Beginning in the eighth century B.C., Ancient Rome grew from a small town on central Italy's Tiber River into an empire that at its peak encompassed most of continental Europe, Britain, much of western Asia, northern Africa and the Mediterranean islands. Among the many legacies of Roman dominance are the widespread use of the Romance languages (Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian) derived from Latin, the modern Western alphabet and calendar and the emergence of Christianity as a major world religion. After 450 years as a republic, Rome became an empire in the wake of Julius Caesar's rise and fall in the first century B.C. The long and triumphant reign of its first emperor, Augustus, began a golden age of peace and prosperity; by contrast, the empire's decline and fall by the fifth century A.D. was one of the most dramatic implosions in the history of human civilization. As legend has it, Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus, twin sons of Mars, the god of war. Left to drown in a basket on the Tiber by a king of nearby Alba Longa and rescued by a she-wolf, the twins lived to defeat that king and found their own city on the river's banks in 753 B.C. After killing his brother, Romulus became the first king of Rome, which is named for him. A line of Sabine, Latin and Etruscan (earlier Italian civilizations) kings followed in a non-hereditary succession. Rome's era as a monarchy ended in 509 B.C. with the overthrow of its seventh king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, whom ancient historians portrayed as cruel and tyrannical, compared to his benevolent predecessors. A popular uprising was said to have arisen over the rape of a virtuous noblewoman, Lucretia, by the king's son. Whatever the cause, Rome turned from a monarchy into a republic, a world derived from res publica, or "property of the people." Scroll to the top of the page and click buy now to learn more about this exciting period of history
This is a book which no student of Roman history should be without.
A rich and accessible selection of Greek and Roman original sources all of which are in translation.
BRASSICA Cato was a great lover of cabbage : The cabbage beats all other vegetables . It can be eaten raw or cooked . If you eat it raw it must be dipped in vinegar . It is good for the digestion and has a laxative effect .
Profiles the lives of nearly sixty rulers of the ancient Roman Republic, including Gaius Marius, Pompey the Great, and Mark Antony, and portrays the events taking place throughout history with timelines, illustrations, artwork, and maps.
The legacy of past civilizations is still with us today. In Ancient Rome, readers discover the history and impressive accomplishments of the ancient Romans, including their military power and feats of engineering.
In the sheer scope, the Roman epoch is unsurpassed in history. What has endured to our own time is its great legacy to Western civilization-in law, language, architecture, and the...
If you’ve tuned into any of several TV shows focused on Rome and want to learn more about this fascinating part of history, The Romans For Dummies is the book for you.
New York Times Bestseller A New York Times Notable Book Named one of the Best Books of the Year by the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Foreign Affairs, and Kirkus Reviews Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award (Nonfiction) ...
Traces the political and military history of Roman Republic and Empire, from the Italian Iron Age to the last emperor in 476 A.D., examining the link between political institutions and military campaigns, the rise of Christianity, the ...
Explores the rise and fall and spheres of influence, society and daily life, key events, and important figures of the Roman Empire.