There is no doubt that Rome developed one of the most efficient and successful military systems of the ancient world. The famous legions conquered from the Atlantic to the Euphrates, from the Scottish Highlands to the sands of the Sahara, defeating all manner of enemies. Although their victories were many, they were never invincible and did suffer significant defeats. Ian Hughes looks at thirteen such occasions, narrating the course of the fighting (in as much detail as the sources allow), describing the forces involved, the strategy and tactics employed and the reasons for the Roman defeat.

The chosen battles span the centuries, from the disastrous battle against invading Celts at the Allia River in (387 or 386 BC) to the naval defeat by the Vandals off Cap Bon in AD 468. They are selected either for the magnitude of the tactical defeat or the political and strategic significance of the outcome. Apart from the inherent interest in the individual battles, this study offers a survey of the development of the Roman forces evolving to survive.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 The Gallic Terror: The Battle of the River Allia, c.387/6 BCE
• Chapter 2 The Ferocious Samnites: The Caudine Forks, 321 BCE
• Chapter 3 Pyrrhic Defeats: Pyrrhus of Epirus The Battle of Heraclea, 280 BCE The Battle of Asculum, 279 BCE
• Chapter 4 Hannibal: The Battle of Lake Trasimene, 217 BCE
• Chapter 5 The Gallic and Germanic Tribes: The Battle of Arausio, 6 October 105 BCE
• Chapter 6 The Persian Menace: The Battle of Carrhae, 53 BCE
• Chapter 7 The German Wall: The Battle of the Teutoburger Wald, 9 CE
• Chapter 8 The Gothic Threat: The Battle of Abritus, 251 CE
• Chapter 9 The Sasanid Threat: The Battle of Edessa, 260 BCE
• Chapter 10 The Sasanid Threat Continues: The Siege of Amida, 359 CE
• Chapter 11 The Sasanid Threat Yet Again: Julian’s Campaign in Persia, 363 CE
• Chapter 12 Civil Wars: The Battle of the (River) Frigidus, 5-6 September 394
• Chapter 13 The Vandal Disaster: The Battle of Cape Bon, 468
• Conclusions
• Notes
• Plates