Roman Military Disasters: Dark Days & Lost Legions

By Paul Chrystal

There is a tendency when dealing with world superpowers to focus on their successes. After all, these are what made them superpowers in the first place. However, reverses and disasters suffered on the way to preeminence are equally significant. The experience of ancient Rome is no different. This book is the first to examine the paradoxical role lost battles and defeat played in the success of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.

Over some 1200 years, the Romans proved adept at learning from military disaster and this was key to their eventual success and hegemony. Roman Military Disasters covers the most pivotal and decisive defeats, from the Celtic invasion of 390 BC to Alaric’s sack of Rome in AD 410. Paul Chrystal details the politics and strategies leading to each conflict, how and why the Romans were defeated, the tactics employed, the generals and the casualties. However, the unique and crucial element of the book is its focus on the aftermath and consequences of defeat and how the lessons learned enabled the Romans, usually, to bounce back and win.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Nov 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781473873957

Paul Chrystal

Paul Chrystal is the author of some seventy books published over the last decade, including recent publications such as Wars and Battles of the Roman Republic, Roman Military Disasters and Women and War in Ancient Greece and Rome. He is a regular contributor to history magazines, local and national newspapers and has appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service and on BBC local radio throughout Yorkshire and in Teesside and Manchester. He writes extensively for several Pen & Sword military history series including ‘Cold War 1945–1991’, ‘A History of Terror’ and ‘Military Legacy’ (of British cities).

Reviews for Roman Military Disasters

[Ronnie Rife · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent historical research on the Roman war machine that evolved after each defeat.

[Learnered_One · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Along with slightly larger text, a more organized overview of the individual chapters with some better detail of the military tactics used.