Roman Imperial Army

Pre-requisites: No prerequisites

Course objectives: Acquiring relevant knowledge on the history of the Roman imperial army.

Course description: On the basis of epigraphic and numismatic sources, students will be introduced to the history of the Roman imperial army. The course will address all types of units - legions, auxiliary regiments, praetorian guard, urban cohorts and vigiles, fleets, numeri. Students will examine military hierarchy, duration of service, discharge conditions, families and social status of soldiers and other questions related to the history of the Roman army.

Learning Outcomes: Acquired knowledge of the history of the Roman imperial army.

Literature/Reading:

• G. Webster, The Roman Imperial Army, London 1969.
• Y. le Bohec, L’armée romaine, Paris 1990.
• M. Durry, Les cohortes prétoriennes, Paris 1938.
• P. A. Holder, Studies in the Auxilia of the Roman Army from Augustus to Trajan, Oxford 1980.
• P. Southern, The Numeri of the Roman Imperial Army, Britannia 20, 1989, 81-140.
• C. G. Starr, Roman Imperial Navy 31 BC – AD 324, Cambridge 1960.