The Romans: All That Matters

All That Matters

by John Manley

In The Romans: All That Matters, John Manley focuses on some of the fundamental aspects of the Roman Empire, especially those topics that have relevance beyond the study of Antiquity itself - how its material remains and philosophical concepts have survived and still influence us today.

How did a rather obscure settlement spread over a few hills on the banks of the Tiber come to dominate the lives of 65 million people? What drove this relentless desire to conquer? How did Rome manage to maintain direct rule over such a vast area - from present-day Scotland to Syria - approximately 6 million square kilometres? The answer, in part, is that there were many different kinds of Roman culture, as each separate provincial elite, each region and each group of indigenous community leaders, chose slightly different elements of the Roman colonial 'package' to establish their particular identity.

This accessible and readable book will appeal both to students and general readers, giving a fascinating introduction to the Romans - and what mattered most about them.

Genres: History

160 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2013

Reviews

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This small work examines the Roman Empire by brief looks at the political and cultural lives of the rulers, military, and common people. The legacy of Rome is also discussed.

[Yi Jie Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone with absolutely zero knowledge of the Romans, I really enjoyed reading this primer to understanding history of Romans. Got to briefly understand the myth before the founding of Rome, the evolution of Rome from Julius Caesars to Augustus, the political bodies governing Rome, the evolution of weaponries and how normal people lived, alongside its relationship with its foes such as Carthage, Anatolia, Egypt, Britian, Gaul, etc.

For someone that feared about reading the extensive nature of Rome, the book kept me reading till the end of it, and made me want to pick up more books on Rome.

Thank you!