Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (1)

Download Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (1) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472815386
Total Pages : 52 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (1) by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (1) written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2016-06-16 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At its height the Roman Empire stretched across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, maintained by an army of modest size but great diversity. In popular culture these soldiers are often portrayed in a generic fashion, but continuing research indicates significant variations in Roman armour and equipment not only between different legions and the provincially-raised auxiliary cohorts that made up half of the army, but also between different regions within the empire. With reference to the latest archaeological and documentary evidence Dr D'Amato investigates how Roman Army units in the Western provinces were equipped, exploring the local influences and traditions that caused the variations in attire.

Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (2)

Download Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (2) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472833600
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (2) by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (2) written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-07-25 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The appearance of Roman soldiers in the 3rd century AD has long been a matter of debate and uncertainty, largely thanks to the collapse of central control and perpetual civil war between the assassination of Severus Alexander in 235 and the accession of the great Diocletian in 284. During those years no fewer than 51 men were proclaimed as emperors, some lasting only a few days. Despite this apparent chaos, however, the garrisons of the Western Provinces held together, by means of localized organization and the recruitment of 'barbarians' to fill the ranks. They still constituted an army in being when Diocletian took over and began the widespread reforms that rebuilt the Empire – though an Empire that their forefathers would hardly have recognized. Fully illustrated with specially chosen colour plates, this book reveals the uniforms, equipment and deployments of Roman soldiers in the most chaotic years of the Empire.

Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (3)

Download Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (3) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472862708
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (3) by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (3) written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2024-09-26 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fully illustrated account of the large-scale reformation of the Roman Army from the reign of Diocletian to the fall of the Western Empire in AD 476. After the 50-year chaos of the mid-3rd century AD, Emperor Diocletian (r. AD 284–305) and his successor, Constantine I (r. AD 306–37), the first Christian emperor, undertook major administrative reforms to reflect new realities and improve defensive strategy. These changes saw the Roman Army completely reorganized, with its old structure of legions and auxiliary units giving way to central mobile field armies and various classes of garrison troops. In addition, the Army also began recruiting 'allied barbarians' in ever-increasing numbers and even promoted some to the level of senior command. Roman military expert Raffaele D'Amato draws on the latest archaeological and written evidence to explore this turbulent final period of the Western Empire. Illustrated with photographs and drawings of surviving artefacts and imagery, this latest entry in a series charting the Roman Army's evolution also features eight newly commissioned colour plates depicting the uniforms and weaponry of Rome's reformed military.

Roman Army Units in the Eastern Provinces (2)

Download Roman Army Units in the Eastern Provinces (2) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472850483
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Army Units in the Eastern Provinces (2) by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Army Units in the Eastern Provinces (2) written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-09-15 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing upon the latest literary and archaeological research, this is an in-depth study of the Roman Army units based in the Eastern Provinces during the turbulent third century of the Roman Empire. In this book, eminent Roman historian, Dr Raffaele D'Amato, looks at the notoriously under-represented history of the Roman armies during the middle 3rd Century whose records have been obscured by the chaotic civil wars of that period between usurpers to the Imperial authority of Rome. Following on from the previous title, MAA 527, Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (2): 3rd Century AD, this book considers the evidence for troops in the Eastern half of the Empire specifically around the Balkans, Mesopotamia, the Middle East and North Africa and looks at the weakness of Imperial central authority which inevitably led to local particularism and a wide range of appearance in regional commands. Dr D'Amato uses literary, painted, sculptural and archaeological sources to reconstruct this little-understood period of Roman military history and, with the aid of meticulous coloured artwork, photos and detailed charts, reconstructs the appearance and campaigns of the Roman forces stationed in the East.

Roman Centurions 31 BC–AD 500

Download Roman Centurions 31 BC–AD 500 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1780960395
Total Pages : 129 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (89 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Centurions 31 BC–AD 500 by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Centurions 31 BC–AD 500 written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-02-20 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the years between 31 BC and AD 500 the Romans carved out a mighty empire stretching from Britain to the deserts of North Africa. The men who spearheaded this expansion were the centurions, the tough, professional warriors who led from the front, exerted savage discipline and provided a role model for the legionaries under their command. This book, the second volume of a two-part study, reveals the appearance, weaponry, role and impact of these legendary soldiers during the five centuries that saw the Roman Empire reach its greatest geographical extent under Trajan and Hadrian, only to experience a long decline in the West in the face of sustained pressure from its 'barbarian' neighbours. Featuring spectacular full-colour artwork, written by an authority on the army of the Caesars and informed by a wide range of sculptural, written and pictorial evidence from right across the Roman world, this book overturns established wisdom and sheds new light on Rome's most famous soldiers during the best-known era in its history.

Roman Heavy Cavalry (2)

Download Roman Heavy Cavalry (2) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 147283951X
Total Pages : 65 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Heavy Cavalry (2) by : Andrei Evgenevich Negin

Download or read book Roman Heavy Cavalry (2) written by Andrei Evgenevich Negin and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-11-26 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the twilight of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th–6th centuries, the elite of the field armies was the heavy armoured cavalry – the cataphracts, clad in lamellar, scale, mail and padded fabric armour. After the fall of the West, the Greek-speaking Eastern or Byzantine Empire survived for nearly a thousand years, and cavalry remained predominant in its armies, with the heaviest armoured regiments continuing to provide the ultimate shock-force in battle. Accounts from Muslim chroniclers show that the ironclad cataphract on his armoured horse was an awe-inspiring enemy: '...they advanced against you, iron-covered – one would have said that they advanced on horses which seemed to have no legs'. This new study, replete with stunning full-colour illustrations of the various units, offers an engaging insight into the fearsome heavy cavalry units that battled against the enemies of Rome's Eastern Empire.

Roman Heavy Cavalry (1)

Download Roman Heavy Cavalry (1) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472830032
Total Pages : 65 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Heavy Cavalry (1) by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Heavy Cavalry (1) written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-11-29 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the army of Marc Antony in the 1st century BC, Roman generals hired Oriental heavy armoured cavalry to serve in their military alongside the legions. These troops, both from the northern steppes and the Persian frontiers, continued an ancient tradition of using heavy armour and long lances, and fought in a compact formation for maximum shock effect. They were quite distinct from conventional Roman light cavalry, and they served across the Empire, including in Britain. They became ever more important during the 3rd century wars against Parthia, both to counter their cavalry and to form a mobile strategic reserve. Displaying these impressive and imposing cavalry units using vivid specially commissioned artwork, this first book in a two part series on Roman Heavy Cavalry examines their use over the Imperial period up to the fall of Western Empire in the 5th century A.D.

Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (3)

Download Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (3) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472862694
Total Pages : 97 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (3) by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (3) written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2024-09-26 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fully illustrated account of the large-scale reformation of the Roman Army from the reign of Diocletian to the fall of the Western Empire in AD 476. After the 50-year chaos of the mid-3rd century AD, Emperor Diocletian (r. AD 284–305) and his successor, Constantine I (r. AD 306–37), the first Christian emperor, undertook major administrative reforms to reflect new realities and improve defensive strategy. These changes saw the Roman Army completely reorganized, with its old structure of legions and auxiliary units giving way to central mobile field armies and various classes of garrison troops. In addition, the Army also began recruiting 'allied barbarians' in ever-increasing numbers and even promoted some to the level of senior command. Roman military expert Raffaele D'Amato draws on the latest archaeological and written evidence to explore this turbulent final period of the Western Empire. Illustrated with photographs and drawings of surviving artefacts and imagery, this latest entry in a series charting the Roman Army's evolution also features eight newly commissioned colour plates depicting the uniforms and weaponry of Rome's reformed military.

The Army of Pyrrhus of Epirus

Download The Army of Pyrrhus of Epirus PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472833635
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Army of Pyrrhus of Epirus by : Nicholas Sekunda

Download or read book The Army of Pyrrhus of Epirus written by Nicholas Sekunda and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-09-19 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pyrrhus was one of the most tireless and famous warriors of the Hellenistic Age that followed the dispersal of Alexander the Great's brief empire. After inheriting the throne as a boy, and a period of exile, he began a career of alliances and expansion, in particular against the region's rising power: Rome. Gathering both Greek and Italian allies into a very large army (which included war-elephants), he crossed to Italy in 280 BC, but lost most of his force in a series of costly victories at Heraclea and Asculum, as well as a storm at sea. After a campaign in Sicily against the Carthaginians, he was defeated by the Romans at Beneventum and was forced to withdraw. Undeterred, he fought wars in Macedonia and Greece, the last of which cost him his life. Fully illustrated with detailed colour plates, this is the story of one of the most renowned warrior-kings of the post-Alexandrian age, whose costly encounters with Republican Rome have become a byword for victory won at unsustainable cost.

Armies of Julius Caesar 58–44 BC

Download Armies of Julius Caesar 58–44 BC PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472845226
Total Pages : 65 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Armies of Julius Caesar 58–44 BC by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Armies of Julius Caesar 58–44 BC written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-09-16 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gaius Julius Caesar remains the most famous Roman general of all time. Although he never bore the title, historians since Suetonius have judged him to be, in practice, the very first 'emperor' – after all, no other name in history has been synonymous with a title of imperial rule. Caesar was a towering personality who, for better or worse, changed the history of Rome forever. His unscrupulous ambition was matched only by his genius as a commander and his conquest of Gaul brought Rome its first great territorial expansion outside the Mediterranean world. His charismatic leadership bounded his soldiers to him not only for expeditions 'beyond the edge of the world' – to Britain – but in the subsequent civil war that raised him to ultimate power. What is seldom appreciated, however is that the army he led was as varied and cosmopolitan as those of later centuries, and it is only recently that a wider study of a whole range of evidence has allowed a more precise picture of it to emerge. Drawing on a wide range of new research, the authors examine the armies of Julius Caesar in detail, creating a detailed picture of how they lived and fought.

Roman Army Units in the Eastern Provinces (2)

Download Roman Army Units in the Eastern Provinces (2) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472850475
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Army Units in the Eastern Provinces (2) by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Army Units in the Eastern Provinces (2) written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-09-15 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing upon the latest literary and archaeological research, this is an in-depth study of the Roman Army units based in the Eastern Provinces during the turbulent third century of the Roman Empire. In this book, eminent Roman historian, Dr Raffaele D'Amato, looks at the notoriously under-represented history of the Roman armies during the middle 3rd Century whose records have been obscured by the chaotic civil wars of that period between usurpers to the Imperial authority of Rome. Following on from the previous title, MAA 527, Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces (2): 3rd Century AD, this book considers the evidence for troops in the Eastern half of the Empire specifically around the Balkans, Mesopotamia, the Middle East and North Africa and looks at the weakness of Imperial central authority which inevitably led to local particularism and a wide range of appearance in regional commands. Dr D'Amato uses literary, painted, sculptural and archaeological sources to reconstruct this little-understood period of Roman military history and, with the aid of meticulous coloured artwork, photos and detailed charts, reconstructs the appearance and campaigns of the Roman forces stationed in the East.

Roman Soldier vs Parthian Warrior

Download Roman Soldier vs Parthian Warrior PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472838270
Total Pages : 81 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Soldier vs Parthian Warrior by : Si Sheppard

Download or read book Roman Soldier vs Parthian Warrior written by Si Sheppard and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-07-23 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 53 BC, Roman and Parthian forces collided in a confrontation that would reshape the geopolitical map and establish a frontier between East and West that would endure for the next 700 years. From the initial clash at Carrhae through to the battle of Nisibis more than 250 years later, Roman and Parthian forces fought a series of bloody campaigns for mastery of the Fertile Crescent. As Roman forces thrust ever deeper into the East, they encountered a civilization unlike any they had crossed swords with before. Originating in the steppes of Central Asia, the Parthians ruled a federated state stretching from the Euphrates to the Indus. Although Rome's legions were masters of the battlefield in the Mediterranean, the Parthians refused to fight by the rules as Rome understood them. Harnessing the power of the composite bow and their superior manoeuvrability, the Parthians' mode of warfare focused exclusively on the horse. They inflicted a bloody defeat on the legions at Carrhae and launched their own invasion of Roman territory, countered only with great difficulty by Rome's surviving forces. The Parthians were eventually thrown out, but neither side could sustain a permanent ascendancy over the other and the conflict continued. Packed with stunning artwork, including battlescenes, maps and photographs, this title examines the conflict through the lens of three key battles, revealing a clash between two armies alien to each other not only in culture but also in their radical approaches to warfare.

Roman Centurions 753–31 BC

Download Roman Centurions 753–31 BC PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 184908937X
Total Pages : 108 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (49 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Centurions 753–31 BC by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Centurions 753–31 BC written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-08-20 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A detailed glimpse into the weapons, equipment and uniforms worn by Roman Centurions from the Roman Kingdom right through to the height of the Republic. Including new research, photographs of artefacts and the signature Men-at-Arms artwork, this is an essential addition to the series and includes several artwork reconstructions of actual named individuals and two lavish scenes depicting combat between Centurions and a Triumphal procession.

The Numidians 300 BC–AD 300

Download The Numidians 300 BC–AD 300 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472842170
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Numidians 300 BC–AD 300 by : William Horsted

Download or read book The Numidians 300 BC–AD 300 written by William Horsted and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-01-21 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Numidian light cavalry were among the best-known horsemen in the ancient world: riding without saddles or bridle, carrying only hide shields for defense and clutching a handful of light javelins, they were renowned for their darting attacks, swift retreats, and skirmishing prowess. Yet, as much as they were respected by their allies and enemies, they were unfairly derided for their indiscipline, their perceived lack of culture, and their fecklessness, and dismissed as uncivilized, nomadic barbarians from beyond the fringes of the cultured, settled Mediterranean world. The famous portrayal of Numidian horsemen on Trajan's Column, of barefoot riders in simple tunics, astride tiny ponies, reinforces this view, and is the image that is almost universally reproduced. Recent scholarship, however, has shown that there is far more evidence for the armour and equipment of the Numidians than hitherto assumed. The carved stone shields and cuirasses that punctuate the decorative friezes of the stone 'altars' at Kbor Klib and Chimtou in North Africa are confident representations of Numidian panoplies, not captured Carthaginian armour as has previously been argued. In this book, this research is presented alongside a close examination of various ancient texts which reveals that the Numidians also fielded infantry, slingers, archers, and even war elephants in conflicts across the Mediterranean, including Spain, Greece, northern Italy, and Thrace. All of these troops are brought to life in original colour artwork, complemented by chapters on their weapons and equipment, history, tactics, and organization.

Roman Standards & Standard-Bearers (2)

Download Roman Standards & Standard-Bearers (2) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472836502
Total Pages : 134 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Standards & Standard-Bearers (2) by : Raffaele D’Amato

Download or read book Roman Standards & Standard-Bearers (2) written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-23 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Late Roman Empire was a period of significant change in the designs of standards and in the costumes of standard-bearers. During the middle decades of the chaotic 3rd century, evidence confirms the continued use of the old legionary eagle and the signa of the old cohorts and centuries, alongside flags and Imperial images. The two major trends over the later generations were the adoption of Christian symbols on standards (e.g. Constantine the Great's Chi-Rho), and the proliferation of different types of flags. This had begun in the late 2nd century with the adoption of the 'barbarian' dragon standard, the windsock-shaped draco, which continued to be displayed alongside various other flags in the Greek-speaking Eastern Empire, whose influence increased greatly. Meanwhile, the growing employment of foreign units was such that by the 5th century we have evidence of the use of Hunnic symbolism among a Roman general's suite of standards. The costumes of standard-bearers also evolved as 'Persian' styles spread from Constantinople. This title explores all these changes in depth, charting the development of various costumes and designs and the waxing and waning influence of various cultures and religious considerations. The text is supported by specially commissioned illustrations and artist's reconstructions of the standards and their bearers.

Roman Shields

Download Roman Shields PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472839609
Total Pages : 65 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Roman Shields by : M.C. Bishop

Download or read book Roman Shields written by M.C. Bishop and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-08-20 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The introduction of the scutum in the 4th century BC revolutionized the way the Romans fought. Instead of being purely defensive, the shield became a weapon in its own right. Using the top edge or boss to punch an opponent, or the lower rim to smash down on their feet, it served to unbalance an enemy and allow the sword to do its work. The versatility of the scutum was characterized by the testudo, a formation the Romans used offensively like a pedestrian tank. Meanwhile, other shield types equipped the auxiliaries who fought alongside the legionaries. The curved, rectangular scutum survived into the 3rd century AD, only to be replaced by an oval, slightly domed shield derived from the oval shields of Early Imperial auxiliaries. Drawing together historical accounts, excavated artefacts and the results of the latest scientific analyses of the boards and fittings, renowned authority M.C. Bishop reveals the development, technology, training and use of the scutum and other Roman shield types.

The Spatha

Download The Spatha PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 147283240X
Total Pages : 81 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Spatha by : M.C. Bishop

Download or read book The Spatha written by M.C. Bishop and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-23 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adopted from the Celts in the 1st century BC, the spatha, a lethal and formidable chopping blade, became the primary sword of the Roman soldier in the Later Empire. Over the following centuries, the blade, its scabbard, and its system of carriage underwent a series of developments, until by the 3rd century AD it was the universal sidearm of both infantry and cavalry. Thanks to its long reach, the spatha was the ideal cavalry weapon, replacing the long gladius hispaniensis in the later Republican period. As the manner in which Roman infantrymen fought evolved, styles of hand-to-hand combat changed so much that the gladius was superseded by the longer spatha during the 2nd century AD. Like the gladius, the spatha was technologically advanced, with a carefully controlled use of steel. Easy maintenance was key to its success and the spatha was designed to be easily repaired in the field where access to a forge may have been limited. It remained the main Roman sword into the Late Roman period and its influence survived into the Dark Ages with Byzantine, Carolingian and Viking blades. Drawing together historical accounts, excavated artefacts and the results of the latest scientific analyses of the blades, renowned authority M.C. Bishop reveals the full history of the development, technology, training and use of the spatha: the sword that defended an empire.