LINDSAY POWELL is a historian and writer. He tells the stories of the important but under-reported personalities and events of history to complete our knowledge and understanding of the past. Lindsay has a particular passion for the military history of the Roman Empire. He scours ancient documents, inscriptions, coins and museums for stories, as well as archaeological, engineering, medical and scientific reports to reveal deeper truths.
He regularly contributes to Ancient Warfare and Ancient History magazines. His articles have also appeared in Military Heritage, Desperta Ferro and Strategy & Tactics, as well as on UNRV.com. His books have been published by Pen and Sword and Osprey Publishing. He is a member of the Classical Association and the Historical Writers' Association, as well as a Friend of The Vindolanda Trust. Lindsay's appearances include BBC Radio, British Forces Broadcasting Service, HistoryHit.TV and History Channel.
His latest book is AUGUSTUS AT WAR. It is a new and penetrating assessment of Caesar Augustus as ancient Rome's military commander-in-chief. With a foreword specially written by Karl Galinsky, it is published by Pen and Sword Books (13 August 2018). "Historians have underestimated Augustus as a military man and in this book I try to set the record of his achievement straight," says Lindsay.
His previous books include BAR KOKHBA WAR for Osprey Publishing, the extraordinary story of the rebel who established an independent Jewish state within the Roman empire and fought Emperor Hadrian between the years AD 132-136. It was an Amazon UK bestseller (July 2017) in three categories: History of Israel; History of Palestine; and Revolutions and Coups.
MARCUS AGRIPPA: RIGHT-HAND MAN OF CAESAR AUGUSTUS is the first book in English since 1937 to describe the life and achievements of this crucially important figure in Roman history. "The contribution of Marcus Agrippa to Augustus' success cannot be understated. In many ways he is the unsung hero," says Lindsay, "but it was clear from my research that he intended it to be that way". Why is the great mystery explored in the book.
He began writing EAGER FOR GLORY when researching the Battle of Teutoburg, AD 9, and learned of the critical role Nero Claudius Drusus (Drusus the Elder) played in establishing the Romans' presence in Germania Magna. He was astonished to find there was no book about him. EAGER FOR GLORY: The Untold Story of Drusus the Elder, Conqueror or Germania is the book he had hoped to find. "I think readers will be very surprised," he says, "at how important this relative of Augustus was in the formation of the early Roman Empire. He was a successful military commander, a gifted governor, a daring explorer, and a monumental builder. He was a loving husband and father, and a man admired by friend and foe alike. In this book I hope to have restored him to his rightful place in the eventful story of Ancient Rome".
The life of Drusus the Elder's son is the subject of Lindsay's latest book GERMANICUS. "Germanicus Caesar was Rome's most popular general who expunged the shame of the 'Varian Disaster' at Teutoburg in AD 9," says Lindsay. The book tells the story of how he was suddenly thrust into prominence, put down a mutiny of the Rhine legions, led military campaigns in Illyricum and Germania Magna, and earned a reputation as a formidable court advocate. Lindsay examines the possible causes of his mysterious death in Syria and follows the tragic fate of his wife and children. "GERMANICUS tells a compelling tale which inspired generations of painters and playwrights down the centuries and is told for the first time in this new biography," says Lindsay.
Writing COMBAT: ROMAN SOLDIER VERSUS GERMANIC WARRIOR, 1st CENTURY AD enabled Lindsay to dive deeper into the German Wars he described in EAGER FOR GLORY and GERMANICUS. Working with acclaimed illustrator Peter Dennis, the author/artist team have produced a dramatic and visually exciting account of the battles at Teutoburg (AD 9), Idistaviso (AD 16) and Angrivarian Wall (AD 16), seen from the perspective of soldiers on both sides of the battlefields.
Connections between the present and the past also fascinate him. Combining a researcher's skill at finding unexpected connections in everyday events and a historian's knowledge of source material, in ALL THINGS UNDER THE SUN: How Modern Ideas are Really Ancient, Lindsay takes a clear eyed and often witty look at modern times through the longer perspective of ancient history and reveals that, as the old adage goes, 'all things under the Sun, there's nothing new'. "Human societies have faced many of the same problems before," says Lindsay, "and if we're smart, we'll learn from the Past and pick the solutions that worked - and avoid those that didn't."
Lindsay divides his time between Austin, Texas and Wokingham, England.
Visit him at http://www.Lindsay-Powell.com/
