“An outstanding work… [the series] gives us a very good picture of the long process that has come to be known as the “Fall of Rome”. This is an invaluable read for anyone with an interest in Late Antiquity.”

The NYMAS Review

Although it's clear from the outset that this book is a well-researched and ambitious study and that the author has a lot to say, his message is emphatically meant for those readers who are already versed in the subject.

Ancient Warfare, March/April 2018 - reviewed by Robert Vermaat

As featured 'on the shelf' by Neil Smith

Wargames Illustrated, June 2017

This is a valuable overview of a period in which the Roman Empire was clearly still militarily powerful and resilient, capable of overcoming a series of internal threats and external enemies, and restoring her borders after the sort of Barbarian invasions that in the next century would see the fall of the Western Empire. I'm looking forward to volume two.

Read the full review here.

History of War

As featured in

Slingshot, July/August 2016

As featured in

Desperta Ferro, No. 37

Un ouvrage tres documente qui fait autorite sur un sujet peu etudie et passionnant.

Translate:

A very documented book that makes authority on a subject little studied and exciting.

Ex Libris: L'actualite litteraire disponsible en librairie

This reviewer believes the work provides a comprehensive examination of Rome’s military history during this period of the empire and looks forward to the forthcoming volumes.

ASMEA - Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa - Dr. Wyndham Whynot

In January I picked up a copy of the Military History of Late Rome (vol 1) 284-361 (AD) by Dr Ilkka Syvanne and I think that this book deserves to be recognized so here is my review.

So the 1st chapter of the book starts off with an overview of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century AD, examining the Roman government and society. The Roman armed forces are looked at from their overall strategy, generalship, cavalry and infantry tactics, the unit structure of the Legions and Auxiliaries, Intelligence gathering, equipment, logistics, the composition of the navy and how it operated, down to the recruitment and the relationship Roman troops had with civilians.

In particular, a very useful subsection to the chapter is the self-explanatory Civilians Guarding and Policing the Interior and Borders of the Empire.

Chapter 2 entitled Enemies and Allies, is one of the reasons that this is one of the most useful books on my shelf.

The chapter is as its name suggests a detailed examination of the tribes and political entities that Rome had contact with outside the empire and their societies, governments and militaries. This section alone makes me almost daily pull this book off of my shelf and look into some tribe/kingdom and it's composition. I have found the sections on the Sassanid Persian Empire and the Gothic tribal confederations of the Tervingi, Greuthungi and their sub-tribes especially helpful.

The book examines the History of the 3rd Century Crisis and then goes into the military takeover of Diocletian.

Ilkka Syvanne gives a phenomenal account of the creation of the Tetrarchy (a system of government with 2 senior emperors titled Augustus, and 2 junior emperors titled Caesar), the forced 'retirement' of the senior emperors Diocletian and Maximian, at the hands of the Caesar Galerius. The usurpations of Maxentius and Constantine I and the civil wars that led to Constantine I eliminating his rivals and ruling alone.

The division of the empire after Constantine's death between his sons, civil wars fought by Constans and Constantine II, defence of the east by Constantius II, and the usurpation of Julian.

In conclusion, Ilkka Syvanne provides a detailed history of the period of 284-361, the campaigns and battles down to the marching formations and the specific tactics used by cohorts, legions and detachments in the specific battles. Throughout the book, Dr Syvanne carefully examines the sources to find the most likely way that each event would have occurred.

Overall this is a fantastic, well-researched book that makes a great addition to my growing collection of Late Roman History books. Money well spent!

Curtis Bisgrove