WAR IN LATE ANTIQUITY - A SOCIAL HISTORY

The first book to focus on the social impact of warfare and the Roman army in Late Antiquity.



Explores the implications of war and the army in a broad range of areas encompassing politics, the economy, and social life

Pays particular attention to the experience of war from the perspective of
non-combatants

Investigates the religious dimension of military life and the role of the army in implementing religious policy

Approaches familiar subjects from new perspectives, offering novel insights into the many facets of late Roman history

A. D. Lee is Associate Professor in the Department of Classics at the University of Nottingham, and the author of Information and Frontiers: Late Roman Foreign Relations (1993), and Pagans and Christians in Late Antiquity: A Sourcebook (2000).

"This is a fascinating study offering a different perspective on warfare in the late Roman empire … . Extremely user-friendly and contains a wealth of useful sources and resources." (Journal of Classics Teaching, Autumn 2008)

“A very useful contribution to the study of Roman military … precise organization and ample references will make it easy to return to the book again and again.” (Bryn Mawr Classical Review)
“Lee provides a detailed analysis … .An excellent scholar, [he] cleverly exploits the ancient historians … .His writing style is lucid …. .Recommended.” (Choice)
"War in Late Antiquity is well informed, gives an excellent idea of what the sources are for the subject and treats many technical issues in a balanced and intelligent way. This is a book that anyone can read with profit."
–David S. Potter, University of Michigan
“Lee provides an authoritative and clear account of the social, economic and cultural structures which underpinned the army in the late Roman state, backed by an impressive range of evidence. The Roman empire may have fallen apart, but not without a long struggle and Lee well explains how its armies now fought under the protection of Christianity, that most militant of ancient religions, to preserve the state and its civilised elite.”
–Michael Whitby, University of Warwick

List of Figures.
List of Maps.
List of Tables.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Selected Roman Emperors during Late Antiquity.
Selected Persian Kings during Late Antiquity.
Table of Significant Events.
Glossary.
List of Abbreviations.
Introduction.
1. War and its Causes in Late Antiquity: An Overview.
2. The Evolution of the Late Roman Army: An Outline.
3. Ancient Sources for War and the Army in Late Antiquity: A Guide.
1. Emperors and Warfare.
1.1. Changing Patterns of Imperial Involvement in Warfare.
1.2. The Unchanging Ideology of Victory.
2. Military Loyalties and Civil War.
2.1. Retaining Soldiers’ Loyalties.
2.2. Civil War and Military Unrest.
3. The Infrastructure of War.
3.1. Manpower.
3.2. Supplying the Army.
3.3. Fortifications.
4. The Economic Impact of War.
4.1. Economic Benefits of War.
4.2. Economic Costs of War.
5. The Experience of War.
5.1. Soldiers.
5.2. Urban Communities.
5.3. Rural Communities.
5.4. Women.
6. Soldiers and Society.
6.1. Soldiers and their Families.
6.2. Interaction between Military and Non-Military Elites.
6.3. Military–Civilian Interaction at Non-Elite Levels.
7. Army, Warfare, and Religion.
7.1. The Changing Religious Complexion of the Army.
7.2 The Army and Religious Policy.
7.3. A Christian Empire at War.
Notes.
Bibliography of Ancient Sources.
Bibliography of Modern Works.
Index of Ancient Sources.
General Index