Ancient Rome: An Introductory History

by Paul A. Zoch

In this revised and expanded edition of Ancient Rome, author Paul A. Zoch presents the history and mythology of Rome, from its legendary progenitor Aeneas to the death of the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius in 180 c.e. Zoch guides readers through the military campaigns and political developments that shaped Rome’s rise from a small Italian city to the greatest imperial power the world had ever known, and he includes stories about its protagonists—such as Romulus and Remus, Horatius, and Nero—that are often omitted from more specialized studies.

In Zoch’s retelling, the events and personalities of ancient Rome spring to life. We witness the long struggle against the enemy city of Carthage. We follow Caesar as he campaigns in Britain, and we observe the ebb and flow of Rome’s fortunes in the Hellenistic East.

Emphasizing both the political and moral lessons to be learned from Roman history—and that remain relevant today—Zoch gives readers a narrative that is both entertaining and informative. An afterword takes the history to the fall of the Roman Empire in the West in 476 c.e.
 

Genres: History, World History, Classics

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Michael F]

An unexceptional but readable and informative overview of Roman history from the founding of the city to the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, with particular focus on the tumultuous declining years of the republic. Recommended as a quick introduction or refresher on this fascinating period.

[Ella]

Lots of good information, but was kind of dry.

[adam]

meh..quite serviceable as an overview of the history of Rome from 753 bc - ad 476, with coverage of many of the most famous legends of early rome, a recital of the Livian propaganda on Rome's expansion into an imperial power, and a focus on the biographical anecdotes provided by Plutarch, gossip from suetonius, and farfetched tidbits related by the author(s) of the historia augusta. as such, this work is suitable for middle school students seeking an introduction to the history of rome. however, this is not a serious work of history, and even middle school students will wonder at its negligent omission neglects ofmany important aspects of ancient rome, especially the near absence of women.

[R Taylor]

Great little primer on Roman history and culture for the new learner.

[Ron Orr]

A solid intro to Roman history.

[Scott]

Loved the writing but the editing was poor

[Chris Shor]

Amazing.