From an award-winning historian of ancient Rome, a definitive history of Hadrian's WallStretching eighty miles from coast to coast across northern England, Hadrian's Wall is the largest Roman artifact known today. It is commonly viewed as a defiant barrier, the end of the empire, a place where civilization stopped and barbarism began. In fact, the massive structure remains shrouded in mystery. Was the wall intended to keep out the Picts, who inhabited the North? Or was it merely a symbol of Roman power and wealth? What was life like for soldiers stationed along its expanse? How was the extraordinary structure built-with what technology, skills, and materials?In Hadrian's Wall, Adrian Goldsworthy embarks on a historical and archeological investigation, sifting fact from legend while simultaneously situating the wall in the wider scene of Roman Britain. The result is a concise and enthralling history of a great architectural marvel of the ancient world.

From an award-winning historian of ancient Rome, the definitive history of Rome's most devastating defeatAugust 2, 216 BC was one of history's bloodiest single days of fighting. On a narrow plain near the Southern Italian town of Cannae, despite outnumbering their opponents almost two to one, a massive Roman army was crushed by the heterogeneous forces of Hannibal, the Carthaginian general who had spectacularly crossed the Alps into Italy two years earlier. The scale of the losses at Cannae—50,000 Roman men killed—was unrivaled until the industrialized slaughter of the First World War. Although the Romans eventually recovered and Carthage lost the war, the Battle of Cannae became Romans' point of reference for all later military catastrophes. Ever since, military commanders confronting a superior force have attempted, and usually failed, to reproduce Hannibal's tactics and their overwhelming success.In Cannae, the celebrated...

From bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy, a profoundly authentic, action-packed adventure set on Rome's Danubian frontier. AD 105: DACIA The Dacian kingdom and Rome are at peace, but no one thinks that it will last. Sent to command an isolated fort beyond the Danube, centurion Flavius Ferox can sense that war is coming, but also knows that enemies may be closer to home. Many of the Brigantes under his command are former rebels and convicts, as likely to kill him as obey an order. And then there is Hadrian, the emperor's cousin, and a man with plans of his own... Gritty, gripping and profoundly authentic, The Fort is the first book in a brand new trilogy set in the Roman empire from bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy. Reviews for the Vindolanda Trilogy: 'No one knows the Roman army better than Adrian Goldsworthy, and no one writes more convincing Roman fiction' Harry Sidebottom 'An authentic, enjoyable read' The Times 'Gritty and realistic ... Goldsworthy’s characters are authentically ancient and his descriptions of Roman Briton ring true' Daily Telegraph (Sydney)

A gripping story of friendship and division in the midst of warfare, set against one of the most dramatic, dangerous, and crucial campaigns of World War II: the Battle of Normandy. They went to war as boys. Will they make it home as men?D-Day. June 6th, 1944. The trajectory of the Second World War – and with it the course of modern history – is changed for ever.For three young former schoolmates from South Wales, their war is only just beginning.James was the school cricket captain. Now, a few short years later, he is in charge of a troop of Sherman tanks.Mark, just nineteen, must lead a platoon of infantrymen into battle.And Bill, always something of a loner, sees the heart of the fighting as a private soldier.These young men, and thousands of others, will soon be a part of one of the bloodiest and most brutal parts of the Normandy campaign: the battle for Hill 112. The...

The epic rivalry between the ancient world’s two great superpowers  The Roman empire was like no other. Stretching from the north of Britain to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic coast to the Euphrates, it imposed peace and prosperity on an unprecedented scale.  Its only true rival lay in the east, where the Parthian and then Persian empires ruled over great cities and the trade routes to mysterious lands beyond. This was the region Alexander the Great had swept through, creating a dream of glory and conquest that tantalized Greeks and Romans alike. Tracing seven centuries of conflict between Rome and Persia, historian Adrian Goldsworthy shows how these two great powers evolved together. Despite their endless clashes, trade between the empires enriched them both, and a mutual respect prevented both Rome and Persia from permanently destroying the other.  Epic in scope, Rome and Persia completely reshapes our understanding of one...

The leading ancient world historian and author of Caesar presents "an engrossing account of how the Roman Empire grew and operated" (Kirkus). Renowned for his biographies of Julius Caesar and Augustus, Adrian Goldsworthy turns his attention to the Roman Empire as a whole during its height in the first and second centuries AD. Though this time is known as the Roman Peace, or Pax Romana, the Romans were fierce imperialists who took by force vast lands stretching from the Euphrates to the Atlantic coast. The Romans ruthlessly won peace not through coexistence but through dominance; millions died and were enslaved during the creation of their empire. Pax Romana examines how the Romans came to control so much of the world and asks whether traditionally favorable images of the Roman peace are true. Goldsworthy vividly recounts the rebellions of the conquered, examining why they broke out, why most failed, and how they became...

From bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy, the second book in his authentic, action-packed series set on the frontiers of the Roman Empire.AD 114: NICOPOLISIn the arid plains beyond the empire's Eastern Frontier, a Roman legion lays siege to the city of Nicopolis.Estranged from his beloved Enica to keep her safe, centurion Flavius Ferox is still working for the emperor's cousin, the calculating and ruthless Hadrian. Sent to uncover wholesale corruption in the army, Ferox has killed a tribune and is under suspended sentence of death – but he knows more traitors are at large.As the siege builds, Ferox will have to figure out who can be trusted, and just what it is that Hadrian really wants...Gritty, gripping and profoundly authentic, The City is the second book in the City of Victory trilogy, set in the Roman empire from bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy.Praise for Adrian Goldsworthy:'No one knows the Roman army better than Adrian Goldsworthy, and no one writes more...

The dramatic story of Rome's first emperor, who plunged into Rome's violent power struggles at the age of nineteen, proceeded to destroy all rivals, and more than anyone else created the Roman Empire Caesar Augustus' story, one of the most riveting in Western history, is filled with drama and contradiction, risky gambles and unexpected success. Thrusting himself into Rome's extremely violent politics while yet a very young man, Augustus skillfully maneuvered his way through twisting alliances during years of civil war. Named heir to the murdered Julius Caesar, he outwitted and outlasted far more experienced rivals like Antony and Brutus. Ruling supreme, he reinvented himself as a benevolent man of peace and created a new system of government. In this highly anticipated biography Goldsworthy puts his deep knowledge of ancient sources to full use, recounting the events of Augustus' long life in greater detail than ever before. Goldsworthy...

From bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy, a profoundly authentic, action-packed adventure set on the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. AD 100: VINDOLANDA. A FORT ON THE EDGE OF THE ROMAN WORLD. Flavius Ferox, Briton turned Roman centurion, is charged with keeping Rome's empire safe. But from his base at the northern frontier of Britannia, he feels enemies closing in from all sides. Ambitious leaders await the chance to carve out empires of their own. While men nearer at hand speak in whispers of war and the destruction of Rome. And now more sinister threats are reaching Ferox's ears. Stories about the sea-dwelling men of the night, who have cursed the land and only come ashore to feast on men's flesh. These are just rumours for now. But Ferox knows that rumours stem from truth. And that no one on this isle is safe from the great, encircling sea... 'An instant classic of the...

From bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy, the final book in his authentic, action-packed trilogy set on the frontiers of the Roman Empire.AD 117: BRITANNIA. Roman centurion Flavius Ferox is trying to live a quiet life of dignified leisure, overseeing his wife's estate and resisting the urge to murder an annoying neighbour – until someone else does it for him. Dragged back into a life of violence, Ferox finds himself chasing raiders, fighting chieftains and negotiating with kings. Under the new emperor, Hadrian, the whole world seems to be changing: old friends are now enemies, enemies claim they are friends, and new and deadly threats lurk in the shadows. When Hadrian himself comes to Britannia to inspect his great wall, war erupts suddenly. Ferox is the only one who can save the emperor – but with his family, and his own life, in danger, he must first decide whose side he is on...Gritty, gripping and profoundly authentic,...

This "captivating biography" of the great Roman general "puts Caesar's war exploits on full display, along with his literary genius" and more (The New York Times) Tracing the extraordinary trajectory of the Julius Caesar's life, Adrian Goldsworthy not only chronicles his accomplishments as charismatic orator, conquering general, and powerful dictator but also lesser-known chapters during which he was high priest of an exotic cult and captive of pirates, and rebel condemned by his own country. Goldsworthy also reveals much about Caesar's intimate life, as husband and father, and as seducer not only of Cleopatra but also of the wives of his two main political rivals. This landmark biography examines Caesar in all of these roles and places its subject firmly within the context of Roman society in the first century B.C. Goldsworthy realizes the full complexity of Caesar's character and shows why his political and military...

SUMMARY: “Adrian Goldsworthy is one of the best young historians writing today.” —John KeeganThe Fall of Carthage was the greatest conflict of the ancient world, and thanks to one of the finest historians of our time, this sweeping saga comes to life anew for modern audiences. The cast of endlessly fascinating characters includes the generals Hannibal and Scipio, as well as treacherous chieftains, beautiful princesses, scheming politicians, and tough professional warriors.

A masterfully told—and deeply human—story of love, politics, and ambition, Adrian Goldsworthy's Antony and Cleopatra delivers a compelling reassessment of a major episode in ancient history.In this remarkable dual biography of the two great lovers of the ancient world, Goldsworthy goes beyond myth and romance to create a nuanced and historically acute portrayal of his subjects, set against the political backdrop of their time. A history of lives lived intensely at a time when the world was changing profoundly, the book takes readers on a journey that crosses cultures and boundaries from ancient Greece and ancient Egypt to the Roman Empire.Drawing on his prodigious knowledge of the ancient world and his keen sense of the period's military and political history, Goldsworthy creates a singular portrait of the iconic lovers. "Antony and Cleopatra were first and foremost political animals," explains Goldsworthy, who places politics and ideology at the heart...

From bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy, a profoundly authentic, action-packed adventure set in Roman Britain. AD 100: BRITANNIA. THE EDGE OF THE ROMAN WORLD. Flavius Ferox is the hardbitten centurion charged with keeping the peace on Britannia's frontier with the barbarian tribes of the north. Now he's been summoned to Londinium by the governor, but before he sets out an imperial freedman is found brutally murdered in a latrine at Vindolanda fort – and Ferox must find the killer. As he follows the trail, the murder leads him to plots against the empire and Rome itself, and an old foe gathering mysterious artefacts in the hope of working a great magic. Bandits, soldiers, and gladiators alike are trying to kill him, old friends turn traitor, and Ferox is lured reluctantly to the sinister haunts of the old druids on the isle of Mona, and the bitter power struggle among the Brigantes, the great tribe of the north... ...