Nero's Killing Machine: The True Story of Rome's Remarkable Fourteenth Legion

by Stephen Dando-Collins

Book Overview

The 14th Gemina Martia Victrix Legion was the most celebrated unit of the early Roman Empire, a force that had been wiped out under Julius Caesar, reformed, and almost wiped out again. After participating in the a.d. 43 invasion of Britain, the 14th Legion achieved its greatest glory when it put down the famous rebellion of the Britons under Boudicca. Numbering less than 10,000 men, the disciplined Roman killing machine defeated 230,000 rampaging...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471675016
• ISBN13: 9780471675013
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Wiley (TP)
• Length: 322 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A Roman Legion Comes to Life

Once again, author Stephen Dando-Collins demonstrates his exceptional writing talents. This book is his second account of a Roman legion; in this case, the 14th. He follows this Legion through its long and glorious history. Along the way, he describes in vivid detail its participation in battles against "Herman" the German and Queen Boudicca. These include the famous Battle of Watling Street where the Legion succeeded in defeating a British force that outnumbered it 23 t o 1. In addition to these many battles, the book also provides insight into the day to day life of a Roman soldier. The mundane administrative facts of running an army, such as recruitment, pay, retention, and discharge, are discussed in both a clear and entertaining fashion. The greatest asset of this book, however, is the author's ability to tell history in a manner that is entertaining. This book is an easy read. The pace is quick and the reader will not want to put it down. The author provides the detail necessary to understand the story without getting bogged down in minutia. The more scholarly readers will be glad to see that the author lists all his sources in an appendix. The book also contain a handy glossary of well recognized Roman terms. Bottom line: This is an historically accurate work of non-fiction. Nevertheless, it reads like a fast paced novel. Good writing is difficult but Dando-Collins makes it look easy.

WOW... What a Great Ride Through Ancient History !

Reading the other reviews here I see that Stephen Dando-Collins has touched a nerve among the 'purists' in the arena of ancient Roman history. Well, for me, it was a really great read. Imagine a history book that you can't put down. A history book! Nero's Killing Machine (Legion XIV)was populated with real infantrymen and generals who D-C makes come alive. You feel you are really being ambushed in the German forest. You have to live with shame as a star-crossed unit of the Imperial Army. Then vindication and triumph! Legionaires who have served 25 years and more admonish the new recruits. "Draw swords'"Is the mutineer guilty or not guilty?" If the legion roars guilty the mutineer is pushed into the crowd where he is hacked to pieces. This is a book where the combat is hand-to-hand and to kill someone, you must first look them in the eye. Or you could just go watch the Brady Bunch

Ancient Roman History at its Best

Where were history books like this when I was in school? This is a gripping account of Rome's 14th legion throughout its existence: from its founding by Julius Caesar to its demise in the fifth century AD. The prose is clear and most engaging and the battle descriptions are detailed and simply breathtaking. The book is complemented by a series of appendices which give brief outlines of Roman legions, Roman military ranks and brief histories of the Praetorian Guard, the City Guard and the Night Watch. References and a glossary complete this masterpiece. Although I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good exciting read, I particularly recommend it to those who have a special interest in ancient Roman military history.

The XIIII's following up the X

As the next in a series of text on Roman legions, Dando-Collins has again produced a masterpiece of military history. His "Nero's Killing Machine" is the superb rendering of the XIIII Gemina legio. From its initial enlistment in 58 BC to is final 5th century demise before the invade barbarian hordes D-C tells the XIIII's riveting story. From disgrace to heroic honor these N. Italians pressed their eagle across Europe. By the end, I wanted to enlist with the "Conquerors of Britain" and march into glory! This book is a must read for students of Roman military history. Also, the Roman Britain reader will find it helpful. One still wonders why Varus was so trusting of Hermann, what made Cerialis so charismatic for the paladium, and to where did Nero disappear? D-C often helps to fill-in history's gaps with educated proposals. He proffers additional history with this text although sharing some of the same content of his first legions book ("Caesar's Legion"). The books may be read back-to-back or autonomously. D-C's novelistic style made "Killing Machine" hard to put down. I read the 276 (hardback) pages leisurely in 10 days. One wished for endnotes or footnotes, but D-C offers only an end-of-book sources section. The four appendixes and glossary are informative. The four pre-Author's Notes maps are very helpful is following the XIIII G.M.V. movements. This book is very recommendable. One hopes that D-C legions series will continue to march!

A great book!

Nero's Killing Machine is a fabulous read. The author took me on an enthralling journey through history with the men of the 14th Legion. He makes them and their opponents real flesh and blood people, and gave me an appreciation of what life, and death, was like in the ranks of Rome's legions 2,000 years ago. Dando-Collins cleverly traces the path of the 14th Legion through several centuries using the texts of Julius Caesar, Tacitus, Dio, Suetonius, Josephus and other ancient Roman writers. Read Tacitus and you'll see Dando-Collins has invented nothing. Even the conversations and speeches are there in the original classical texts. Julius Caesar is here, but Nero's Killing Machine readers will also find many more interesting people such as the dashing Germanicus Caesar and Arminius his German adversary, the British resistance leader Caratacus, the Batavian rebel Civilis, and the third time lucky Roman general Cerialis. Dando-Collins also spells out why Boudicca and the Britons revolted in A.D. 60, why they had initial success, and why the 14th Legion eventually beat them despite enormous odds. He also points out how surprisingly brutal the British rebels were to prisoners. This book is richer and more of a page turner than Caesar's Legion, the first in the author's series on the legions, but I know several people who love that original. My nephew, who doesn't normally read much of anything, picked up Caesar's Legion, couldn't put it down, and read it in two days. He's now a confirmed history fan. Dando-Collins is to be congratulated for making ancient history more accessible and more enjoyable. His approach, to tell Roman history through the real-life exploits of an individual legion, is unique. I predict Nero's Killing Machine and Caesar's Legion will become classics. I can't wait for the next book in the series.