The Roman army was the greatest fighting machine the ancient world produced. Gladius takes the reader right into the heart of what it meant to be a part of the Roman army through the words of Roman historians, and those of the men themselves through their religious dedications, tombstones, and even private letters and graffiti.  Guy de la Bédoyère throws open a window on how the men, their wives and their children lived, from bleak frontier garrisons to guarding the emperor in Rome, enjoying a ringside seat to history fighting the emperors\' wars, mutinying over pay, marching in triumphs, throwing their weight around in city streets, and enjoying esteem in honourable retirement. Product Information: • ISBN: 9780349143910 • Author: Guy de la Bédoyère • Publisher: Abacus • Format: Paperback • Pages: 528 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.6 x 4 cm