The Romans and their World: A Short Introduction

by Brian Campbell, J.B. Campbell

This one-volume history of the Roman world begins with the early years of the republic and carries the story nearly a thousand years forward to 476, when Romulus Augustus, the last Western Roman emperor, was deposed. Brian Campbell, respected scholar and teacher, presents a fascinating and wide-ranging introduction to Rome, drawing on an array of ancient sources and covering topics of interest to readers with little prior background in Roman history as well as those already familiar with the great civilization.

Campbell explores several themes, including the fall of the republic, the impact of colorful and diverse emperors on imperial politics, the administrative structure of empire, and the Roman army and how warfare affected the Roman world. He also surveys cultural and social life, including religion and the rise of Christianity. Generously enhanced with maps and illustrations, this book is a rich and inspiring account of a mighty civilization and the citizens who made it so.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[T.R. Cross · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short introduction is an accurate subtitle.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish more time was spent on the a daily life (especially religion, family, and daily nuances). Written dryly but not bad. Just not super engaging.

[Seth D Michaels · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's bound to be a dense matter to compress about a millennium of history into 250 or so pages, so this is a little dry, except of course the parts where he dutifully ticks of Game-of-Thrones-level chains of assassinations and counter-coups. It turns out a very small minority of Roman emperors died from something other than murder or suicide.

So: a bit of a slog but worth reading. I knew very little about the Roman empire and way less about the prior Republic before reading this.

[Antonia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm very interested in Roman history and culture, but found this intolerably dry. Best for someone who likes their history straight -- names, dates, battles, laws, and finances. Short on anecdote, personality, color.

[WarpDrive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice book. Quite interesting and informative. I would have loved a bit more details but overall it was a rewarding read.

[Biff Nightingale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed it! Very dense but concise. The big flaw is it covers the entire 1000+ year history in just 300 or so pages and you can really feel the details that were left out...