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OSPREY. MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES

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. from @aesarto 'Ira.fan

Text by MICHAEL SIMKINS

Colourplates by MICHAEL YOU ENS

iii !i: The ~an ~my from @aesartoTftfjan ~ ".

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A.D.54. Claudius is murdered by his wifeAgrip- pina the Younger, who secures the succession Ghronology for her son Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, who in turn assassinates her in A.D. 59. A.D.60. The Druids on Mona Insulis are massacred by Paulinus, followed by a serious revolt in south-east Britain led by the impla- cable Queen Boudicca. SOME PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN ROMAN A.D. 61. Paulinus crushes the Boudiccan Revolt. MILITARY HISTORY, FROM THE DEATH OF A.D. 68. Galba, Governor of Spain, marches on CAESAR TO THE REIGN OF TRAJ AN and Nero commits suicide. Galba . . ' . succeeds. 44 B.C. Th e D Ictator, G mus JuIIUS C aesar IS assassinated. The civil war which Caesar had A.D. 69. Galba's harshness is resented by the begun in 49 B.C. continues. soldiers and he is assassinated at the age of sixty-three. Marcus Salvius Otho is pro- 29 B.C. Gaius Octavianus, great- claimed Emperor at the same time as Aulus nephew of the Dictator, succeeds in establish- Vitellius and civil war breaks out. Otho ing himself as ruler of the Roman world. commits suicide after Vitellius defeats him in 27 B.C. Octavianus takes the titles of ,Imp era tor' battle; he reigned for three months. Flavius and '' and becomes the first Roman Vespasianus marches on from the east Emperor. and defeats Vitellius. Flavius Sabinus Vespa- A.D. 9. Three legions under P. Quinctilius Varus- sianus now becomes Emperor and the civil war ends. the XVIIth, XVIIIth and XIXth - are des- troyed in the Teutoburg Forest; a loss of A.D. 79. Vespasianus dies after a stable reign and one-tenth of Rome's strength. is succeeded by his son Titus. A.D. 14. Augustus Caesar dies and the Rhine A.D. 8 I. Titus dies. He completed the building of legions mutiny. His successor, Tiberius the great Flavian amphitheatre, the Colos- Claudius Nero, quells the revolt and army seum, begun by his father in A.D. 72. Titus is conditions are improved to avoid further succeeded by his brother Titus Flavius Dom.i- trouble. tianus. A.D. 96. Domitianus is murdered, an unworthy A.D. 37. Tiberius dies and is succeeded by the son of a great father. Marcus Cocceius Nerva insane , nicknamed 'Caligula'. becomes Emperor and the Flavian dynasty is A.D. 41. Gaius is assassinated by the Praetorian at an end. Guard at the age of twenty-nine and is A.D. 98. N erva dies at the age of sixty-six. Marcus succeeded by Tiberius Claudius Drusus. Ulpius Trajanus succeeds. was possibly A.D. 43. Four legions invade Britain under the the finest and extended the " command of Aulus Plautius. Empire to its largest geographical size. 3 - I Legionary, battle order, late Republic 2 Legionary, battle order, late Augustan 3 Legionary, marching order, late Augustan

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CHAEL YQUENS A -- - 3

I Legionary, battle order, Tiberian 2 2 , battle order, Legio XIV Gemina, post-Augustan 3 , battle order, mid first century A.D.

MICHAEL YOUENS B .' I Legionary, battle order, first balf of the first century A.D. 2 Aquilifer, battle order, first balf of the first century A.D. 3 Centurio, parade order, Legio XI Claudia Pia FideHs,

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MICHAEL YOUENS c J: Signifer, battle order, Cohors V Asturum, first century A.D. 2 Auxiliary, battle order, first century A.D. 3 Auxiliary, battle order, first century A.D.

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MICHAEL YOU ENS D l I Centurio, battle order, Legio XX Valeria, Claudio-Neronian 2 Legionary, marching order, mid first century A.D. 3 Legionary, battle order, second half of the first century, Flavian

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~ICHAELYOUENS E 2

I Levantine Sagittarius, battle order, Trajanic 2 Auxiliary, cold climate order, applicable to most dates 3 Legionary, battle order, Trajanic

MICHAEL YOUENS F I I

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I Cornucen, battle order, Trajanic 2 Army conunander, applicable with slight variations to all dates 3 Auxiliary cavalry, battle order, first century A.D.

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MICHAEL YOUENS G Officer, perhaps a tribunis rnilitaris, Trajanic

MICHAEL VOUENS H Roman world were very great. A man could work his land secure in the knowledge that a marauding band from neighbouring tribes would not be per- mitted to carry off the results of his efforts and Gone!us ion probably kill him and his family into the bargain: yIFHO MJFJPOJ8FAO He could travel from Palmyra in Syria to Eburacum in north Britain without a passport and' Jill§'),[' p D~.- V§'JEn~OVlliK O'fO§V without ever feeling entirely out of place. Wherever he went Rome had established minia- JERVWT JH[ p § P JE' Through their army the Romans not only con- ture versions of the mother city with baths, quered new lands, but also brought the benefits temples, markets and all the other complexities of of their civilization and order to countries where the 'Roman Way'. For these good things, the internal wars had become a way of life. legions were directly responsible, making this a Though at times the hand of Rome was respon- world in which a man could profit from worthy sible for some astounding cruelties - largely the labour and find contentment. result of highly placed single individuals or the de- Thus, the great Romana or Roman mands of lesser mortals - generally speaking the must surely rank among the highest of human advantages to be gained from belonging to the endeavours in history.

A section of Trajan's Column relief

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