The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic

The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic examines all aspects of Roman history and civilization from 509–49 BC. The key development of the republican period was Rome’s rise from a small city to a wealthy metropolis and international capital of an extensive Mediterranean empire. These centuries produced the classic republican political system and the growth of a world empire. They also witnessed the disintegration of this system under the pressure of internal dissension and boundless ambition of its leading politicians. In this Companion volume, distinguished European and American scholars present a variety of lively, current approaches to understanding the political, military, and social aspects of Roman history, as well as its literary and visual culture. Designed to be accessible to the general reader and to students, The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic will invite further exploration to a vital, formative period of Roman history and its later influence.

• One of the few general overviews of the Roman Republic in English • Includes history, art, literature and culture of Rome • International scholarly contributors

Part I. Political and Military History: 1. The early Republic Stephen Oakley; 2. Power and process under the republican ‘constitution’ T. Corey Brennan; 3. The Roman army and navy David Potter; 4. The crisis of the Republic Jürgen von Ungern-Sternberg; Part II. Roman Society: 5. Under Roman roofs: family, house, and household Karl-Joachim Hölkeskamp; 6. Women in the Roman Republic Phyllis Culham; 7. The Republican economy and Roman law: regulation, promotion, or reflection? Jean-Jacques Aubert; 8. Roman religion Jörg Rüpke; Part III. Rome’s Empire: 9. Italy and the Roman Republic 338–31 BC Kathryn Lomas; 10. Rome and Carthage John F. Lazenby; 11. Rome and the Greek world Erich S. Gruen; Part IV. Roman Culture: 12. Literature in the Roman Republic Elaine Fantham; 13. Roman republican art in context Ann L. Kuttner; 14. Spectacle and political culture in the Roman Republic Harriet I. Flower; Part V. Epilogue: The Influence of the Roman Republic: 15. The Roman Republic and the French and American Revolution Mortimer N. S. Sellers.

\'… this excellent and remarkably wide-ranging handbook has a potential significance for scholars and students of much more than ancient Roman history and society. Students coming to it from sociology, politics, literature, philosophy or other disciplines will find an authoritative well-documented and clearly presented series of chapters on just about every aspect of the Roman Republic, whether they need a detailed introduction to a particular topic, or background information to their own specialist studies … There is a lot of fascinating and useful material in this surprisingly comprehensive and full survey of such a vital topic … will be worth having in your library to support and inform a whole range of subjects beyond the intrinsic study of roman history and society.\' Stuart James, University of Paisley, Reference Reviews

\'This is a most important and useful book …\' The London Association of Teachers Newsletter

\'This handbook is a useful addition to the secondary literature dealing with the Roman republic. … this book provides a thorough introduction to the Roman Repulic, covering a wide range of topics. … a welcome addition to introductory literature on the period.\' Scripta Classica Israelica