Citizen Soldiers, Republican Virtues, and the Roman Way of War

How was the Roman way of war unique, and what were the virtues that defined the Roman Republic? Are there lessons for modern Republics from the Roman one? Annika sits down with 2022-2023 James Madison Program Garwood Visiting Fellow Dr. Steele Brand, a professor of history and director of the Politics, Philosophy, and History Program at Cairn University. Dr. Brand, Professor of History at Cairn University and former U.S. Army tactical intelligence officer to discuss his book Killing for the Republic: Citizen-Soldiers and the Roman Way of War (Johns Hopkins UP, 2019).

Dr. Brand shares why, while serving in Afghanistan, he felt compelled to write a book about ancient citizen-soldiery. He discusses the virtues that defined Roman citizen-soldiers and how these virtues contributed to Rome's resilience and success, how these Classical virtues intersect with modern Christian virtues, and the fall of the Republic. The conversation also touches on the challenges of maintaining these virtues in modern democracies and the parallels between ancient Roman and modern American republicanism.

Steele Brand, 2022-2023 James Madison Program Garwood Visiting Fellow, is a Professor of History at Cairn University, where he is also the director and founder of the Politics, Philosophy, & History Program. Formerly, he has taught at The King's College and The University of Texas at Austin. A former U.S. Army tactical intelligence officer, he has also managed a veterans’ reintegration program in Manassas, VA and directed a military historical training program. He received his Ph.D. from Baylor University and his M.A.Th. from Southwestern Seminary, and is currently completing a manuscript on the conception and early exemplars of late antique statesmanship.

Annika Nordquist is the Communications Coordinator of Princeton University’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions and host of the Program’s podcast, Madison’s Notes.

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