ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr James Lacey is Course Director and Professor of Strategic Studies and Political Economy at Marine Corps War College. His previous books include The Washington War: FDR's Inner Circle and the Politics of Power That Won World War II and The First Clash: The Miraculous Greek Victory at Marathon and Its Impact on Western Civilization.
For decades, academic opinion on the success of the Roman Empire has claimed that its leaders, emperors and dictators did not look to Rome's long-term strategic growth and dominance across the known world, focusing instead on immediate threats and opportunities.
Now Dr James Lacey's book Rome: Strategy of Empire is set to cause controversy in university history departments around the world, challenging many well-established theories surrounding the expansion of the Empire's territories and institutions over centuries. Author and historian Edoardo Albert spoke with Dr Lacey about his research and why he thinks the Romans did in fact have a long-term imperial strategy, and executed it so successfully.
The idea of Roman military strategy started with Edward Luttwak's 1976 book The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire. For readers who haven't read it, could you describe Luttwak's thesis...
Edward Luttwak was a strategist, not a historian. In his book, Luttwak broached a topic that no Roman historian had ever explored before. We have tremendous narratives of Roman history but nobody had ever asked if the Romans actually had an overall strategy. That was the question Luttwak set out to answer and his answer was: "Yes. The Romans had a strategy."
What was the response to Luttwak's book?
Denne historien er fra Issue 111-utgaven av History of War.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Issue 111-utgaven av History of War.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
COUPS & CHAOS
How the French armed forces lost the war in Algeria and almost destroyed French democracy in the process
BATTLE OF ALGIERS
When the Front de libération nationale FLN) took its war to the streets of the capital, France’s military responded with merciless wrath
THE RISE OF ALGERIAN RESISTANCE
How the anti-colonialist struggle around the globe helped inspire Algeria’s liberation movement to organise and fight back
ROOTS OF REVOLUTION
A century of French occupation led to a genocide in Algeria that provoked one of the bloodiest showdowns of the modern age
DWIGHT W BIRDWELL
In the opening hours of the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive, this Specialist Five led his armoured cavalry detachment in repulsing a fierce communist assault against Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon
THE FIVE STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP
Phillips O’Brien discusses how this quintet of national leaders impacted the course of the Second World War
Great Battles FLODDEN
On the morning of 9 September 1513, King James lV of Scotland stood atop Flodden Hill with what seemed an insurmountable advantage over the English. Yet by the day's end he would lay slain and his army shattered
FERDINAND 'THE BLOODY'
Known for his brutal martial punishment and execution of his own men, Ferdinand Schérner’s ruthlessness was matched only by his devotion to Nazi ideology
AIRBORNE UNDER SIEGE ARNHEM
For nine days the heroic 1st Airborne fought desperately, waiting vainly for relief that never came
SCANDINAVIA UNDER ATTACK
Hitler’s forces smash through Denmark and Norway ina grim foretaste of the terrible fate awaiting the rest of Western Europe
