Dr Simon Elliott, Honorary Research Fellow and alumnus of the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies, has just published two further works, Ragstone to Riches (Bar Publishing, 2018) and Roman Legionaries: Soldiers of Empire (Casemate, 2018).
Ragstone to Riches tells the story of the huge Roman metalla extractive industries of the south east of the province of Britannia. These provided much of the iron to equip the military there, and ragstone to facilitate the construction of the built environment in the region during the occupation through to the middle of the 3rd century AD. In the former case, this was the Wealden iron industry which, especially to the north of Hastings, featured sites as large as any industrial enterprise today. Meanwhile, regarding the upper Medway Valley ragstone quarrying industry, the work identifies the five specific quarries which provided the material to build Roman London for the first time. For both, the author also explores the role played by the military in running these enormous metalla enterprises.
The book is based upon Simon’s PhD thesis that he completed in the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies last year.
For more details, please see the publisher’s page here:
www.barpublishing.com/ragstone-to-riches.html
The might of Rome rested on the back of its legions; the superbly trained and equipped fighting force, with which the imperial Roman army conquered, subdued and ruled an empire for centuries. The legionary soldier served for 20 years, was rigorously trained, highly equipped, and motivated by pay, bonuses and a strong sense of identity and camaraderie. Legionaries wore full body-armour, carried a shield which could be used defensively to form a shield wall or a tortoise, or it could be used offensively to punch at opponents and throw them off-balance in close-quarters fighting, as well as two javelins, a sword, and a dagger. In battle they hurled their javelins and then immediately drew their swords and charged to close combat with the enemy. They were the finest heavy infantrymen of antiquity, and a massed legionary charge was a fearsome sight.
Roman Legionaries: Soldiers of Empire gives a concise and entertaining history of the Roman legionary, and covers their history from the age of Augustus through to the heyday of the Roman Empire. Topics include training, tactics, weapons, the men themselves, life on and off the battlefield, as well as significant triumphs and disasters in the great battles of the era.
For more details, please see the publisher’s page here: www.casematepublishing.co.uk/subject-categories/casemate-series/roman-legionaries.html