‘Caesar’s Legion’ in Fallout: New Vegas: Re-enactment as Reception

Abstract This article explores Fallout: New Vegas, widely regarded as the series’ pinnacle, through the lens of classical reception studies. Despite its acclaim, the game has not been seriously examined in studies of the Roman army’s reception, classical influences in video games, or science fiction more broadly. This study focuses on ‘Caesar’s Legion’, a faction that explicitly imitates the imperial Roman army, adapting its structure and practices to the post-apocalyptic ‘Mojave Wasteland’. New Vegas presents an explicit and deliberate ‘re-enactment’ of Rome’s military legacy. The game critically engages with Roman conquest, showcasing terroristic punishments like crucifixion and the psychological toll of slavery. While its depiction of the Roman army’s operations is highly detailed—accurately reproducing classical Latin pronunciation, coin minting, and military hierarchies—its portrayal of Rome as a civilization is deliberately absent. There is no depiction of civil society, religious practices, or family structures. By transposing Rome’s military legacy into an Americanized wasteland, New Vegas critiques selective historical reception. It warns against the dangers of partial or motivated appropriations of the past, advocating for a holistic and sceptical approach to history’s influence on shaping the future.