Roman Empire at War: A Compendium of Battles from 31 B.C. to A.D. 565

From Augustus’ rise to the campaigns of Justinian’s age, Roman armies fought on distant frontiers and against rivals within the empire. The battles changed as political power shifted and the western imperial government gave way, but military conflict remained central to Roman history.

Don Taylor assembles a chronological compendium of engagements from 31 BCE to 565 CE, with maps and diagrams accompanying concise accounts. The entries bring separate campaigns into sequence, making it possible to follow changes in enemies, commanders and theatres of war across more than five centuries. Civil conflicts sit beside frontier campaigns in this record of an empire repeatedly forced to defend and redefine its power.