20 Best Books On Ancient Rome (2023 Update)

Ancient rome is the story of the greatest empire the world has ever known. focusing on six turning points in roman history, simon baker's absorbing narrative charts the rise and fall of a political machine unmatched in its brutality, genius, and lust for power. putting flesh on the bones of these legendary figures, baker looks beyond the dusty caricatures to explore their real motivations, ambitions, intrigues, and rivalries. the superb narrative, full of energy and imagination, is a brilliant distillation of the latest scholarship and a wonderfully evocative account of ancient rome.

Ancient rome was an imposing city even by modern standards, a sprawling imperial metropolis of more than a million inhabitants, a "mixture of luxury and filth, liberty and exploitation, civic pride and murderous civil war" that served as the seat of power for an empire that spanned from spain to syria. yet how did all this emerge from what was once an insignificant village in central italy? classicist mary beard narrates the unprecedented rise of a civilization that even two thousand years later still shapes many of our most fundamental assumptions about power, citizenship, responsibility, political violence, empire, luxury, and beauty. opening the book in 63 bce with the famous clash between the populist aristocrat catiline and cicero, the renowned politician and orator, beard animates this "terrorist conspiracy," which was aimed at the very heart of the republic, demonstrating how this singular event would presage the struggle between democracy and autocracy that would come to define much of rome's subsequent history. illustrating how a classical democracy yielded to a self-confident and self-critical empire, s.p.q.r. reintroduces us to famous and familiar characters — hannibal, julius caesar, cleopatra, augustus, and nero, among others — while expanding the historical aperture to include those overlooked in traditional histories: the women, the slaves and ex-slaves, conspirators, and those on the losing side of rome's glorious conquests.

A beautifully written, highly accessible, and comprehensive history of rome from its founding in the eighth century bc through to justinian in the sixth century ce. with commanding skill, thomas r. martin tells the remarkable and dramatic story of how a tiny, poor, and threatened settlement grew to become, during its height, the dominant power in the mediterranean world for five hundred years. encompassing the period from rome's founding in the eighth century b.c. through justinian's rule in the sixth century a.d., he offers a distinctive perspective on the romans and their civilization by employing fundamental roman values as a lens through which to view both their rise and spectacular fall. interweaving social, political, religious, and cultural history, martin interprets the successes and failures of the romans in war, political organization, quest for personal status, and in the integration of religious beliefs and practices with government. he focuses on the central role of social and moral values in determining individual conduct as well as decisions of state, from monarchy to republic to empire. striving to reconstruct ancient history from the ground up, he includes frequent references to ancient texts and authors, encouraging readers to return to the primary sources. comprehensive, concise, and accessible, this masterful account provides a unique window into rome and its changing fortune.

Step into the world of ancient rome and explore the rise and fall of a fascinating ancient civilization like never before! become an eyewitness to the wonders of one of history’s greatest civilizations, from its vast empire to gladiator fights, this picture-led guide will take you on a visual tour through ancient rome like never before. who were rome's most famous emperors? what was everyday life like for a soldier in the roman army? how did the citizens of ancient rome live? did gladiators really fight to the death in the mighty colosseum? if you find yourself seeking the answers to these questions and more, then this may be the book for you! find out, too, what a typical roman house was like and what food romans ate. learn about how people spent their free time, whether paying a visit to the theatre, using the public bath, or watching gladiators fight a gruesome battle to the death in the world-famous colosseum. – this museum in a book uses striking full-color photographs and illustrations of crafts and technology, talks about trade and travel and house and home in ancient rome, as well as amazing facts, infographics, statistics, and timelines to help bring this extraordinary civilization to life before your very eyes. the unique visual approach immerses curious children in every page, and the added wall chart is the perfect historical-themed accessory for the bedroom or classroom! a must-have volume for curious children aged 9+ with a thirst for knowledge and learning, alongside teachers, parents and librarians. – so, what’s new? part of dk’s best-selling eyewitness series, this popular title has been reinvigorated for the next generation of information-seekers and stay-at-home explorers, with a fresh new look, up to 20 percent new images, including photography and updated diagrams, updated information, and a new “eyewitness” feature with fascinating first-hand accounts from experts in the field. – explore the series! globally, the eyewitness series has sold more than 50 million copies over 30 years.

Ancient rome is a concise, comprehensive political and military history of the roman republic and empire, from the origins of the city in the italian iron age, until the deposition of the last emperor in 476 ad. christopher mackay describes how military events undermined the political institutions of the republic, how the empire was administered and controlled, why christianity was adopted as the state religion under constantine, and how military and economic pressures of the third and fourth centuries eventually led to the downfall of the western empire. illustrated with relevant art works from rome's long history, this volume serves as an up-to-date overview of one of the most extraordinary civilizations in human history.

From the bestselling author of fatherland and pompeii comes the most provocative and brilliant novel of antiquity since i, claudius — imperium a cautionary tale of cicero, the greatest orator of all time, and his extraordinary struggle for power in rome. when tiro, the confidential secretary (and slave) of a roman senator, opens the door to a terrified stranger on a cold november morning, he sets in motion a chain of events that will eventually propel his master into one of the most suspenseful courtroom dramas in history. the stranger is a sicilian, a victim of the island's corrupt roman governor, verres. the senator is marcus cicero — an ambitious young lawyer and spellbinding orator, who at the age of twenty-seven is determined to attain imperium — supreme power in the state. of all the great figures of the roman world, none was more fascinating or charismatic than cicero. and tiro — the inventor of shorthand and author of numerous books, including a celebrated biography of his master (which was lost in the dark ages) — was always by his side. robert harris, the world's master of innovative historical fiction, lures us into a violent, treacherous world of roman politics at once exotically different from and yet startlingly similar to our own — a world of senate intrigue and electoral corruption, special prosecutors and political adventurism — to describe how one clever, compassionate, devious, vulnerable man fought to reach the top.

The rise and fall of ancient rome has been on american minds from the beginning of our republic. depending on who's doing the talking, the history of rome serves as either a triumphal call to action or a dire warming of imminent collapse.the esteemed editor and author cullen murphy ventures past the pundits' rhetoric to draw nuanced lessons about how america might avoid rome's demise. working on a canvas that extends far beyond the issue of an overstretched military, murphy reveals a wide array of similarities between the two empires: the blinkered, insular culture of our capitals; the debilitating effect of venality in public life; the paradoxical issue of borders; and the weakening of the body politic though various forms of privatization.

The death of the roman empire is one of the perennial mysteries of world history. now, in this groundbreaking book, peter heather proposes a stunning new solution: centuries of imperialism turned the neighbors rome called barbarians into an enemy capable of dismantling an empire that had dominated their lives for so long. a leading authority on the late roman empire and on the barbarians, heather relates the extraordinary story of how europe's barbarians, transformed by centuries of contact with rome on every possible level, eventually pulled the empire apart. he shows first how the huns overturned the existing strategic balance of power on rome's european frontiers, to force the goths and others to seek refuge inside the empire. this prompted two generations of struggle, during which new barbarian coalitions, formed in response to roman hostility, brought the roman west to its knees. the goths first destroyed a roman army at the battle of hadrianople in 378, and went on to sack rome in 410. the vandals spread devastation in gaul and spain, before conquering north africa, the breadbasket of the western empire, in 439. peter heather convincingly argues that the roman empire was not on the brink of social or moral collapse. what brought it to an end were the barbarians.

In "eyewitness: ancient rome", travel back in time and discover one of history's most remarkable civilizations — from its vast empire and astounding engineering feats to the menu at a roman dinner party. explore the inside of the colosseum and the battles that were fought within. images and supported text throughout the book showcase the pottery, weapons, and other objects ancient romans left behind, the architecture they created, the gods they worshiped, family life, transportation, travel, trade, and more, giving an eyewitness account of this incredible empire. each book retains the stunning artworks and photography from the groundbreaking original series, but the text has been reduced and reworked to speak more clearly to younger readers. still on every colorful page: vibrant annotated photographs and the integrated text-and-pictures approach that makes "eyewitness" a perennial favorite of parents, teachers, and school-age kids.

Rome began as a collection of primitive huts on the banks of the tiber, some considerable time before romulus founded the great city. ruled by kings for the first two and a half centuries, the romans abolished the monarchy and created for their little city state a form of government that was successfully adapted to control an empire. the romans learned how to weld together a larger state by integrating other city states and tribes, offering them the benefits and privileges of roman citizenship in return for services and manpower in the army and government. roman society was based on wealth, and extreme snobbery permeated every level of the social hierarchy. upward mobility was rare during the republic, and equal rights were out of the question. at the bottom of the heap were the slaves, with no rights at all. although little remains of roman architecture from this period, the famously straight roman roads began during the republic, fanning out from the capital towards all parts of italy. patricia southern charts the rise of rome from its humble origins to its dominance of the western world, describing the personalities who helped to shape it, such as rebel gladiator spartacus, hannibal, the carthaginian leader who invaded italy, caesar and pompey, and finally octavian, cleopatra and mark antony.

In everyday life in ancient rome, lionel casson offers a lively introduction to the society of the times. instead of following the standard procedure of social history, he presents a series of vignettes focusing on the "ways of life" of various members of that society, from the slave to the emperor. the book opens with a description of the historical context and includes examination of topics such as the family, religion, urban and rural life, and leisure activities. this revised edition of casson's engaging work, originally published in 1975 as daily life in ancient rome, includes two new chapters as well as full documentation of the sources.

This used book is in good condition. ancient rome rome is a city of myth and legend. the eternal city, the city of the seven hills, the sacred city, the caput mundi, the center of the world, roma, rome, by any of her many names is a city built of history and blood, marble and water, war and conquest. inside you will read about… – legendary beginnings- the senate and the people- ave caesar- empire- rulers of the world- the fall- legacyfrom legendary beginnings, a city rose from the swamp surrounded by the seven hills and split by the tiber river. built and rebuilt, a sacred republic and a divine empire, blessed by a thousand gods and by one, the story of her rise and fall has been told and retold for a thousand years and is still relevant in today's world, as echoes of her ancient glory have shaped our culture, laws, lifestyle and beliefs in subtle and pervasive ways. by createspace independent publishing platform [ 9781540742940 ]

In this superbly illustrated volume, athens and rome, the two greatest cities of antiquity, spring to life through the masterful pen of peter connolly. for the first time ever, all the evidence has been painstakingly pieced together to reconstruct the architectural wonders of these mighty civilizations. by re-creating their public buildings, their temples, shops, and houses, connolly reveals every aspect of a person's life in glorious detail, including religion, food, drama, games, and the baths. the first part of the ancient city covers the development of athens in the hundred years following the persian wars, which began in the 4th century b.c. these chapters encompass the golden years of athens; the establishment of democracy; the building of the parthenon, the erechtheum, and the municipal buildings of the agora; a typical athenian workday; and the construction of the long walls. part ii examines the development of rome in the hundred years from nero (emperor of rome from a.d. 54 to 68) to hadrian (emperor of rome from a.d. 117 to 138)–the great building period of rome. visit nero's golden palace and the buildings subsequently built over it, the colosseum, the flavian palace, the baths of trajan, the temple of venus and roma, as well as other buildings such as the circus maximus, the theatre of marcellus, and trajan's forum and market. in addition to reading about the great monuments and moments of classical greece and rome, readers learn about a typical day in the life of an athenian and a roman. they read about–and see–the houses people inhabited; attend 5-day festivals and go to the theatre; fight great battles and witness the birth of rome's navy; visit temples and spend a day at the races. the fascinating artwork and vivid descriptions provide a window into the great history of these two extraordinary cities and civilizations. the ancient city is the crowning achievement of peter connolly's distinguished career. his illustrations and reconstructions have a unique authority, providing the starting point for a fascinating exploration of these cities and the lives of the people who inhabited them.

This first book in the four-volume narrative history series for elementary students will transform your study of history. the story of the world has won awards from numerous homeschooling magazines and readers' polls—over 150,000 copies of the series in print! what terrible secret was buried in shi huangdi's tomb? did nomads like lizard stew? what happened to anansi the spider in the village of the plantains? and how did a six-year-old become the last emperor of rome? told in a straightforward, engaging style that has become susan wise bauer's trademark, the story of the world series covers the sweep of human history from ancient times until the present. africa, china, europe, the americas—find out what happened all around the world in long-ago times. this first revised volume begins with the earliest nomads and ends with the last roman emperor. newly revised and updated, the story of the world, volume 1 includes maps, a new timeline, more illustrations, and additional parental aids. this read-aloud series is designed for parents to share with elementary-school children. enjoy it together and introduce your child to the marvelous story of the world's civilizations. each story of the world volume provides a full year of history study when combined with the activity book, audiobook, and tests—each available separately to accompany each volume of the story of the world text book. volume 1 grade recommendation: grades 1-5.

Children will learn all about different civilizations and inventionsthe way they changed history, their evolution over centuries, and their influence on modern timesthrough the activities and anecdotes provided in this interactive series.one thousand years of ancient roman civilization and its effect on modern living are presented in this interactive guide. divided into themes and further supplemented by time lines and sidebars, every aspect of rome is discussed, from pompeii and gladiator bouts to the technology behind roman baths and siege machines. a comprehensive "who's who" of ancient rome explains the various roles within the empire and also takes a look at their daily lives. children's understanding of the roman way of life is enhanced with 15 activities that range from creating mosaics to building replicas of roman ruins.

“this book will be of the greatest service . . . a scholarly and convenient presentation of a vast array of facts.” –times literary supplement in this well-written and well-researched social history, f. cowell succeeds in making life in ancient rome alive and dynamic. the combination of acute historical detail and supplementary illustrations makes this book perfectly suited for the student preparing to explore classics, as well as the tourist preparing to explore twentieth-century rome. lucid and engaging, life in ancient rome is for anyone seeking familiarity with the greatness that was rome.

Four of these recount heroic episodes from early roman history with strong dramatic and tragic themes, giving the collection its name. macaulay also included two poems inspired by recent history: ivry (1824) and the armada (1832). in popular culture lays of ancient rome has been reprinted on numerous occasions, and is now in the public domain. an 1881 edition was lavishly illustrated by john reinhard weguelin. countless schoolchildren have encountered the work as a means of introducing them to history, poetry, and the moral values of courage, self-sacrifice, and patriotism emphasized in macaulay's text. the phrase "how can man die better", from horatius, was used by benjamin pogrund as the title of his biography of anti-apartheid activist robert sobukwe. the same portion of the poem was recited in an episode of doctor who, used as a plot device in the 2013 science fiction film oblivion, and appears in the final book of kevin j anderson's the saga of seven suns. verses 32 and 50 of horatius are used as epigraphs in diane duane's star trek novels, my enemy, my ally and the empty chair. these words are on the epitaph at the chushul war memorial at rezang la in memory of the 13th battalion, kumaon regiment of the indian army.

A comprehensive and radical new survey of religious life in rome over the course of a millennium. this book offers a radical new survey of more than a thousand years of religious life in rome, from the foundation of the city to its rise to world empire and its conversion to christianity. it sets religion in its full cultural context, between the primitive hamlet of the eighth century bc and the cosmopolitan, multicultural society of the first centuries of the christian era.

Both books in slightly worn condition with some markings on cover. externally pages edges show some markings and shelf wear. internally clean and bright. first of the widely celebrated and sumptuously illustrated series, this book reveals in intimate detail what life was really like in the ancient world. behind the vast panorama of the pagan roman empire, the reader discovers the intimate daily lives of citizens and slaves-from concepts of manhood and sexuality to marriage and the family, the roles of women, chastity and contraception, techniques of childbirth, homosexuality, religion, the meaning of virtue, and the separation of private and public spaces.the emergence of christianity in the west and the triumph of christian morality with its emphasis on abstinence, celibacy, and austerity is startlingly contrasted with the profane and undisciplined private life of the byzantine empire. using illuminating motifs, the authors weave a rich, colorful fabric ornamented with the results of new research and the broad interpretations that only masters of the subject can provide. the second volume of "a history of private life" contains much rich and colourful detail culled from a considerable variety of sources. this "secret epic" aims to construct a vivid picture of peasant and patrician life in different places in the 11th to the 15th centuries.

An epic endeavor by a man genuinely enamored of his native rome, livy's "the history of rome" was originally written in 142 books spanning the entire history of the roman people up to livy's day in the time of augustus in the first century bc. while this roman historian's monumental undertaking took most of his life, only 35 books still survive today. livy begins with aeneas' landing on italy and the myth of romulus and remus' founding of rome. he also thoroughly covers numerous wars, such as the samnite wars, the punic wars, and the social war, as well as all of the rulers of rome, including julius caesar, nero, and augustus. though the work is a bit biased, its countless references to other sources are a testament of livy's attempt to create an accurate, understandable history of the roman kingdom, and, later, the republic. simultaneously a glorification of rome and a passionate warning to future romans, "ab urbe condita" reflects the magnificence and ignominy, the opinions and interests, and the myths and political realities of one of history's most remarkable civilizations. in this volume you will find books i-viii of livy's "histories".