Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A writer's guide to Ancient Rome serves as a guide and inspiration to the Roman population, economy, laws, leisure, and religion for that author, student, general reader who seeking an introduction to what made the Romans tick. The Guide considers trends and themes from roughly 200 B.C. to A.D. 200 with the occasional foray into the antecedents and legacy on either side of the period. Each chapter explicates its main themes with examples from the original sources. Throughout are suggestions for resources to mine for the subject at hand and particular topics affected by scholarly debate and changing interpretation based on new discoveries or re-interpretation of written and material remains.
Synopsis
'A really fun idea for a book - and full of great stuff.' Greg Jenner, Public Historian This is the perfect guide for any writer who wants to recreate the Roman world accurately in their fiction. It will aid any novelist, screenwriter, games designer or re-enactor in populating their story with authentic characters and scenes, costumes and locations. Written from a historian's perspective, this guide pulls back the curtain to show the reader what life in Ancient Rome was really like: what they wore, what they ate, and how they spent their time at work, at home, at war, and at play. Individual chapters focus on different aspects of Romans' lives, to give you specific knowledge of what they looked like and how they behaved, as well as a broad appreciation of what held their civilisation together, from religion, to the economy, to law and order. You may wish to work your way through the book from cover to cover, or focus specifically on individual chapters as you hone your creative writing skills. Covering the period between 200 BCE and 200 CE, A writer's guide to Ancient Rome surveys the vast amount of sources and scholarship on the Classical world so you don't have to It outlines current scholarly debates and changing interpretations, suggests further reading, and recommends particular resources to mine for each topic. It gives you plenty to consider while you construct your own Roman world.
Synopsis
For writers of Roman historical fiction: a basic guide to family life, food & clothing, housing & travel, law & order, economics, religion, and entertainment.