The Best Books About Ancient Rome
As a new reader or researcher, expect to find hundreds of ancient Rome books on the market. Notably, thousands of significant events happened during the era of the ancient Roman Empire. Also, thousands of individuals made these events happen.
To help you narrow your choices, we have compiled a list of 10 best books about ancient Rome.
Let’s find out more about them.
When did Ancient Rome Begin?
Rome began approximately 625 BC in ancient Italy’s Etruria and Latium regions. Allegedly, the Latium townspeople joined forces with inhabitants from the nearby hills, forming the city-state of Rome in response to an Etruscan invasion. However, it’s unknown if they banded together to fight for one another or because they lived under Etruscan control forcefully.
Around 600 BC, there was likely a tremendous degree of unification and transformation, eventually leading to Rome becoming a legitimate metropolis, according to archeological data.
Our Favorite Book on Ancient Rome Revealed
Admittedly, the Roman history books we have reviewed are rich in information about the ancient Roman Empire. However, The Roman Triumph is a cut above the rest. This Roman book sheds light on the positive and negative sides of the Roman conquest. In return, one can ascertain whether or not the Roman Empire’s triumph was out of merit.
Other Book Selections on the Roman Era
- The Roman Triumph
- The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- The Corrupting Sea: A Study of Mediterranean History
- The Emperor in the Roman World
- The World of Late Antiquity: AD 150-750
- Ancient Rome for Kids
- Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide
- Asterix Omnibus #1
- Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire
- SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
The Best Books on Roman History Reviewed
The Roman Triumph
- Author/s: Mary Beard
- Format/s: Audio, hardcover, paperback, audio CD
About This Book
The Roman Triumph is one of the best books on Rome that examines the splendor of the Roman conquest and its darker side. It offers a bold reexamination of this most unusual of ancient ceremonies.
What did it mean when Julius Caesar’s chariot’s axle broke? What does the Roman triumph’s celebration of imperialism and military strength mean for contemporary debates on military might and “victory”? According to Mary Beard, the victory led the Romans to reflect on and celebrate both military prowess.
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- Author/s: Edward Gibbon
- Format/s: Kindle, hardcover, audio
About This Book
From the height of the Roman Empire until the fall of Byzantium, this book charts the course of Western culture (together with the conquests of the Islamic and Mongolian people). The book explores the fall of the Roman Empire in the East and West and spans the history of the Roman Empire, Europe, and the Catholic Church from 98 to 1590.
According to Gibbon, the progressive decline in civic virtue among Roman people played a significant role in the Empire’s demise at the hands of barbarian invasions. Due to their weakness, they hired barbarian mercenaries to protect their empire. However, they eventually grew so numerous and well-established that they seized control of the empire.
So, Gibbon thought Romans were unwilling to lead a more strenuous military lifestyle.
The Corrupting Sea: A Study of Mediterranean History
- Author/s: Peregrine Horden and Nicholas Purcell
- Format/s: Hardcover, paperback
About This Book
The Corrupting Sea is a 3,000-year chronicle of how people in the Mediterranean region interacted with their surroundings. In terms of microecology and the frequently vast networks to which they belong, it promotes a fresh analysis of this relationship.
The writers stress the need to compare prehistory, ancient history, and the Middle Ages. They rely on various pieces of evidence, including literary works, legal records, archaeology, academic articles, and social anthropology.
The Emperor in the Roman World
- Author/s: Fergus Millar
- Format/s: Paperback
About This Book
This ancient Rome book thoroughly reevaluates the Roman emperor’s role during three centuries (from Augustus to Constantine) and the societal consequences of this exercise of power.
While focusing on the communication patterns between the emperor and his subjects, the author demonstrates that the subjects typically started these communications. The author also proves that the emperor played his role primarily by responding to or rendering judgments or decisions among them.
The World of Late Antiquity: AD 150-750
- Author/s: Peter Brown
- Format/s: Hardcover, paperback
About This Book
This ground-breaking investigation into social and cultural evolution shows how and why the late antique society, which existed between 150 and 750 A.D., diverged from “classical civilization.” The author shows that these centuries marked when the oldest and most ingrained institutions vanished forever.
Notably, the Roman rule had ended in Western Europe by 476, while the Persian Empire had ended in the Near East by 655.
Professor of History at Princeton University, Mr. Brown, investigates these changes and how men responded to them, but his narrative demonstrates that this was also a time of spectacular new beginnings and outlines the profound effects of Christianity and Islam on the Near East and Europe.
Ancient Rome for Kids
- Author/s: Billy Wellman
- Format/s: Kindle, paperback
- Age range: 5 to 18 years
About This Book
Do you know why, for many years, the Romans were the world’s superpower? How did people live in ancient Rome? If you don’t, you can learn about their way of life, their diet, and their leisure activities in this book.
From this Roman Empire book, you can learn about the history of Rome and the reasons it fell. Also, you can discover some of the finest combatants who led the Roman forces into battle and the weapons they wielded. Find out which famous rulers were adored or despised and why.
Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide
- Author/s: Amanda Claridge, Judith Toms, and Tony Cubberley
- Format/s: Kindle, paperback, mass market paperback
About This Book
This book is an essential guide to all noteworthy monuments in Rome that date from 800 BC to 600 AD. It features stunning structures, including
- Capitoline Hill
- Roman Forum
- Colosseum
- Mausoleums of Augustus and Hadrian
- Circus Maximus
- Catacombs
This book’s introduction details Rome’s survival as the most complex archaeological site in the world. It also assesses Roman accomplishments and discusses Rome’s place as the capital of the Roman Empire.
Asterix Omnibus #1
- Author/s: René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
- Format/s: Hardcover, paperback
- Age range: 7 to 12 years
About This Book
This book features Asterix’s first three adventures:
- Asterix the Gaul
- Asterix and the Golden Sickle
- Asterix and the Goths
In each adventure, Asterix must defend his small hamlet from the mighty Roman Empire. It makes you join the little, enthusiastic, and incredibly strong Gaulan warrior and his devoted companions as they struggle against impossible odds to save their community. These pals include the boar-eating delivery guy Obelix and the environmentally-conscious dog Dogmatix.
Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire
- Author/s: Judith Herrin
- Format/s: Audio, Kindle, hardcover
About This Book
Judith Herrin reveals the treasures of a pretty different civilization in this exceptional book. They highlight the essential questions concerning the Byzantine Empire rather than providing a chronological overview of its thousand-year history.
Herrin focuses each brief chapter around a representative theme, event, monument, or historical figure. The author examines it within the full sweep of Byzantine history, ranging from the foundation of Constantinople to its capture by the Ottoman Turks.
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
- Author/s: Mary Beard
- Format/s: Kindle, audio, paperback
About This Book
With passion and no technical language, SPQR describes Rome’s history while illuminating how “a slightly run-down Iron Age village” came to dominate the Mediterranean. This well-written, highly instructive book challenges long-held assumptions about history and examines how we conceptualize ancient Rome.
Your perception of Roman history will get guidance from the SPQR’s sophisticated attention to class, democratic battles, and the lives of entire groups of individuals who were for centuries excluded from the historical narrative.
In Conclusion…
If you want more information about the Roman era, the books we have reviewed can be a valuable addition to your collection. Also, ancient Roman books, such as The Roman Triumph, can help you understand whether the ancient Roman conquest was merited.
Now, it is time to browse the market for the reviewed books on Roman history, buy them, and become wiser about ancient Rome.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome |
$13.69 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Ancient Rome: The Definitive Visual History (DK… |
$27.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World |
$26.00 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Emperors of Rome | $13.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Ancient Rome: An Illustrated History |
$28.73 |
Buy on Amazon |
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