Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces ― 3rd Century Ad

Illustrated study into the deployments and appearance of Roman legionary, auxiliary, and allied units in the Western half of the Empire in the turbulent decades between 200 and 300 AD.

Fully illustrated with specially chosen color plates, this book reveals the uniforms, equipment and deployments of Roman soldiers in the most chaotic years of the Empire.

The appearance of Roman soldiers in the 3rd century AD has long been a matter of debate and uncertainty, largely thanks to the collapse of central control and perpetual civil war between the assassination of Severus Alexander in 235 and the accession of the great Diocletian in 284.

During those years no fewer than 51 men were proclaimed as emperors, some lasting only a few days. Despite this apparent chaos, however, the garrisons of the Western Provinces held together, by means of localized organization and the recruitment of "barbarians" to fill the ranks. They still constituted an army in being when Diocletian took over and began the widespread reforms that rebuilt the Empire--though an Empire that their forefathers would hardly have recognized.

Dr Raffaele D'Amato is an experienced Turin-based researcher of the ancient and medieval military worlds. After achieving his first PhD in Romano-Byzantine Law, and having collaborated with the University of Athens, he gained a second doctorate in Roman military archeology. He currently works in Istanbul at the Fatih University as visiting Professor for the TUBITAK (Turkish Government Research Institution) on a project linked to the arms and armor of Rome and Byzantium.

Raffaele Ruggeri was born in Bologna where he works and lives with his wife. After studying at the Fine Arts Academy he worked in several areas of graphics and design before deciding to devote himself to illustration. He has long been interested in military history and has illustrated a number of books for Osprey, specializing in African subjects.