New Research in the Military History of the Late Rome and early Byzantium. A review of : Mekhamadiev, E. A. (2019). A Military Organization of the Later Roman Empire in 253–353 AD: From Emperor Gallienus’ Reforms to the Age of the Tetrarchy (253–305). St. Petersburg: Peterburgskoe Vostokovedenie Publishers. 406 p.

Abstract

This paper states that the monograph published E. A. Mekhamadiev, a researcher from St. Petersburg, is a fundamental study of the Later Roman military organization, with especial attention to the epigraphic and papyrological accounts. The use of these sources allows the author to reconstruct the history of specific military units, their spatial movements, participation in various military campaigns and wars, and changes in their ranks. Important is that Mekhamadiev examined the internal (organizational) structure of all regional armies of the Roman empire from 253 to 305 and not restricted himself to specific and narrow aspects of history of a particular province or country. The author of the book under present review has analysed the data related to both the eastern and the western imperial provinces, discovered close interrelations of the western and eastern provinces, and indicated permanent movements of the military units from the west to east and in the opposite direction depending on the geopolitical and home political situation.