Roman unit standards played a important role, both ceremonially and on the battlefield. With the armies of the late Roman Republic and early Empire continually engaged on the frontiers, the soldiers selected for the dangerous honor of carrying them were figures of particular renown and splendor. Standard-bearers wore special armor, with the heads and pelts of animals such as bears, wolves, or even lions draped over their helmets and shoulders. The standards themselves varied greatly, from the legion's Eagle and imperial portrait image to various cohort signa, flags ( vexilla ), and even dragon "windsocks" ( dracones ) copied from barbarian enemies and allies. This first volume of a two-part series by Roman army expert, Raffaele D'Amato uses detailed color plates and the latest research to examine these vital cogs in the Roman army machine that drove its soldiers to conquer the known world. “This is a great reference for the figure modeler for this era. The color plates provide a great depiction of the typical attire, as well as the wide variety of Standards in use at the time.” ― IPMS / USA Raffaele D'Amato, PhD , is the author of some 40 books and has written numerous articles on the Roman Empire, Byzantium, medieval Europe and the military of Ancient Greece. He has taught at the University of Ferrara, and was a visiting professor at Fatih University, Istanbul. He currently lives in England, working as an archaeological consultant and lawyer for Timeline Auctions Ltd of Harwich, and also as an external researcher for the Laboratory of the Danubian Provinces at the University of Ferrara. Peter Dennis was inspired by contemporary magazines such as Look and Learn, leading him to study Illustration at Liverpool Art College. Peter has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects, including many Osprey titles. A keen wargamer and modelmaker, he is based in Nottinghamshire, UK.