The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic

Cambridge Companions to the Ancient World

by Harriet I. Flower (Editor)

The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic examines all aspects of Roman history and civilization from 509 to 49 B.C. The key development of the republican period was Rome's rise from a small city to a wealthy metropolis, which served as the international capital of an extensive Mediterranean empire. These centuries produced a classic republican political culture, closely associated with the growth of a world empire. They also witnessed the slow disintegration of republican government under the relentless and combined pressure of external commitments, growing internal dissension, and the boundless ambition of successful military leaders. In the second edition of this Companion volume, distinguished European, Canadian, and American scholars present a variety of lively current approaches to understanding the political, military, and social aspects of Roman history, as well as its literary and visual culture. The second edition includes a new introduction, three new chapters on population, slavery, and the rise of empire, and updated bibliographies and maps.

Genres: History, Roman History, Ancient History, Classics, Nonfiction, Reference, Italy

520 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Jay Fisher]

As is the case with any collections of essays, some are better than others. The good news is that the better ones are excellent and the others are very good.

[Rich]

Lacks structural explanations. I don't know if it's assumed these exist in abundance elsewhere, but the books will use terms without explaining what the terms mean in Rome's context. The greater problem that stems from this is that it is too specific in certain parts, like the late Republic, and very unspecific elsewhere. Too much assumed knowledge, especially by not defining terms well enough.