The Footsoldier

[Muzzaguchi]

Hi all,<br>
<br>
In response to the thread where Peter Connelly's Greece and Rome at War was thanked for sparking many people's interest I wondered is anyone else had come across my own source of inspiration - The Footsoldier by Windrow and Hook (Oxford, 1982) - a collection of stories about footsoldiers from a Greek Hoplite through to WWII.<br>
<br>
The Roman Legionary story involved the attack on Maiden Castle by II Augusta and when I read and saw it when I was seven I was hooked Of course I then found Connelly and the hook sank deeper. I just hope I was not alone in loving the footsoldier - I can't be sure of the details of armour and the like but at the time they all looked great.<br>
<br>
Cheers<br>
<br>
Murray<br>
<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

My first and as it turned out later completely anachronistic first contact with the Roman Legions was the French comic book series 'Alex' (as least this was the Dutch title). The story was about a young man/boy from Gaul, caught up the the conquest by Caesar. My brother and I had a volume each(still the best ones of the series I think), about a heroic march of two reserve legions through Gaul in winter, and the other about a rebellion in Sparta, involving Legions vs. ancient hoplites! All soldiers wore the totally anachronistic lorica segmentata, the author only corrected this in later volumes. The greeks were of course several centuries off.<br>
But man, did it look great! I was hooked ever since.<br>
<br>
Cheers,<br>
Robert<br>
<br>
'Cives Francorum, Miles Romanorum' <p></p><i></i>

[Matthew Amt]

Ave!<br>
Oh, yes, The Footsoldier is wonderful! Not exactly a primary source, of course, so take it with a grain of salt, but a great read. Did you know there is a companion volume, The Horse Soldier? Also terrific, including a Roman auxiliary trooper. But my heart is with the infantry.<br>
<br>
Vale,<br>
Matthew/Quintus, Legio XX <p></p><i></i>

[Muzzaguchi]

Thanks Matthew,<br>
<br>
I did not know about the horse soldier. I will track it down. Also good to know I am not alone.<br>
<br>
Cheers<br>
<br>
Murray <p>It is an unscrupulous intellect that does not pay Antiquity its due reverence - Erasmus of Rotterdam</p><i></i>