Roman Conquests: The Danube Frontier

(Hardback)

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Description

The Roman conquests of Macedonia in the 2nd century BC led directly to the extension of their authority over the troublesome tribes of Thrace to the south of the Danube. But their new neighbour on the other side of the mighty river, the kingdom of the Dacians, was to pose an increasing threat to the Roman empire. Inevitably this eventually provoked Roman attempts at invasion and conquest. It is a measure of Dacian prowess and resilience that several tough campaigns were required over more than a century before their kingdom was added to the Roman Empire. It was one of the Empire's last major acquisitions (and a short-lived one at that). Dr Michael Schmitz traces Roman involvement in the Danube region from first contact with the Thracians after the Third Macedonian War in the 2nd century BC to the ultimate conquest of Dacia by Trajan in the early years of the 2nd Century AD. Like the other volumes in this series, this book gives a clear narrative of the course of these wars, explaining how the Roman war machine coped with formidable new foes and the challenges of unfamiliar terrain and climate. Specially-commissioned colour plates bring the main troop types vividly to life in meticulously-researched detail. SELLING POINTS: . Narrates the Roman conquest of the Danube basin, one of the most troubled frontiers of the Roman Empire . The native Thracians and especially Dacians were tough and resourceful warriors. . Dacia,was the last major new conquest for the Empire (and the first to be lost) . Analyses how Roman armies adapted to the challenge of formidable enemies and difficult terrain . Continues an established series 8pp colour illustrations

Reviews

"It took Rome more than a century to conquer the Dacians. This work covers those campaigns in detail." -- "Military Heritage"
"A good book for those interested in Roman policy and strategy or in frontier studies."-- "The NYMAS Review"
"I enjoyed the read and it has certainly given me much food for thought on how I can look to differentiate further my Dacians from a typical 'vanilla warband' army into a force that could pose more problems for a Roman foe, giving as it does a very good read, providing a very clear narrative of the wars in the area together with an account of how the Romans coped with the foes and terrain they encountered."-- "JJ's Wargames"
"Much of the study's focus region is poorly covered in English-language publications in general, which should make the volume popular with its proper readership..."-- "Bryn Mawr Classical Review"

Author Bio

Dr Michael Schmitz is a lecturer in Classics and Ancient History at the University of New England, New South Wales, Australia. He is the author of Roman Annexation: Costs and Benefits of Trajan's Dacian Conquests (2010) and The Dacian Threat 101 106 AD (2005).