Death and Burial in the Roman World

by J.M.C. Toynbee

The most comprehensive book on Roman burial practices―now available in paperback Never before available in paperback, J. M. C. Toynbee's study is the most comprehensive book on Roman burial practices. Ranging throughout the Roman world from Rome to Pompeii, Britain to Jerusalem―Toynbee's book examines funeral practices from a wide variety of perspectives. First, Toynbee examines Roman beliefs about death and the afterlife, revealing that few Romans believed in the Elysian Fields of poetic invention. She then describes the rituals associated with burial and commemorative meals at the gravesite were common, with some tombs having built-in kitchens and rooms where family could stay overnight. Toynbee also includes descriptions of the layout and finances of cemeteries, the tomb types of both the rich and poor, and the types of grave markers and monuments as well as tomb furnishings.

Genres: History, Archaeology, Nonfiction, Roman History

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

An English archaeologist and art historian. "In the mid-twentieth century she was the leading British scholar in Roman artistic studies and one of the recognized authorities in this field in the world."

She was the sister of historian Arnold J. Toynbee.

Reviews

[Lee Foust · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I added this to my short excursion in reading about European burial customs, the folklore surrounding death and burial, and the myth of vampirism. The first 100 pp of this primarily archeological study of the topic in Ancient Rome and Roman culture abroad were insightful and gave me the background in the Roman attitude toward death that I was looking for. Most interesting to me was the discrepancy between the literature of death--with which, being a literary scholar, I'm most familiar--and the actual beliefs of the Romans regarding death based upon their rituals, non-fiction writings on the topic, and the architecture of tombs and burial grounds.

The rest of the study is dedicated to cataloguing all of the remaining ruins of tombs, their similarities and differences, throughout the Roman world. Interesting as I see so many of them in my travels through my adopted country (Italy) but really only of interest to an archeologist, I fear. A necessary study/catalogue perhaps, but there's not much in these long descriptions to interest a layman like myself.

[Working Classicists Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needed a chapter for an essay I was writing and ended up scarfing down the whole lot. Endlessly interesting and always with the human interest at its heart, this is accessible scholarship at its best.

[hh · Rating 2 out of 5]

for death & the afterlife in the ancient world. too dry for me, consisting of lengthy and not-very-colorful descriptions of tomb layouts and furnishings. most of this book would be better off as photographs than words. interesting information related in a less-than-exciting manner.

[Daniel Cobain Gjorgevski · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Inés Chamarro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic, describes every kind of tomb known not only to Romans but also Etruscans. Made me learn a new word, too - cepotaphium! (a funeral garden).

[Theokoles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensively generic. No real analysis present, just a smattering of general info that's been compiled in one place really. I gave it 4 because it is convenient.

[Maddy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty good if you want a book that describes tombs in detail, and only that.