They conquered half the world for the Roman Empire. They carried Roman eagles from Britain to the Persian Gulf and from Africa to the Rhine and Danube. They were the backbone of the greatest state of the Ancient World. The Roman legions are rightfully considered the most powerful, sophisticated and effective fighting machine of their time, in many respects unsurpassed until the 18th century AD. Phenomenally disciplined and organized, superbly trained, armed with the latest technology, they knew no equal for more than half a thousand years - it was not for nothing that the Romans themselves attributed the creation of the legions not only to the human mind, but also to “Divine Providence.” Combat schedule and tactics, weapons and combat use , rare defeats and landmark victories - in this book, unprecedented in depth and coverage of material, the history of the Roman legions appears in all its grandeur. This illustrated encyclopedia is the best study to date of the military affairs of the Roman Empire at the height of its power.