The storied rise and reign of the greatest empire and most influential civilization of the ancient Western world
“For who is so indifferent or indolent as not to wish to know by what means the Romans succeeded in subjecting nearly the whole inhabited world to their sole government—a thing unique in history?”—Polybius, second century BCE
Ancient Rome gave rise to the Roman Empire, one of history’s greatest civilizations. It flourished for roughly five hundred years and encompassed more than twenty-five modern-day countries—including such remote (from Rome) places as Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and England. It left an indelible mark on the world, shaping politics, laws, philosophy, and architecture, and giving us Roman numerals, the calendar, aqueducts, and concrete. Alongside the Greeks, the Romans laid the groundwork for Western civilization.
But what was Rome, and who were the Romans? From the foundation myths of a beloved city to the decline of the Roman Empire, Ross King’s vivid narrative spans more than a thousand years of Ancient Roman history—and elucidates why the Romans still matter to us today. King introduces the emperors and warriors, the madmen and upstarts, and the artists and gladiators responsible for empire’s rise, its reign—and its ruin.
About the author
Ross King is the author of The Shortest History of Italy, along with many bestselling books on Italian art and history, including Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling and Brunelleschi’s Dome. He lectures widelyon Renaissance art at museums and is a regular participant in Italian Renaissance seminars at the Aspen Institute including at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Frick Collection, and the National Gallery.
More ebooks from the same author(s) / Editor
3,640 Ebooks in this category
