Synopses & Reviews
This authoritative and compelling work tells the story of the rise of Rome from its origins as a cluster of villages, to the foundation of the Roman Empire by Augustus, to its consolidation in the first two centuries AD. It also discusses aspects of the later Empire and its influence on western civilizations, not least the adoption of Christianity.
Chapters dealing with social and political history are interwoven with chapters on literature, philosophy, and the arts. Among the other topics addressed are Roman Emperors; Roman historians, such as Tacitus and Livy; and Stoicism and Skepticism. Throughout, the book's historical framework is reinforced by detailed maps and chronological charts, as well as by informative bibliographies and a full index. Moreover, the book includes exquisite color and black-and-white illustrations that lend beautifully to the narrative, making this rich work both a delight to peruse and an indispensable resource on the history of one of the greatest empires.
About the Author
Sir John Boardman is Emeritus Professor of Classical Archaeology and Art, Oxford, and has been based at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, since 1955 Jasper Griffin is Professor of Classical Literature, University of Oxford, and Dyson Fellow in Greek Culture, Jowett Fellow, Jowett Lecturer and Tutor in Classics, Balliol College, Oxford. Oswyn Murray is MacGregor Fellow, Jowett Fellow, Jowett Lecturer, and Tutor in Ancient History, Balliol College, Oxford
Table of Contents
List of Colour Plates
List of Maps
Acknowledgements
Introduction, Jasper Griffin
1. Early Rome and Italy, Michael Crawford
2. The Expansion of Rome, Elizabeth Rawson
3. The First Roman Literature, P. G. McC. Brown
4. Cicero and Rome, Miriam Griffin
5. The Poets of the Late Republic, Robin Nisbet
6. The Founding of the Empire, David Stockton
7. The Arts of Government, Nicholas Purcell
8. Augustan Poetry and Society, R. O. A. M. Lyne
9. Virgil, Jasper Griffin
10. Roman Historians, Andrew Lintott
11. The Arts of Prose: The Early Empire, Donald Russell
12. Silver Latin Poetry and the Latin Novel, Richard Jenkyns
13. Later Philosophy, Anthony Meredith
14. The Arts of Living, Roger Ling
15. Roman Life and Society, John Matthews
16. Roman Art and Architecture, R. J. A. Wilson
Envoi: On Taking Leave of Antiquity, Henry Chadwick
Table of Events
Descriptive List of Illustrations