The World of Rome: An Introduction to Roman Culture

The World of Rome is an introduction to the history and culture of Rome for students at university and at school as well as for anyone seriously interested in the ancient world. Drawing on the latest scholarship, it covers all aspects of the city - its rise to power, what made it great, and why it still engages and challenges us today. The first two chapters outline the history and changing identity of Rome from 1000 BC to AD 476. Subsequent chapters examine the mechanisms of government, the economic and social life of Rome, and Roman ways of looking at and reflecting the world. Frequent quotations from ancient writers and numerous illustrations make this a stimulating and accessible introduction to ancient Rome. The World of Rome is particularly designed to serve as a background book to Reading Latin (Cambridge University Press, 1986).

• Follows the pattern of best-selling World of Athens • Up to date, scholarly, accessible, and stimulating • Beautifully illustrated with over one hundred illustrations, four maps • Following his highly successful ‘Learn Latin for Christmas’ series of articles in the Sunday Telegraph last year, Peter Jones is writing another series for the Saturday Telegraph entitled ‘World of Rome’ which will run until March and tie in with publication

Preface; List of maps and illustrations; Notes; Part I. Ideology, History and Administration: 1. The idea of Rome (753–31 BC); 2. Rome’s new kings (31 BC–AD 476); 3. Princeps and imperator; 4. Governing Rome; Part II. Society and Economy: 5. The life of the city; 6. Production and consumption; 7. The Roman family; PART III. The Roman Mind: 8. The Roman mind; 9. Roman literature; 10. Roman art and architecture; Epilogue: the ghosts of Rome; Appendices: I. Roman emperors; II. Roman and Greek writers; III. Cross-references with the text of Reading Latin; Index and glossary of Latin terms; General indexes: topographical index; Index of personal names; Index of passages.