What do you think?
Rate this book
Roman Myths: Gods, Heroes, Villains and Legends of Ancient Rome
Roman Myths is engaging and informative, offering an introduction to Roman mythology, its roots, and its ongoing importance.
In ancient Rome (753 BC – 476 AD) mythology was integral to various aspects of society, from religion to politics to the founding of the city. Today, we may encounter the legacy of these stories before we encounter the stories themselves, whether this is in day-to-day speech, the eighteenth-century art on display at the Louvre, or the works of William Shakespeare. The Roman tendency to accept their mythology as part of history creates a degree of uncertainty around the historical basis of the figures featured in these legendary tales. Roman Myths examines this mythology, from Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome to Lucretia and the Republic; from Livy and the Dii Consentes to Virgil's Aeneid; from Dis Pater in the underworld to Jupiter, god of the sky.
In ancient Rome (753 BC – 476 AD) mythology was integral to various aspects of society, from religion to politics to the founding of the city. Today, we may encounter the legacy of these stories before we encounter the stories themselves, whether this is in day-to-day speech, the eighteenth-century art on display at the Louvre, or the works of William Shakespeare. The Roman tendency to accept their mythology as part of history creates a degree of uncertainty around the historical basis of the figures featured in these legendary tales. Roman Myths examines this mythology, from Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome to Lucretia and the Republic; from Livy and the Dii Consentes to Virgil's Aeneid; from Dis Pater in the underworld to Jupiter, god of the sky.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published July 14, 2022
1 person is currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Martin J. Dougherty
181 books54 followersHailing from northeast England, Martin J Dougherty is a professional writer specialising in military history. He has been at times a games designer, an engineer, a self-protection instructor, a teacher and a defence analyst. Martin has published a range of books covering topics as diverse as self-protection, medieval warfare and space flight, and has addressed international conferences on anti-shipping missiles and homeland security issues.
Martin's interests include martial arts and fencing. He has coached Fencing, Ju-Jitsu, Self-Defence and Kickboxing for many years at the University of Sunderland, and has competed to national level as a fencer. As a martial artist he holds black belts in Combat Ju-Jitsu, Nihon Tai-Jitsu and Self-Defence. Martin is a Senior Assessor with the Self-Defence Federation and an IL1 instructor/assessor with the Britsh Federation for Historical Swordplay, specialising in the Military Sabre and the Smallsword.
Martin's interests include martial arts and fencing. He has coached Fencing, Ju-Jitsu, Self-Defence and Kickboxing for many years at the University of Sunderland, and has competed to national level as a fencer. As a martial artist he holds black belts in Combat Ju-Jitsu, Nihon Tai-Jitsu and Self-Defence. Martin is a Senior Assessor with the Self-Defence Federation and an IL1 instructor/assessor with the Britsh Federation for Historical Swordplay, specialising in the Military Sabre and the Smallsword.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 29, 2022
Roman Myths by Martin J Dougherty provides the reader with an informative journey through the history of Rome with a focus on Roman Mythology. I really enjoyed the fact this book didn’t only discuss Mythology as it can become a little too ‘unreal’ – however, the author here also talks about real Roman history and weaves mythology into the events, days, and lives of Rome during antiquity.
In addition to this, and this is something that always gets me a little animated, is this book contains brilliant visuals. The photos of artefacts and paintings dispersed throughout this piece are numerous, illuminating and are high quality.
Like this one:
Botticelli’s Birth of Venus The most widely known depiction of this Goddess.
The link with Greek Mythology (The Greeks called him Zeus and us Romans called him Jupiter) is clearly described, but the Romans also had lots of other deities they prayed to – like gods of entries, windows – you name it. Fascinating stuff. Imagine trying to leave for work on time: Packed lunch ✔, keys to the chariot ✔, feed the dogs ✔, then pray to the Gods of plants, doors, food, honey, the seasons, disease (blight) to name a few. You’d have trouble getting to work by home time!
The book ends by reminding us of the influence of mythology on us modern day people – e.g., the names of the planets, constellations and even things like rockets we send into space.
If you look carefully, you’ll see the influence of mythology all around us. This was really enjoyable.
4 Stars
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for my review.
In addition to this, and this is something that always gets me a little animated, is this book contains brilliant visuals. The photos of artefacts and paintings dispersed throughout this piece are numerous, illuminating and are high quality.
Like this one:
Botticelli’s Birth of Venus The most widely known depiction of this Goddess.
The link with Greek Mythology (The Greeks called him Zeus and us Romans called him Jupiter) is clearly described, but the Romans also had lots of other deities they prayed to – like gods of entries, windows – you name it. Fascinating stuff. Imagine trying to leave for work on time: Packed lunch ✔, keys to the chariot ✔, feed the dogs ✔, then pray to the Gods of plants, doors, food, honey, the seasons, disease (blight) to name a few. You’d have trouble getting to work by home time!
The book ends by reminding us of the influence of mythology on us modern day people – e.g., the names of the planets, constellations and even things like rockets we send into space.
If you look carefully, you’ll see the influence of mythology all around us. This was really enjoyable.
4 Stars
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for my review.
August 21, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for offering me the chance to read this book!
As an archaeology student with knowledge on Greek mythology but very limited study of Roman mythology, I found this book to be a great introduction to it!
Easy and enjoyable to read, but still providing quite a few facts and referencing the different versions of myths. Also, providing a good understanding on the connection of mythology and history, as well as its effect on the structure of the society!
The pictures apart from making the book very beautiful, perfectly matched the provided text and were both helpful and aesthetic!
All in all, a great introduction to Roman mythology!
As an archaeology student with knowledge on Greek mythology but very limited study of Roman mythology, I found this book to be a great introduction to it!
Easy and enjoyable to read, but still providing quite a few facts and referencing the different versions of myths. Also, providing a good understanding on the connection of mythology and history, as well as its effect on the structure of the society!
The pictures apart from making the book very beautiful, perfectly matched the provided text and were both helpful and aesthetic!
All in all, a great introduction to Roman mythology!
June 5, 2022
A good introduction to Roman mythology and a book full of great pictures.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
August 2, 2022
"Roman Myths" by Martin J. Dougherty was fascinatingly informative. The Roman empire is well known for multiple foundations of modern western civilization. Well known examples include engineering projects that last millennia, philosophy, literature, military strategy, and governmental approaches such as democracy, Even though the tales of Roman gods and mythology are also well known and clearly permeate Western culture, until reading this book I didn't realize both how foundational these are, and simultaneously how alien Roman culture was!
First, the alien side of Roman culture, it is not surprising that they worshiped multiple gods. Yet, I was surprised at how deeply this was a part of daily life. Apparently, ongoing worship and sacrifices to the many gods was considered a part of daily life for both countries, the military, businesses, and individuals from the lowest to the highest. Cities had multiple temples to the various gods, each of whom constantly demanded attention or there may be godly punishment. This aspect of Roman culture absolutely feels at odds with the image of the modern scientific side of Roman civilization. Also surprisingly, they apparently had no concept of either a work week with weekends off nor planned vacation days. H0wever, this was more than overcome by many festivals to the appease these gods. From the descriptions in this book, it seems that the Romans had many many more work holidays than the modern Western worker. Even more amazing was the use of preemptive religious worship as a military weapon where the Romans established temples to gods indigenous to their enemies and proceeded to "out-worship" their enemies to achieve military victory with the assistance of these indigenous gods!
Regarding how familiar the Roman gods seem to the modern reader, I was surprised to learn that Flora and Fauna are actually the roman gods of flowers and animals. Similarly, I was surprised to learn that Nemesis is the goddess of retribution!
Although this book is liberally decorated with historical art, it is an insightful text that offers an informative view into the religious views of the ancient Roman people.
I absolutely recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in Roman culture, as well as those that want to learn more about the foundations of modern Western culture.
I thank Martin J. Dougherty and Amber Books for kindly providing a temporary electronic review copy of this work.
First, the alien side of Roman culture, it is not surprising that they worshiped multiple gods. Yet, I was surprised at how deeply this was a part of daily life. Apparently, ongoing worship and sacrifices to the many gods was considered a part of daily life for both countries, the military, businesses, and individuals from the lowest to the highest. Cities had multiple temples to the various gods, each of whom constantly demanded attention or there may be godly punishment. This aspect of Roman culture absolutely feels at odds with the image of the modern scientific side of Roman civilization. Also surprisingly, they apparently had no concept of either a work week with weekends off nor planned vacation days. H0wever, this was more than overcome by many festivals to the appease these gods. From the descriptions in this book, it seems that the Romans had many many more work holidays than the modern Western worker. Even more amazing was the use of preemptive religious worship as a military weapon where the Romans established temples to gods indigenous to their enemies and proceeded to "out-worship" their enemies to achieve military victory with the assistance of these indigenous gods!
Regarding how familiar the Roman gods seem to the modern reader, I was surprised to learn that Flora and Fauna are actually the roman gods of flowers and animals. Similarly, I was surprised to learn that Nemesis is the goddess of retribution!
Although this book is liberally decorated with historical art, it is an insightful text that offers an informative view into the religious views of the ancient Roman people.
I absolutely recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in Roman culture, as well as those that want to learn more about the foundations of modern Western culture.
I thank Martin J. Dougherty and Amber Books for kindly providing a temporary electronic review copy of this work.
June 13, 2022
Roman Myths: Gods, Heroes, Villains and Legends of Ancient Rome, by Martin J Dougherty, is a wonderful introduction to Roman mythology for those wanting a nice foundation without studying the texts or the history in detail.
We encounter many references to mythology, and often Roman mythology, so having a solid grounding is helpful in understanding those references. Not to mention mythology is an interesting area, both for the stories themselves and for the glimpse they offer into the ancient mindset.
I remember a couple of survey courses many years ago and there would be some myths that intrigued me and some that didn't, yet those courses, because they offered the big picture, were always interesting. This book falls into that type of experience. Engaging and very interesting, with a lot of visuals that help show how these myths, and the gods in them, came to be of interest to other cultures well after ancient Rome was no more.
If you want an attractive introduction or light single volume overview this book will satisfy those needs. It also offers many jumping off points for the reader to delve deeper into whatever myths are particularly of interest. This isn't a textbook and doesn't try to be, but it does offer enough detail to help a reader understand the myths and what they have meant to people over the centuries.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
We encounter many references to mythology, and often Roman mythology, so having a solid grounding is helpful in understanding those references. Not to mention mythology is an interesting area, both for the stories themselves and for the glimpse they offer into the ancient mindset.
I remember a couple of survey courses many years ago and there would be some myths that intrigued me and some that didn't, yet those courses, because they offered the big picture, were always interesting. This book falls into that type of experience. Engaging and very interesting, with a lot of visuals that help show how these myths, and the gods in them, came to be of interest to other cultures well after ancient Rome was no more.
If you want an attractive introduction or light single volume overview this book will satisfy those needs. It also offers many jumping off points for the reader to delve deeper into whatever myths are particularly of interest. This isn't a textbook and doesn't try to be, but it does offer enough detail to help a reader understand the myths and what they have meant to people over the centuries.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
July 31, 2022
In a similar way to a sister book (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), regarding English and British myth, this does not so much tell the stories, but tells the stories of the stories. So don't come here for an Ovidian look at all the quirks and characters of Roman myth, or a new retelling of all Jupiter's little shenanigans with women he wasn't married to. Instead, as we see with the initial talk of prehistory that applies to the whole world as well as just central Italy, we get a history lesson.
So yes, we do learn things from within the stories – certainly Hercules' many labours are presented, albeit in blunt and unadorned form, and the Argonauts have a spell to their own later on, but this book talks of who was worshipping these gods and other entities, where their stories first came from, and who was (many centuries later) writing about such things and keeping them so prominent in our mind today.
Such a dry-sounding thing is definitely not that, and that only partly due to the wonderful picture research and selection, packing many of the pages out with classical representations, sculptures and paintings alike, of all the events of the legends. So you do get a sense of the folkloric tales' contents, but definitely the knowledge needed to understand why they came about, and a mind focused on those writing, reciting and worshipping in accordance with them. A strong four stars.
So yes, we do learn things from within the stories – certainly Hercules' many labours are presented, albeit in blunt and unadorned form, and the Argonauts have a spell to their own later on, but this book talks of who was worshipping these gods and other entities, where their stories first came from, and who was (many centuries later) writing about such things and keeping them so prominent in our mind today.
Such a dry-sounding thing is definitely not that, and that only partly due to the wonderful picture research and selection, packing many of the pages out with classical representations, sculptures and paintings alike, of all the events of the legends. So you do get a sense of the folkloric tales' contents, but definitely the knowledge needed to understand why they came about, and a mind focused on those writing, reciting and worshipping in accordance with them. A strong four stars.
June 13, 2022
Thuis is a great text! It's full of photographs and art to complement the passages. The first thing that stood out to me is the use of BCE and CE, rather than BC and AD. I really appreciated that. I also quite enjoyed the writing style. While this is an informative and educational text, it is not written in the typical, dry, boring way many textbooks are.
I loved that it was comprehensive and chronological, and explained things in an easy to understand way. This makes it perfect for someone lacking a background in Roman history. I also think the inclusion of art was a great idea. It not only offers a visualization to accompany the text, it also means this book covers Art History as well.
I would recommend this book for anyone interested in Ancient Roman History, Art History, or Mythology. The knowledge of mythology is even important for those interested in art, as mythology greatly influenced the art world. This can both be seen in the remaining artifacts of ancient rome, such as sculptures of gods and goddesses, and in the influence of later works, such neoclassical art.
This text would be appropriate for secondary students and college level students. I will likely include this in my child's classical homeschool curriculum. I'm eager to explore other texts written by this author.
I loved that it was comprehensive and chronological, and explained things in an easy to understand way. This makes it perfect for someone lacking a background in Roman history. I also think the inclusion of art was a great idea. It not only offers a visualization to accompany the text, it also means this book covers Art History as well.
I would recommend this book for anyone interested in Ancient Roman History, Art History, or Mythology. The knowledge of mythology is even important for those interested in art, as mythology greatly influenced the art world. This can both be seen in the remaining artifacts of ancient rome, such as sculptures of gods and goddesses, and in the influence of later works, such neoclassical art.
This text would be appropriate for secondary students and college level students. I will likely include this in my child's classical homeschool curriculum. I'm eager to explore other texts written by this author.
August 11, 2022
Much more than I expected…
I was completely enthralled with this read. Not only did it cover Roman mythology but also how it was intertwined into everyday life and how it became part of Roman history. Romulus and Remus – one of the first myths I remember learning – remains a sentimental favourite and where this journey began. With beautiful, stunning really, illustrations and artwork, their story and the birth of Rome came to life…
Not a dry textbook, but instead a colorful, well-written journey through what was real, what wasn’t and what lay between the two. History should be black and white but that is usually never the case, is it? Few can agree on all the details and interpretations color any perspective. Here was a methodical, chronological, walk through it all.
Highly entertaining, I read the e-book but have the hardcover now on my wish list. The visuals were amazing – colorful, full of detail and life - and I can’t wait to view and reread it all over again!
If you love history and mythology, or simply a beautiful and interesting read, I would highly recommend.
*I happily reviewed this book
**Thank you to NetGalley
I was completely enthralled with this read. Not only did it cover Roman mythology but also how it was intertwined into everyday life and how it became part of Roman history. Romulus and Remus – one of the first myths I remember learning – remains a sentimental favourite and where this journey began. With beautiful, stunning really, illustrations and artwork, their story and the birth of Rome came to life…
Not a dry textbook, but instead a colorful, well-written journey through what was real, what wasn’t and what lay between the two. History should be black and white but that is usually never the case, is it? Few can agree on all the details and interpretations color any perspective. Here was a methodical, chronological, walk through it all.
Highly entertaining, I read the e-book but have the hardcover now on my wish list. The visuals were amazing – colorful, full of detail and life - and I can’t wait to view and reread it all over again!
If you love history and mythology, or simply a beautiful and interesting read, I would highly recommend.
*I happily reviewed this book
**Thank you to NetGalley
August 21, 2022
This was a very good book packed full of brilliant and interesting information and facts. I learnt so much from reading it that it made me so happy. I just loved all the pictures that accompanied the text. With some fantastic artwork that really brought that extra dimension to the book. What I found very interesting was that alot of roman and Greek mythology is the same so who robbed it of who. Knowing the Romans a little im sure they just borrowed it lol. I found the section on God's brilliant as I knew Romans followed a lot but having that extra information was just great as they were explaining backed pictures so well. I really do recommend this book if you are interested in learning more about Roman mythology. I found it funny how I already knew of some stories and hadn't associated them with the Romans.
It was a perfect blend of facts to pictures to make for a very good read.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this very informative and interesting book. That will look great on anyone's coffee table or bookcase.
It was a perfect blend of facts to pictures to make for a very good read.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this very informative and interesting book. That will look great on anyone's coffee table or bookcase.
May 3, 2023
Decent overview of Roman myths and its relationship and debt to the older system of Greek mythology. Dougherty offers some historical background information as well, noting how the lines between myth and history, and myth and literature were pretty porous for ancient writers. Roman religious festivals and their connection to various gods and goddesses are also discussed, as is Greco-Roman contributions to the nomenclature and lore of Western constellations. I do find it curious that the author does not apply a similar analysis to days of the week and months of the year, as the later still retain their Roman names in many languages. The book is at its best when recounting the stories themselves, and acknowledging the many variant forms those stories took. The illustrations (mostly works from and since the Renaissance) are lovely, and show how classical mythology continues to inspire artists.
October 9, 2022
From what I can gather the book seems to be a coffee table book. The art was nice and the layout was good. Though I would question some of the sections that would take up a page between the main body of the text. Often rather than adding to the subject being discussed, it interrupted the flow. Once done, I often found that I had to re-read the previous section to refresh my memory.
It's not a book I would read cover to cover again. Its something you would peruse on the off chance. Due to the formatting, I would also probably not recommend it as a beginner text. It's okay at best. It's aesthetically pleasing, but there are better books out there for someone who wishes to learn about roman mythology.
It's not a book I would read cover to cover again. Its something you would peruse on the off chance. Due to the formatting, I would also probably not recommend it as a beginner text. It's okay at best. It's aesthetically pleasing, but there are better books out there for someone who wishes to learn about roman mythology.
January 3, 2025
VERY pretty book, though reading through it some of the formatting was a bit weird - specifically the full-page sidebar sections that would completely interrupt prior sentences or topics.
a good primer for those unfamiliar with roman mythology, and a nice refresher for those who are. The stories came off as heavily simplified or at times sanitized, however this is not and was never meant to be a textbook. Honestly, considering the sheer breadth of information this book set out to cover, I'd argue it did a really good job. Did that make it a *joy* to read? no, not really. but i respect it nonetheless :)
a good primer for those unfamiliar with roman mythology, and a nice refresher for those who are. The stories came off as heavily simplified or at times sanitized, however this is not and was never meant to be a textbook. Honestly, considering the sheer breadth of information this book set out to cover, I'd argue it did a really good job. Did that make it a *joy* to read? no, not really. but i respect it nonetheless :)
August 9, 2024
Za mě byla tahle knížka hrozně slabá. Čekala jsem asi víc. Je pravda, že o tomto tématu toho čtu celkem dost, ale stejně jsem čekala nějakou.. zajímavější knihu. Ovšem pro někoho, kdo o římské mytologii moc neví a rád by se o ní něco dozvěděl, bude tahle kniha perfektní, s hromadou úžasných fotek různých artefaktů a umění.
August 16, 2022
It’s a solid book, but if you know a bit about Roman or greek mythology you might find it a bit boring.
It’s good for someone just getting into things. The art is great!
It’s good for someone just getting into things. The art is great!
Read
October 2, 2023– čteno v rámci spolupráce s knihkupectvím Luxor
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews