Bøker av Simon Elliott

A vivid portrayal of the life of Yayoi Kusama - Queen of Polka Dots, creator of infinity - from her unusual childhood to international artistic acclaim.

Taking us through his short but explosive life, this graphic novel paints a vivid picture of Van Gogh's unusual youth, his famous early failures, his discovery of a new style of painting, his tragic suicide, and the meteoric artistic legacy that followed.

Legio IX Hispana had a long and active history, later founding York from where it guarded the northern frontiers in Britain. But the last evidence for its existence in Britain comes from AD 108. The mystery of their disappearance has inspired debate and imagination for decades. The most popular theory, immortalized in Rosemary Sutcliffe's novel The Eagle of the Ninth, is that the legion was sent to fight the Caledonians in Scotland and wiped out there.But more recent archaeology (including evidence that London was burnt to the ground and dozens of decapitated heads) suggests a crisis, not on the border but in the heart of the province, previously thought to have been peaceful at this time. What if IX Hispana took part in a rebellion, leading to their punishment, disbandment and damnatio memoriae (official erasure from the records)? This proposed 'Hadrianic War' would then be the real context for Hadrian's 'visit' in 122 with a whole legion, VI Victrix, which replaced the 'vanished' IX as the garrison at York. Other theories are that it was lost on the Rhine or Danube, or in the East. Simon Elliott considers the evidence for these four theories, and other possibilities.

Dr Simon Elliott describes eight of the greatest, most decisive of the Roman Empire of the first to third centuries. The list includes battles fought from the highlands of Scotland and the forests of Germany to the deserts of the Middle East. They show how the vaunted Roman legions adapted to extremes of terrain and climate as well as a wide array of very different foes, from the wild Caledonian tribes to the sophisticated, combined-arms armies of Sassanid Persia with their war elephants and superb cavalry. Some of the battles even pit the Roman legions against their own kind in brutal civil wars.After an introductory chapter on the Imperial Roman army, detailing its organization, equipment, tactics and doctrine, the author moves on to describing each battle in detail. He sets the strategic context and background of the chosen engagement before analyzing the size and composition of the opposing forces, also detailing the nature of the enemy faced. The maneuvers leading up to the battle are described, followed by deployment and the course of the fighting itself. Finally, the aftermath and implications of the battles outcome are assessed. The well-researched and engaging text is supported by clear maps.

A new interpretation of post-Roman North Africa which shows the Vandals and late Roman population flourishing together to the extent that Byzantine reconquest was unwelcome.

THE ONLY BOOK AVAILABLE on Rome's version of the SAS, SBS, Pathfinders, US GREEN BERETS, SEALS etc.

The complete story of David Hockney's journey from a gifted Bradford schoolboy to one of the world's most celebrated painters. Illustrated throughout, with over 200 specially drawn illustrations. A characterful and vibrant depiction of the fascinating life of one of the world's most influential and popular artists

Key title in the well-received Roman Conquests series.

The two most famous men in ancient history, in one book.

A short history of warfare in the age of the Old Testament including many ancient cultures from the Middle East such as the Sumerians, Akkadians, Philistines, Hittites and Hebrews.

First book covering Severus Scottish campaigns, AD 208 210, providing a biographical and psychological portrait of Severus, who came to dominate the Roman world around the turn of the 2nd/3rd centuries AD, from his early life in North Africa to his last campaign

A biography of the man who ascended the ranks of the military and government to become Roman Emperor.The son of a former slave, Pertinax was the Roman Emperor who proved that no matter how lowly your birth, you could rise to the very top through hard work, grit and determination.Born in AD 126, Pertinax made a late career change from working as a grammar teacher to a position in the army. As he moved up the ranks and further along the aristocratic cursus honorum, he took on many of the most important postings in the Empire, from senior military roles in fractious Britain, the Marcomannic Wars on the Danube, to the Parthian Wars in the east. He held governorships in key provinces, and later consulships in Rome itself. When Emperor Commodus was assassinated on New Year's Eve AD 192/193, the Praetorian Guard alighted on Pertinax to become the new Emperor, expecting a pliable puppet who would favour them with great wealth. But Pertinax was nothing of the sort and when he then attempted to reform the Guard, he was assassinated. His death triggered the beginning of the "e;Year of the Five Emperors"e; from which Septimius Severus, Pertinax's former mentoree, became the ultimate victor and founder of the Severan Dynasty.This previously untold story brings a fascinating and important figure out of the shadows. A self-made everyman, a man of principle and ambition, a role model respected by his contemporaries who styled himself on his philosophizing predecessor and sometime champion Marcus Aurelius, Pertinax's remarkable story offers a unique and panoramic insight into the late 2nd century AD Principate Empire.Praise for Pertinax"e;A story that echoes and rivals that of Spartacus."e; -Books Monthly (UK)"e;An authoritative new history unearths the true story of a slave's son who rose through the ranks to become the Roman Empire's most powerful man. . . . The author vividly documents Pertinax's last days and effectively captures the tenor of the era, a time awash in corruption and violence. Roman history enthusiasts will find new material to digest and general readers, useful context for the Roman way of life."e; -Kirkus Reviews

A lavishly illustrated grand tour on the Roman military machine.

Ragstone to Riches tells the story of the huge Roman metalla extractive industries of the south east of the province of Britannia. These provided much of the iron to equip the military there, and ragstone to facilitate the construction of the built environment in the region during the occupation, through to the middle of the 3rd century AD. In the former case this was the Wealden iron industry, which, especially to the north of Hastings, featured sites as large as any industrial enterprise today. Meanwhile, regarding the upper Medway Valley ragstone quarrying industry, the work identifies for the first time the five specific quarries which provided the material to build Roman London. For both, the author also explores the role played by the military in running these enormous metalla enterprises.

Study of the Roman army as a non-military entity, and the crucial role its soldiers played as engineers, builders, administrators, policemen, a fire-fighting force and farmers.