Intelligence Activities in Ancient Rome: Trust in the Gods But Verify

by Rose Mary Sheldon

Professor Sheldon uses the modern concept of the intelligence cycle to trace intelligence activities in Rome whether they were done by private citizens, the government, or the military. Examining a broad range of activities the book looks at the many types of espionage tradecraft that have left their traces in the ancient * intelligence and counterintelligence gathering* covert action* clandestine operations* the use of codes and ciphers Dispelling the myth that such activities are a modern invention, Professor Sheldon explores how these ancient spy stories have modern echoes as well. What is the role of an intelligence service in a free republic? When do the security needs of the state outweigh the rights of the citizen? If we cannot trust our own security services, how safe can we be? Although protected by the Praetorian Guard, seventy-five percent of Roman emperors died by assassination or under attack by pretenders to his throne. Who was guarding the guardians? For students of Rome, and modern social studies too - this will provide a fascinating read.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History

346 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 2004

Reviews

[Vladimiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dotta disquisizione che fa luce (per quanto possibile) su un argomento poco sviluppato: esistevano servizi segreti nell'antica Roma? L'attività nacque molto prima dell'istituzionalizzazione di tali servizi che avvenne, parzialmente, solo con l'impero.

I romani in generale non brillarono in tale campo per un semplice motivo: furono all'offensiva per buona parte della loro storia. Numerose volte i Romani scesero in campo sapendo molto poco dei propri avversari. Inoltre, gli imperatori furono sempre più preoccupati delle minacce interne che non di quelle esterne.

Il libro contiene quindi riporta ogni caso di spionaggio/intelligence di epoca repubblicana, illustra bene la nascita, l'organizzazione e l'uso di exploratores (ricognitori a cavallo alla frontiera), speculator e frumentarii (che erano agenti "tuttofare" del governo).

C'è anche un capitolo estremamente specialistico dove l'autrice riporta gli studi più recenti sui sistemi di comunicazione nel limes e dal limes a Roma.

Pochi difetti. Consigliatissimo.

[Olivier Pasquier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Livre très instructif qui explore le fonctionnement et l'utilité des services de renseignements romains. Il n'émet pas de jugement de valeur sur le bon fonctionnement ou non de ces services de renseignements mais relate des faits qui permettent aux lecteurs de se faire leur propre avis sur la question.
Le livre émet l'hypothèse que les services de renseignements romains se sont progressivement organisés au fil du temps mais leurs ambitions se focalisaient sur la sécurité intérieure sans réelle vision sur les affaires extérieures. Une forme Antique de Big Brothers : la recherche permanente d'un ennemi intérieur (parfois imaginaire) au détriment des affaires extérieures où se situait possiblement le principal danger. A lire car les enseignements sont actuels !

[Jasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book gives exactly what the title promises: this is a very useful overview of all the relevant aspects, sources, and academic literature regarding "intelligence activities" in ancient Rome. It has been very helpful for my research. The reason why I don't give full five stars is that the book does not succeed perfectly in its attempt to approach both academic and wider audience: the more narrative and the more technical parts alter unevenly, and the reader still needs quite extensive knowledge of the ancient Roman history to keep up with the book. But from the viewpoint of the academic audience, the book is very useful and so far the most comprehensive overall treatment of this subject.

[Drianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comprehensive, at any rate. I wanted way more in certain parts (the actual evidence for things like the speculatores and frumentarii) and way less in others (Hermann the German).

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to rate this book overall: it was a bit less exciting than I'd hoped for, but that's largely to do with two things. The first is that ancient Roman intelligence wasn't quite as exciting as I might have hoped for. It was a little underdeveloped by modern standards, and to the extent that Rome engaged in what we might call "spying," most of it was spying on their own citizens. The second is that the book is really written for the expert in military intelligence. Not so much in the sense that you need specialized knowledge to understand the information presented, but you might need specialized knowledge to understand why it is interesting or remarkable.

The book has all the fascinating anecdotes and glorious military victories and ignominious military defeats that you could want. I was particularly fascinated by the chapter on recent archaeological findings in the Teutoburg forest (where Varus famously lost three Roman legions). On the other hand, I kind of bogged down in the extensive discussion of possible signaling networks between Roman forts in various parts of Britain and Germany, and I put the book down and didn't pick it up again for quite some time. On the other hand, I'm sure for some readers the signaling networks are the best part - it all depends on what you're interested in.

[Tahlia Fernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was well-researched and very informative, but at times a bit of a challenge to get through. The section on the Late Republic and on Caesar early in the book probably were the quickest, easiest part of the book to read, but it was slow going from there. I found the chapter “Transmission and Signaling” to be a bit of a slog, with innumerable maps to prove intervisibility just about boring me to tears.

For a serious scholar on Military and/or Intelligence Studies, this would be a great edition to the library. It is very detailed, with frequent citations that are easily accessible at the end of each chapter. For the amateur scholar who wants more than the fare provided by popular historians, consider your own level of interest in the topic. Because if it is only a casual curiosity, this book might be a bit heavy for your recreational reading.

This book probably deserves more than the 3.5/5 stars I’m giving it, but for my particular tastes and education level, this was not quite my cup of tea.

[Sineala · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good, detailed treatment of Roman intelligence from early Rome up to the late empire, with special focus on particular campaigns where intelligence or lack thereof played a key role (Parthia, Hannibal, Caesar's invasion of Britain). I particularly enjoyed the sections on the scouts of the frontier as well as the chapter on the frumentarii. I assume if you're picking this up you already know what you're getting into, and there's a lot of good stuff here.

[Brian Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting study of how the Roman gathered (or failed to gather) intelligence in the ancient world, minus a formal intelligence apparatus. Thoroughly footnoted and researched.