This book offers a detailed and well thought out analysis of the surviving Roman military material and horse equipment from the area around Mt Vesuvius and enables the reader to understand how the finds from this unique archaeological landscape compare to those of the wider Roman world.

In ch. 1, Salvatore Ortisi briefly outlines the topographic and settlement history of the region, as well as offering a brief historiographical overview of research undertaken in this area since the early eighteenth century. The second, and by far the longest chapter, is concerned with various categories of Roman military equipment, divided into offensive weapons, defensive weapons, parade weapons, horse harnesses, as well as belts and buckles. Within these very broad categories, O. offers detailed discussions of the typologies of various different types of equipment, for example dividing swords into gladii, semispatae and spatae, according to certain characteristics. When constructing these typologies, O. demonstrates a great awareness of the most up-to-date research, although it becomes obvious that the detailed discussion will only likely appeal to a more specialized readership. Importantly too, while the quantity of the surviving material is evidently considerable, O. rightly points out that many examples of finds — especially the smaller, less visually significant artefacts — may have been lost (ignored or overlooked) during pre-modern excavations.

Within this wider discussion of military artefacts from the Vesuvius area, O. also demonstrates a technical understanding in his evaluation of the re-working and re-use of certain pieces of equipment, thereby offering a view into agency and object lifecycles — which can sometimes be under-estimated. It is also notable that O. seems to support more recent approaches regarding certain equipment categories: for example, the suggestion that horse eye-guards (commonly referred to as ‘parade armour’) were actually also useful in combat. These specific insights, along with O.’s more general discussion on the origins and ownership of some of the military finds, provide rare glimpses into everyday life in a Roman city as well as in the Roman army.

The third and final chapter — ‘Archaeological and Historical Evaluation’ — is more specifically an attempt to piece together the different pieces of evidence which could suggest a longer term military presence in Pompeii, as well as discussing the production of weapons and equine equipment. O. evaluates in great detail the archaeological finds, as well as wall-paintings and ancient texts, which might provide evidence for the permanent or temporary stationing of Roman soldiers in and around the city. However, O. admits that a clear interpretation of the origins or use of any military equipment found inside buildings can sometimes be very difficult. Equally problematic is any differentiation between weapons used by serving (or retired) soldiers and those used by gladiators, as well as smaller knives, whose military nature is often doubtful. Overall, the third chapter seems to confirm, rather than contradict or add to, previous interpretations of weapons finds in Roman urban settlements. That said, the detailed references to individual finds, wall-paintings and their historical context, certainly contribute to an overall picture of Pompeii and its place within the contemporary Roman world.

After a brief summary in both German and Italian, the arguably most significant and useful part of this book is the extensive catalogue of military and horse harness finds from the cities around Vesuvius. Searching for images, the reader must turn to the end of the book, which contains a large number of black-and-white plates of the relevant finds. While, at first sight, this may seem slightly cumbersome, this does enable the examination and comparison of numerous finds (divided into the same categories outlined in ch. 2) without the distractions of an extensive text.

Overall, it can certainly be said that O. has produced a compelling and detailed analysis of military finds from Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae and Boscoreale, allowing the reader to compare the relevant archaeological record of these cities with other parts of the Roman Empire. Whilst not necessarily offering significant new interpretations, the vast number of finds and the excellent preservation of these cities as a whole, allows scholars to advance their understanding of Roman urbanism, including the origin and use of military equipment in such settings.