Who were the enemies of Rome, the figures of legend who rose up against the empire and fought for independence or even, in some cases, domination? What do the writings of antiquity’s most eminent historians reveal of the reality behind the stories which surround figures such as Spartacus and Attila the Hun? In this series of fascinating historical accounts Philip Matyszak presents the extraordinary individuals who strove for freedom from Roman rule.

Boudicca, the warrior queen of the Iceni, led a rebellion in Britain that saw Londinium burn. The Carthaginian general Hannibal famously marched his army, including thirty-eight elephants, over the Alps. Matyszak weaves together the literary and the archaeological evidence to look at the growth and eventual demise of the Roman empire from the viewpoints of the people who fought against it, from the edges of the empire to the streets of Rome. Some enemies of Rome were noble heroes and others were murderous villains, but each has a fascinating story to tell.

Contents List

Introduction

Part I
Hannibal
Philip V
Viriathus
Jugurtha

Part II
Mithridates
Spartacus
Vercingetorix
Orodes
Cleopatra
Arminius

Part III
Boudicca
Josephus
Decebalus

Part IV
Shapur
Zenobia
Alaric
Attila

Epilogue

About the Author

Philip Matyszak has a doctorate in Roman history from St John's College, Oxford. He is the author of many books on classical civilization, including Chronicle of the Roman Republic, The Sons of Caesar, Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day, Ancient Athens on Five Drachmas a Day, Lives of the Romans (with Joanne Berry), Legionary, Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World, Ancient Magic and The Greek and Roman Myths.