From its mythical foundation in 753 BC to its sack in the fifth century AD, the city of Rome had an impact on the world that it would be hard to overestimate. At its height the empire which it built up stretched from northern Britain to the deserts of Arabia. In this new history an international team of historians, archaeologists and classicists presents a vision of the world’s most famous imperial power based on the most up-to-date research and discoveries. Chapters and box-features present gripping accounts of Roman history and literature and deal with themes ranging from medicine to warfare. They are supported by a rich set of illustrations of sites, monuments and works of art from across the Empire. Read together, these build up a fascinating picture of a civilization permeated by its imperial role, and of the colossal costs as well as the gains of empire.
• Presents a vision of Rome based on the latest research and discoveries • Possesses a clear, attractive design and numerous colour illustrations • Written to stimulate and inspire the general reader
Contents
Introduction; Part I. The Romans and their History: 1. Discovering Ancient Rome Greg Woolf; 2. The Republic Christopher Mackay; 3. The Emperors David Potter; 4. An imperial people Greg Woolf; 5. Rome and Greece Greg Woolf; Part II. The Cultures of Empire: 6. Domination Emma Dench; 7. An imperial metropolis Hazel Dodge and Jon Coulston; 8. Empire of letters Simon Swain; 9. An empire of cities Penelope Allison; 10. Imperial science Rebecca Flemming; 11. The gods of Empire Richard Lim; 12. The profits of Empire Neville Morley; 13. War and peace Ian Haynes; Timeline; Glossary of Latin terms; Who’s who; Notable extant buildings and/or collections of art and artefacts; Further reading.
Reviews
'For anyone with a serious interest in the Roman world, this is the book to get'. The Sunday Telegraph
‘This is the only book to read on this complex history.’ Good Book Guide
‘As an overview and a thematic arrangement it is often excellent.’ JACT Review
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