FIRST SPEAR

About the Book

Newly recruited Eighth Legion tiros must ‘embrace the life;’ a world of brutal training, merciless discipline and of pitiless Centurios. If young Gaius Crastinus and his comrades hope to survive ambush and death securing trade routes of the Province from Lusitanii hoards routinely crossing the border to raid and pillage; they must first endure their apprenticeship, the Rudimentum Militare. When disgruntled Senator Catiline arms a desperate army of ruthless, landless veterans and escaped slaves to terrorize Rome, the Eighth must act. Can these untried and outnumbered Legios survive hundreds of miles of grueling desert, deadly midwinter seas while mutinous internal factions threaten the Legion from within still emerge victorious?

About the Author

Brent J. Nielsen graduated with a degree in History from San Jose State in 1979 and Social Science from Columbus State University in 2001. The former Infantry officer’s life long historical passion for the Roman Army results in First Spear, Rudimenta; the first of a series delving deeply into the true lives, personalities; the world of the men Caesar featured immortally in his Commentaries.