The Ancient Romans

by Chester G. Starr

Book Overview

A companion to The Ancient Greeks, this book focuses on the principal Roman historical figures and their epochs--from Hannibal and Julius Caesar to Saint Augustine--and discusses the significance of the Roman people's development in Western history. It also covers the Greek and Etruscan heritage of the Romans; Roman art, architecture, and engineering; and the development of politics and law. The Ancient Romans incorporates readings and quotations...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195014545
• ISBN13: 9780195014549
• Release Date: November 1971
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.9" x 5.9"
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Enjoyed

As this was the text book for a classical civilization course I took, I found that this book was pleasantly readable, unlike most college texts. It was detailed enough so that it almost read like a novel at times, yet covered over 1000 years in the history of Rome so that it served as a good knowledge base. In addition, I enjoyed the fact that it took the knowledge one step further and analyzed WHY certain events occured (eg. the fall of the Western Roman Empire and why the East survived). I find many history texts that simply focus on WHAT occured and don't get into more detail. I liked how Starr divided Roman History into four units, with each section revolving around a central and important figure in Roman history (Hannibal,Caesar,Hadrian,St. Augustine). I found the "Roman Life" sections after each Unit to be a little bland at times, but the sections that were good were well written to hold my interest. I am very intrigued with ancient Roman history, and I found this text to be a worthwhile book, for academics or leisure.