The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire

From the First Century CE to the Third, Revised and Updated Edition

By: Edward N. Luttwak

Narrated by: Nigel Patterson

At the height of its power, the Roman Empire encompassed the entire Mediterranean basin. Rome prospered for centuries while successfully resisting attack, fending off everything from overnight robbery raids to full-scale invasion attempts by entire nations on the move. How were troops able to defend the Empire's vast territories from constant attacks? And how did they do so at such moderate cost that their treasury could pay for an immensity of highways, aqueducts, amphitheaters, city baths, and magnificent temples?

In The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire, seasoned defense analyst Edward N. Luttwak reveals how the Romans were able to combine military strength, diplomacy, and fortifications to effectively respond to changing threats. Rome's secret was not ceaseless fighting, but comprehensive strategies that unified force, diplomacy, and an immense infrastructure of roads, forts, walls, and barriers. Finally, as barbarians began to penetrate the empire, Rome filed large armies in a strategy of "defense-in-depth," allowing invaders to pierce Rome's borders.

This updated edition has been extensively revised to incorporate recent scholarship and archeological findings. This illuminating book remains essential to both ancient historians and students of modern strategy.

©1976 The Johns Hopkins University Press (P)2024 Tantor

Academic Work But Worthwhile

This is a dissertation on the strategy of the Roman Empire. It is thoughtful and thorough. The command of detail is impressive. This is not a popular history or an easy read but it proves its thesis that the Romans had a grand strategy for preserving their empire. The strategy worked quite well for hundreds of years and emperors of all stripes followed the plan pretty well. The author has great command of detail and marshalls the facts in support of his thesis.

excellent content narrator is a little dry

in depth analysis of Roman strategy both accessible to everyone but with significant academic chops