Soldiers of the Roman Empire. Traditions of Military Service and Military Mentality

The book is dedicated to the study of the socio-political and military-ethical traditions of the Roman imperial army (1st century BC — 3rd century AD) based on historical-anthropological and civilizational approaches. These traditions are interpreted as a contradictory unity of ancient polis-republican establishments and the realities of a professional army, which represented a peculiar corporate community, a special social organism, and a subject of political history. The author's focus is on the specifics of the Roman military ethos, based on particular behavior stereotypes and values. Based on a wide range of literary and documentary sources, the moral-psychological, axiological, and practical significance of the traditions of military camaraderie and discipline is considered, representations related to the socio-political and moral qualities of warriors, military virtues, honor and glory, signs of distinction and military career are analyzed, and the relationship between the Roman military ethos and army religion is revealed. The mechanisms and forms of the army's participation in political processes and the relationships between the emperor and the army are also studied.

For historians, military specialists, students of history faculties, and all those interested in the history of the ancient world.