Policing the Roman Empire: Soldiers, Administration, and Public Order
"Fuhrmann's book is a very well documented and convenient synthesis on the contribution of the Roman army to law enforcement in peacetime during the imperial period."--Cedric Brelaz,Bryn Mawr Classical Review"This is a stimulating investigation into a subject hitherto treated insufficiently. Always attentive to regional and local distinctions in Rome and the provinces, in the western and eastern provinces, and even within eastern provinces themselves, Fuhrmann argues convincingly for an overall growth of state policing from Augustus to Constantine, for the gradual intermingling of civilian and military policing, and for policing as a metaphor for the evolution of the Roman Empire. His broad scope results in a richly textured and fascinating rendering of daily life for the usually undifferentiated millions within Rome's Empire, and for the soldiers and others who interacted with them to maintain order." --Mary T. Boatwright, Duke University"Anyone who studies ancient Rome knows that there were no police. And yet, the same individual also knows that there were, here and there, chasers of bandits, night watchmen, stationarii, and in fact a host of other groups of men recruited by one governmental official or another in hopes of keeping the peace. Put more accurately, then, what has been lacking are not police-like formations among the ancient Romans, but rather, anything like a systematic account of these. Now we have it. This book will immediately become a crucial component in our ever-sharpening comprehension of the ancient Roman cosmos." --Michael Peachin, New York University"A thoroughly documented, well-argued treatise...considerably enhances understanding of how law was enforced throughout the Roman Empire."--CHOICE