D'Ramato, Raffaele/Ruggeri, Raffaele (Illustr.) Roman Army Units in the Western Provinces. Part 2: 3rd Century AD

Illustrated study into the deployments and appearance of Roman legionary, auxiliary, and allied units in the Western half of the Empire in the turbulent decades between 200 and 300 AD. Fully illustrated with specially chosen color plates, this book reveals the uniforms, equipment and deployments of Roman soldiers in the most chaotic years of the Empire. 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.

The appearance of Roman soldiers in the 3rd century AD has long been the subject of debate and uncertainty, largely thanks to the breakdown of centralised control and constant civil war in the period between the assassination of Emperor Severus Alexander in 235 and the accession of the great Diocletian in 284. During these years, no fewer than 51 men were proclaimed emperors, some of whom spent only a few days in the position. Despite this apparent chaos, the garrisons of the western provinces held together through localised organisation, reinforcing their ranks with local 'barbarians'. They still formed an army when Diocletian began the reforms that rebuilt the empire - albeit an empire that its predecessors would not have recognised.