New Book Gives Unprecedented Insight into Roman Military Life

Archaeological monuments such as Hadrian’s Wall and Trajan’s Column are vivid reminders of ancient Rome’s deep investment in warfare, and they underscore the fact that the Roman Empire was created via an overt and rapacious system of military imperialism.

The scale and organization of the Roman army was unprecedented in the ancient Western world, leading to it becoming the West’s first permanent, pensionable military profession. Through the advent of the “career soldier,” the Roman army created an avenue for noncitizens to gain enfranchisement, build wealth, and advance their social standing upon the conclusion of their designated term of service.

Legion: Life in the Roman Army (J. Paul Getty Museum, $45) illuminates the lives of individual soldiers, their families, and the many others who belonged to the military communities scattered throughout the empire. Through scholarship and the personal letters left behind from common soldiers—such as two ordinary provincial recruits, Claudius Terentianus and Apion—we’re afforded a deeply personal and micro-level view of military life. This volume dispels preconceived notions about the Roman army—for example, that forts were exclusively the domain of male soldiers—while addressing the violence committed by military personnel toward women, conquered subjects, and enslaved peoples. Furthermore, alongside the vivid picture of army life, this book examines the social evolution of the Roman imperial machine and how it gradually transformed the state it was established to protect.