindolanda letters. Buy it on Amazon.

Brand, C.E., Roman Military Law. Austin TX: U of Texas, 1968. LoCCC# 68-22583. A fascinating study of military law and discipline.

Cheesman, G.L., The Auxillia of the Roman Imperial Army. Oxford: Ares, 1914. ISBN 0890050961.

Connolly, Peter. Greece and Rome At War. London: Greenhill Books, 1998. ISBN 185367303X. An essential overview of ancient warfare in all its forms, perhaps the best and most thoroughly illustrated book of its kind. All of Connolly's books are outstanding, but in this particular volume, the thorough examination of ancient military systems, weapons, tactics and evolutions is unsurpassed anywhere. Now that this book is widely available through reprint, no library covering ancient warfare should be without one. Buy at Amazon.

Connolly, Peter. Pompeii. London: Macdonald & Co., 1979. ISBN 0199171580. Buy it at Amazon.

Connolly, Peter. The Legionary. Well-researched text and spectacular illustrations, covering the tale of a single Roman legionary from his induction into the army through his first experience of combat in Dacia, ca. AD 88. Another must-have for anyone interested in Roman warfare. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. ISBN 019917105X. Buy it at Amazon.

Connolly, Peter, and Dodge, Hazel. The Ancient City. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. 0199172420. Not military, but fabulous for architecture and the archeology of a city. Covers Athens as well as Rome, with some of the best artwork seen on Greek archeology, life, buildings, etc. Buy it at Amazon.

de la Bedoyere, Guy. Eagles Over Britannia: The Roman Army in Britain.  London. Tempus, 2003. Another outstanding Tempus title, this book traces the presence of the Roman army in Britain from the Claudian invasion in AD 43 to the twilight of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century AD. Author de la Bedoyere gives the subject both a chronological and thematic treatment; i.e., he takes the story forward through a certain period, then goes back over the same period for a closer look at cultural details, i.e, commerce, manufacturing, art, religion, etc. This leads to some duplication of data, and in some cases rather important and dramatic events, such as Queen Boudicca’s revolt and its aftermath, are given rather short shrift. Another complaint involves some of the photographs chosen to illustrate Roman armor. Color plate 3 and black and white photos 39 and 47 show a reconstructed lorica segmentata displayed at the Leicester City Museum which fits no known archaeological find, be it Kalkriese, Corbridge or Newstead (the shield in the color plate is also clearly upside-down!). For a helmet, color plate 18 shows someone holding aloft a version the infamously inaccurate “Trooper” helmet sold by Museum Replicas and other outlets. Why the author chose these examples over the highly accurate versions displayed at numerous other museums is difficult to fathom. Furthermore, some of the coins illustrated are of such poor quality that the designs can barely be made out, when far better examples are widely available. These quibbles aside, “Eagles Over Britannia” still represents a valuable resource on the Roman Army in Britain and a good value at around $24. Available via Oxbow Books / David Brown Books Company.

Evans, Robert F. Legions of Imperial Rome: An Informal Order of Battle Study. New York: Vantage, 1980. ISBN 533046181. An excellent listing of which Legion was where, when and why. Plus interesting, concise histories of many individual Legions, including Legio VI Victrix.

Feugere, Michel. Weapons of the Romans. London. Tempus, 2002. This  book should actually be titled “Weapons, Armor and Equipment of the Romans,” as it is a comprehensive treatment of virtually all aspects of Roman equipment from the Republic through the Late Empire. Packed with photographs of actual artifacts and reconstructions, detailed line drawings, and crisp, succinct analysis, it is by far the best single-volume treatment of the subject aside from Bishop and Coulston’s "Roman Military Equipment." This book was actually first published in France in 1993, which means some of the very latest data (i.e. the Bishop reconstruction of the Newstead cuirass) is missing, but this is but a minor quibble. Feugere (and his translator David G. Smith) packs an awe-inspiring amount of information into the book’s 210 pages, and the text is everywhere easy to follow and easy to read. The numerous black-and-white illustrations are well reproduced and are a superb resource for anyone desirous of reproducing Roman swords, helmets, fittings, military decorations, shoes, etc. Available for under $25 from Oxbow / David Brown Book Company, this book is an absolute must for any and every Roman reenactor, not to mention anyone interested in the evolution of the Roman army.

Grant, Michael. The Army of the Caesars. New York: Scribner, 1974. ISBN 0871317052. Covers more of the political background to the rise of the Roman legions than the armies themselves, but of great interest for this very reason.

Marks, A.J. & Tingay, G.I.F. The Romans: Usborne Illustrated History. Oklahoma: EDC Publishing, 1990. ISBN 0746003404. Colorful overview with entertaining illustrations.

Peterson, Daniel. The Roman Legions Recreated in Colour Photographs. London: Windrow & Greene, 1992. ISBN 1872004067. This is the book that launched the Roman reenactment movement in a big way in the United States, where the era had been essentially ignored. Contains vivid color photos of some of the best reenactment groups in the world, including Peterson's own Legio XIIII GMV, the Ermine Street Guard, (German) Legio VI Victrix, and others. The close-ups of Roman helmets, armor, weapons and other equipment are of tremendous value in building your impression. Absolutely essential! Now out of print but still widely available. Buy it at used at Amazon.

Robinson, H. Russell.  The Armour of Imperial Rome. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1975. ISBN 0684139561. The revolutionary work which completely changed modern perceptions about how Roman soldiers looked and were equipped. Still "The Bible", an indispensable compilation of original helmets and armor parts, even though minor bits are out of date and newer finds and theories are not included. Out of print and very difficult to find at anything approaching a reasonable price. Please join with the rest of the reenactment community and bug the publisher to reprint!

Robinson, H. Russell and Embleton, Ronald. The Armour of the Roman Legions. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham. ISBN 0859831515. A condensed version of the previous tome, this work can be found at reasonable prices in used book stores and websites.

Scullard, H.H. Roman Britain: Outpost of the Empire. New York: Thames & Hudson, 1997. ISBN 0500274053. Excellent overview of the history of the Britannia province and the life of its residents. Buy it at Amazon.

Simkins, Michael. Warriors of Rome. London: Blandford, 1988. ISBN 0713721979. Contains some odd theories by the author, and the illustrations by Simkins are not up to the standards of Ron Embleton, Angus Mcbride et al, but still a decent basic book with a lot of historical data not covered in other volumes.

Stephenson, I.P. Roman Infantry Equipment: The Later Empire. Gloucestershire: Tempus Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0752419080.  A thesis-grade exploration into the weapons, equipment, and tactics of the third century Roman infantryman. The shift in thinking from the offensive consular Legions of the earlier Empire to the more flexible but defensive army of the Dominate is well described. Some of the research is superficial and conjectural, however, and the illustrations are a bit amateurish. Still, it focuses on an era not covered by most other publications and is useful for this reason. Buy it at Amazon

Sumner, Graham. Roman Army: Wars of the Empire. London: Brassey's, Ltd., 1997. Brassey's History of Uniforms Series. ISBN 1857532120 . Includes photos of reenactors, pictures of artifacts and artwork, and modern color paintings as well. Includes a great chapter on the history of Roman reenacting. Buy it at Amazon.

Windrow, Martin, and McBride, Angus. Imperial Rome at War. Military Book Club, 1997. Mostly McBride's excellent artwork, with commentary by Windrow.