Books by Nic Fields

In 52 BC Caesar's continued strategy of annihilation had engendered a spirit of desperation, which detonated into a revolt of Gallic tribes under the leadership of the charismatic young Arvernian noble Vercingetorix. This book deals with this topic.

Explores the critical battle of Carrhae, a fascinating tale of treachery, tactics, and topography in which Rome experienced one of its most humiliating defeats.The Battle of Carrhae is from a heady moment in Roman history - that of the clever carve-up of power between the 'First Triumvirate' of Caius Iulius Caesar, Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Marcus Licinius Crassus (the Roman general who had famously put down the Spartacan revolt). It is a fascinating tale of treachery, tactics, and topography in which Rome experienced one of its most humiliating defeats at the hands of the Parthians, not far from a trade-route town hunkered down on the fringes of the arid wastes of northern Mesopotamia, sending shock waves through the Roman power structure. In this work, classical historian Dr Nic Fields draws out the crucial psychological and political factors (including Crassus' lust for military glory and popular acclaim) that played a key role in this brutal battle. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Parthian general Surena's horsemen completely outmanoeuvered Crassus' legionaries, killing or capturing most of the Roman soldiers. The detailed battlescene artworks reveal the tactics and techniques of the Parthian horse archers, and Roman and Parthian equipment and weaponry, and the approach to battle is clearly explained in 2d maps and 3D bird's-eye views.

A fascinating and detailed exploration of one of the most famous warships of the Ancient world - the trireme - and its tactical employment by the opposing sides in the 5th-century BC Graeco-Persian Wars.You may be familiar with the Athenian trireme - but how much do you know about the ram-armed, triple-oared warships that it dueled against at the battles of Artemision, Salamis and the Eurymedon River? How similar or different were these warships to each other? And why did the Persians rely on Phoenician vessels to form much of their navy? Much attention has been devoted to the Greek trireme, made famous by modern reconstruction - with only passing notice given to the opposing Persian navy's vessels in illustrated treatments. Join us on the Aegean as, for the first time, we reveal a rarely attempted colour reconstruction of a trireme in Persian service. Compare the form, construction, design, manoeuvrability, and tactical deployment of the opposing triremes, aided by stunning illustrations. Man the decks of these warships with the fighting complement of Greek citizen hoplites, Scythian archers and Persian marines, and learn why the Greeks placed a bounty of 10,000 drachmae on the head of Artemisia - the Karian queen and Persian admiral, and the only woman among Xerxes' commanders.

A highly illustrated account of how the Roman legions crossed the sea to conquer Britannia in AD 43.For the Romans, Britannia lay beyond the comfortable confines of the Mediterranean world around which classical civilization had flourished. Britannia was felt to be at the outermost edge of the world itself, lending the island an air of dangerous mystique.To the soldiers crossing the Oceanus Britannicus in the late summer of AD 43, the prospect of invading an island believed to be on its periphery must have meant a mixture of panic and promise. These men were part of a formidable army of four veteran legions (II Augusta, VIIII Hispana, XIIII Gemina, XX Valeria), which had been assembled under the overall command of Aulus Plautius Silvanus. Under him were, significantly, first-rate legionary commanders, including the future emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus. With the auxiliary units, the total invasion force probably amounted to around 40,000 men, but having assembled at Gessoriacum (Boulogne) they refused to embark. Eventually, the mutinous atmosphere was dispelled, and the invasion fleet sailed in three contingents. So, ninety-seven years after Caius Iulius Caesar, the Roman army landed in south-eastern Britannia. After a brisk summer campaign, a province was established behind a frontier zone running from what is now Lyme Bay on the Dorset coast to the Humber estuary. Though the territory overrun during the first campaign season was undoubtedly small, it laid the foundations for the Roman conquest which would soon begin to sweep across Britannia. In this highly illustrated and detailed title, Nic Fields tells the full story of the invasion which established the Romans in Britain, explaining how and why the initial Claudian invasion succeeded and what this meant for the future of Britain.

The battle of Lepanto was the last major battle between fleets of oar-powered war ships.

In the aftermath of the murder of Gaius Julius Caesar, his self-declared successor Mark Antony struggled to hold together his legacy. Following an abortive coup attempt by Caesar''s adopted son Octavian, two of Antony''s legions declared for him, leading to a renewed outbreak of civil war. Antony moved into Northern Italy and invaded the city of Mutina, which was held by Decimus Brutus. There they were quickly sandwiched between the city walls on one side, and the newly arrived Senate-backed forces of Octavian on the other.These two heirs of Caesar then fought to claim their former mentor''s legacy. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork and maps, this is the full story of the battles which would see Octavian move from being a young, inexperienced aristocrat to the dominating figure of Augustus.

A highly illustrated account of one of Ancient Rome''s most humiliating defeats, the battle of the Caudine Forks in 321 BC, and how the embarrassment spurred the Roman Army on to eventual triumph. In its long history, the Roman Republic suffered many defeats, but none as humiliating as the Caudine Forks in the summer of 321 BC. Rome had been at war with the Samnites--one of early Rome''s most formidable foes--since 327 BC in what would turn out to be a long and bitter conflict now known as the Second Samnite War. The rising, rival Italic powers vied for supremacy in central and southern Italy, and their leaders were contemplating the conquest of the entire Italian peninsula. Driven by the ambitions of Titus Veturius Calvinus and Spurius Postumius Albinus, Roman forces were determined to inflict a crippling blow on the Samnites, but their combined armies were instead surprised, surrounded, and forced to surrender by the Samnites led by Gavius Pontius. The Roman soldiers, citizens of Rome to a man, were required to quit the field by passing under the yoke of spears in a humiliating ritual worse than death itself.This new study, using specially commissioned artwork and maps, analyses why the Romans were so comprehensively defeated at the Caudine Forks, and explains why the protracted aftermath of their dismal defeat was so humiliating and how it spurred them on to their eventual triumph over the Samnites. With this in mind, this study will widen its focus to take account of other major events in the Second Samnite War.

A biography of one of the most famous warriors of the early Middle Ages

Following Hannibal''s crushing victory at the battle of the Trebbia, the reeling Roman Republic sent a new army under the over-confident consul Gaius Flaminius to destroy the Carthaginian invaders--unbeknownst to him they were ready and waiting. The destruction of the Roman force at Lake Trasimene firmly established Hannibal as one of the Ancient World''s greatest commanders thanks to his use of innovative tactics, including the first recorded use of a turning movement. The Romans would not send another major army to confront him until the battle of Cannae in 216 BC. This new study, based on recent archaeological work on the battlefield itself, tells the full story of one of Hannibal''s greatest victories with the help of maps, full-color illustrations, and detailed sections on the makeup of the armies and their commanders.

Presents one of the most powerful men in late antiquity, Attila's peerless Hunnic empire stretched from the Ural mountains to the Rhine river. This book examines how Attila was able to sweep across Europe, the tactics and innovations he employed and the major battles he faced.

Soon after the Caudine Forks fiasco in 321 BC, the tactical formation adopted by the Roman Army underwent a radical change. Introduced as part of the Servian reforms, the legion had originally operated as a Greek-style phalanx. Now, however, the Romans adopted the manipular system, whereby the legion was split into distinct battle lines, each consisting of tactical subunits, the maniples. Even though still a citizen militia, recruited from property owners supplying their own war gear, it was the manipular legion that faced Pyrrhus and his elephants, the Gauls and their long swords, Hannibal and his tactical genius and the Macedonians and their pikes to name but a few of its formidable opponents. This book looks at the recruitment, training, weapons, equipment and experiences of the legionary at the epoch of the middle Republic, which opens with the last great war with the Samnites (Third Samnite War, 298-290 BC) and closes with the Republic at the height of its imperial glory after the victory in North Africa (Iugurthine War 112-105 BC).

When the Romans occupied the southern half of Britain in AD 43, the Iceni tribe quickly allied themselves with the invaders. This book tells how Boudicca widow of Prasutagus, the king of the Iceni, raised her people and other tribes in revolt and nearly took control of the fledgling Roman province.

By the end of the First Punic War, Carthage had been humiliatingly chased from the high seas, its once-powerful fleet reduced to a handful of triremes. But in 219 BC Hannibal, the eldest son of the charismatic general Hamilcar Barca, began the Second Punic War and was so successful that he threatened to destroy Roman power completely.

One of the greatest military commanders in history, Julius Caesar's most famous victory - the conquest of Gaul - was to him little more than a stepping stone to power. An audacious and decisive general, his victories over the Gauls allowed him to challenge for the political leadership of Rome. This book covers the general's great victories.

By the outbreak of the First Carthaginian War, Carthage controlled the whole coast of northern Africa. This book explores the heterogeneous mixture of races within the Carthaginian forces, and discusses their clothing, equipment and weaponry. It details their tactical deployment and covers the campaign experiences of the great general Hannibal.

The Taras were the leading power of the scattered Greek states of southern Italy and built their reputation on the unmatched horse warriors who helped the Taras claim and maintain their power. In this book, expert author Nic Fields examines the Tarentine horsemen in detail, discussing their tactics, weapons and equipment and detailing how they operated as mercenaries throughout the region. With a wealth of contemporary sources and rare artefacts, illustrated with specially commissioned colour artwork and photographs of artefacts, this is an intriguing insight into the everyday lives of these horsemen, revealing how they acquired the skills that enabled them to dominate the region.

Describes the battle for the pass of Thermopylae as the combined Greek forces held off the army of Xerxes, buying time for a retreat which would save Greece. This book is illustrated with colour artwork, maps and battle scenes. It is an analysis of the acts of resolute defence in the face of overwhelming odds.