Rating: 
Summary: The Tenth Legion
Review: "Caesar's Legion" is partly a unit history of the famous 10th Legion, and partly the story of Rome's military adventures from the Gallic Wars through the fall of Masada. The book seems to be very carefully researched and it is certainly well written--Dando-Collins is fascinated by his subject, and his enthusiasm shows.The Tenth Legion was, for most of its history, an elite and honored unit. Like America's 82d and 101st airborne divisions, the Tenth enjoyed a world-wide reputation for skill in battle. Dando-Collins explains how the Tenth earned its stripes, from recruitment and training to victory as the legion that usually occupied the position of honor on Caesar's right flank. As he does so, he tells the story of the centurions and other soldiers in the legion--how they were recruited, how long their terms of enlistment could be expected to last, when they would be promoted (if they lived) and how they could expect to spend their retirement. Dando-Collins also points out some things that are probably old hat to students of Roman military history, but are very interesting to someone who is new to the subject. He explains, for example, that Roman javelins were designed so that they would bend upon striking an enemy shield (or an enemy), thus preventing the weapon from being re-used against the attacking legion. He also describes the remarkable training, discipline and mobility of a legion--on campaign, a unit like the Tenth might disassemble its fortified camp, march a great distance, assemble another camp to precise military specifications, and then repeat the process day after day until the enemy was run to ground. In battle, a Roman legion would fight in a tight, disciplined infantry formation and engage enemy units first with javelins, then with Spanish swords in what must have resembled a rugby scrum from hell. A well-trained legion like the Tenth won far more often than it lost--the Romans understood that a soldier should sweat in peace so that he didn't have to bleed in war. The story of the Tenth is told in the context of the times. Dando-Collins follows the Legion as it helps Caesar pacify Gaul, crosses the Rubicon and fights a civil war, endures the assassinations of Pompey and Caesar, casts its lot with Antony at Actium, and finally captures the Zealot fortress at Masada. The Romans, it seems, were very skilled and very ruthless, and the Tenth Legion (for better or worse) represented the pinnacle of their military art.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a unit history
Review: After reading this book I would have been more comfortable if had been titled History of the Tenth Legions instead of Legion. As many Roman Army historians like Keppie, Parker and Webster have pointed out there is no confirmable direct link between Caesar's Tenth Legion and the Tenth Fretensis. The Scholarly majority believes that Caesar's Tenth later became the Tenth Equestris which existed for a short time in the imperial era. It would be as if a future historian labelled a book history of the 4th U.S. Infantry Division and then combined a narrative of the 4th Inf Div and the 4th Marine Division. They are two completely separate units. This book lacks the scholarly research to back the author's claim that Fretensis is Caesar's Tenth. It would have been better if he had openly showed the conflicting claims about the lineage of the various Tenth Legions (Caesar's, Equestris, Gemina, and Fretensis) and then stated why he believed Fretensis is the direct lineage unit descendant backed by his research that led him to believe that. Instead he makes the tenous claim without evidence which for us die hard Roman Army historians makes us question his credibility. The book is written in a very readable style. If the author stopped his unit history with Caesar's era it would be a very good book. Even if he included the histories of the Tenth Legion Equestris, Tenth Legion Gemina and Tenth Legion Fretensis and let the reader decide for himself which of these deserves the distinction it would have been a great improvement. In the end it is evident the author wishes to believe Fretensis is Caesar's Tenth and wants the reader to take his workd for it.
Rating:
Summary: Caesar's Legion
Review: Although Collins used his 30 years of research to develop an interesting story, it did not move like some of the more popular writers of the day. I felt it had much more potential and wouldn't have minded another 200 pages if he had worked through more of the intriguing details. I did enjoy Collins' discussions of Caesar's battle tricks. The description of the fake brick facade in the Germanic/Gallic campaign was exactly why I bought the book in the first place. I only wish there were more of it.
Rating: 
Summary: Seriously misleading
Review: As noted in other reviews, this book is seriously flawed. The author seems unaware that there was more than one Tenth Legion in the Roman army. Supposedly a history of Julius Caesar's legio X Equestris (later Gemina), the author erroneously attributes to it the feats of another legion - X Fretensis. The result is confused and misinformed. Dando-Collins is to be avoided at all costs; either he is just a sloppy researcher or, worse, he has altered the facts to suit himself. If you want the truth read Keppie's Making of the Roman Army or Cowan's Roman Legionary books.
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Summary: Behold The Glory of Rome!
Review: Caesar's Legion is one of the finest books on the Roman military that I have read. As a history major, and prospective professor of History, I find the narrative format chosen for Caesar's legion to be refreshing and vivid, and yet still maintaining tight historical focus. Many such books on history can ramble on in a rather dry manner, but Caesar's Legion supplies top-notch historical research with gripping narrative that keeps you turning the page, hungry to learn more. The author takes the reader on an incredible journey, almost as if the reader were a legionaire recruit himself. Reading the fine story, the author grips you with the feeling of going on the long marches with the legions, of settling in to build a Roman camp, and of digging in for a long siege. The sweat rolling down the soldier's back, the acrid smell of smoke, the terror of bloody and ferocious combat, is all here. Mr. Collins succeeds brilliantly in bringing the reader into the world of the Roman soldiers who forged the foundation of empire in the blood and fire of war that raged from one end of the ancient world to the other. The insight and brilliance of Caesar is made manifest in every chapter. Even when Caesar made mistakes, he recouped well, and adapted. At every turn, Caesar not only learned from his mistakes, but he was able to exploit the smallest detail in order to bring victory. Caesar's Legion covers all that one could imagine, from what the Roman Legionaire ate, to how they trained, to their weaponry, leadership, rank structure, and force organization. It is all here. The integration and deployment of siege weapons, artillery, and cavalry, are all covered in excellent detail. This book will make a fine addition to any historian's shelf, as well as anyone interested in the Roman Empire, and what made the Roman Empire the ferocious war machine that dominated the ancient world. Caesar's Legion is simply an essential book to have concerning the ancient history of the Roman Empire.
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Summary: Interesting Account of Roman Legions
Review: Firstly I must make an admission that I am no expect on this area of history. However I do appreciate a good historical account and that is what you will find with Dando-Collins book on the Roman 10th Legion. I have always enjoyed history books covering this period of time and I was prompted to buy this book after reading Major Clunn's excellent book 'In Quest of the Lost Legions', which I would highly recommend to anyone interested in Roman history. In Stephen Dando-Collins book 'Caesar's Legion' the reader is offered a rarely seen look at the battles and campaigns of Rome's Legions during the time of Julius Caesar. The centerpiece of the book is the 10th Legion, raised by Julius Caesar and used by him throughout as his elite shock-troops. Not only does the book provide you with an interesting and detailed insight into the 10th Legion but also the author provides you with a detailed narrative of the battles and campaigns fought by Roman Legions throughout the known world. We read about the officers and men of the 10th Legion including its recruitment, training, makeup and organization along with detailed descriptions of their fighting. The book details all the known campaigns and battles, from the English Isles, Gaul and Italy to the Middle East. The story covers the campaigns against rebelling tribesman in Gaul and Germany to the many set piece battles against other Roman Legions during the Civil War. The narrative continues with the life of the 10th Legion after the death of its founder, Julius Caesar. We follow the Legionaries to the Jewish fortress of Masada and read about the campaign against the Jewish Zealots with its grim ending. The book is easy to read with a smooth and descriptive narrative. The story is well researched and has a number of maps to assist the reader in following the campaigns of the 10th Legion. No illustrations are provided which is a slight disappointment but more than made up for with the rich narrative. This is a great story and I am sure that anyone who enjoys good historical accounts with love this story of "Caesar's Legion".
Rating:
Summary: Trash
Review: From quite literally its first page, this book is riddled with historical and linguistic errors which make plain the author's unfamiliarity with the Romans' social and political institutions as well as their military practice. It comes as no surprise, then, that when one reaches the end of the book, one discovers that his bibliography omits a number of essential contemporary works (e.g. Lawrence Keppie's "The Making of the Roman Army") as well as foundational past scholarship (e.g. T. Rice Holmes' studies on the Gallic and civil wars). A reader truly interested in the 10th, or any other, legion will come away from this book badly misinformed and wholly defrauded of the sum for which he or she purchased it. Quite simply, it is a book which ought not to have been published.
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Summary: Nice read, but where are the maps?!?
Review: I can't find much to fault in this book except the lack of maps. How in the heck are you supposed to follow battle descriptions without a field map? How can one understand the sweep of the empire without political maps?
Rating:
Summary: A solid account...
Review: I picked this book on a whim and was quite impressed with the quality of the text and research.
The history is punctuated with anecdotes, and the the writing is a bit sluggish, I felt this is a valuable account of Roman military history nonetheless.
Further, I found it to be accurate to the best of my knowledge, and though I am no expert, I am very interested in Rome and military history. One reviewer below claims the entire book is bogus and I would be interested if he pointed out the flaws he finds.
Highly reccommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing, dang it!
Review: It is difficult for me not to be gung-ho when it comes to Ancient Rome and when a new book is published concerning one of my favorite subjects - the Roman military - my mouth starts to water. However about fifty pages into "Caesar's Legion" my mouth began to dry up. Mr. Dando-Collins has spent thirty years researching Rome's legions and this book is primarily focused on Caesar's favorite, the 10th. One can't imagine how difficult such an undertaking must be. While ancient sources abound regarding the leading personalities of the day trying to divine the day-to-day activities of a particular military unit must have proven about as tedious as winter encampment for the legionnaires themselves. The author explains some of his research, combing through enlistment & re-enlistment records and such but a lot of guesswork was necessary in order to put a little flesh on all the dusty old bones and this guesswork is glaringly apparent. The pages abound with phrases like, "Caesar probably behaved..." or "Probably said..." and the "Legion was probably..." at such and such a place at such and such a time. I found all the supposition very distracting.
Histories of the men serving in the legion, their personal stories, are completely absent out of necessity of course because we just don't know anything abut them except in broad general terms, what they ate, how far they marched and what battles they were in, "probably." Instead of giving us an alleged historical account the author would have better served the reader with a work of "historical fiction"- an approach that would provide a little entertainment value. After all it is not as though the current work is going to be used as source material by any historians in any significant way. A far better read that covers the same ground with the exception of the 10th's activities after Caesar's assination, is the recent biography, "Caesar" by Christian Meier.
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