The Roman Legions were the most highly organized troops of the ancient world, but the process of turning the Legions into the professional force that built an empire was no small feat.

Focusing on the organisational changes in the Roman Army during the Civil Wars, Nic Fields examines the role played by Caius Marius and his far-reaching reforms. With the nuts and bolts detail integral to the Battle Orders series, this is an intriguing description of how the Roman army grew, modernised, rebelled and finally helped build an empire, complete with full organisational charts, photographs and detailed maps.

Nic Fields started his career as a biochemist before joining the Royal Marines. Having left the military, he then completed a BA and PhD in Ancient History at the University of Newcastle. He was Assistant Director at the British School at Athens, Greece, and then a lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh. Nic is now a freelance author and researcher based in south-west France.