Roman Conquests: Asia Minor, Syria and Armenia

An eminent historian examines ancient Roman warfare in West Asia in this authoritative and engaging chronicle.

As the Romans conquered Greece and Macedonia, they were drawn east by a powerful new rival, the Seleucid Empire. Soon Roman armies were crossing into Asia for the first time, facing the most powerful Hellenistic state to be created by the successors of Alexander.

Though Rome defeated the Seleucids at the epic battle of Magnesia in 190 BC, other states came to the fore as challengers. In the 1st century BC, Rome’s grip on its Asian provinces was shattered by the onslaught of Mithridates VI of Pontus, Rome’s most enduring foe. After many reversals, Mithridates was eventually overcome. But these wars in turn led to conflict with Armenia.

In this edition of the Roman Conquests series, Richard Evans gives a clear narrative of the course of these wars, explaining how the Roman military evolved in the face of new enemies and unfamiliar terrain. This volume draws on Dr. Evans’ expertise in the relationship between topography and ancient events and specifically his original research into the battlefield of Magnesia.