Rome

by Amanda Claridge, Judith Toms (Contributor), Tony Cubberley (Contributor)

Capital and showcase of the Roman Empire and the center of Christian Europe, the city of Rome is the largest archaeological site in the world. In the new Second Edition of her popular handbook, Amanda Claridge again presents an indispensable guide to all significant monuments in Rome dating from 800 BC to 600 AD, including such breathtaking structures as the Capitoline Hill, the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the Mausoleums of Augustus and Hadrian, the Circus Maximus, and the Catacombs. Featuring over 220 high-quality maps, site plans, diagrams, and photographs, the edition is divided into fourteen main areas, with star ratings to help you plan your visit in advance. The book also features glossaries of architectural terms, information about opening times, suggestions for further reading, and much more. The Second Edition has been extensively revised--the author has added more than 20 new sites and illustrations, re-organized and expanded the itineraries to suit the many changes that have taken place in the past decade, and fully updated the practical information.
Features:

Genres: History, Archaeology, Travel, Italy, Nonfiction, Reference, Ancient History

560 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was exactly what I wanted! It was invaluable when walking around Campo Marzio and other sites that aren't part of the Forum and Palatine Hill, since I'm new to Roman archaeology. My favorite detail was at the Pantheon: if you walk around to the back, you can see a marble frieze with dolphins and seashells on it. Scholars thus believe that the Basilica of Neptune originally stood there.

I found the maps a little difficult to parse, especially in the Forum, because you're set on a specific route. The order in which sites are listed also caused quite a bit of flipping back and forth. But overall, I was really glad that I carried this around with me while in Rome.

[Cory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a guide for the typical tourist in Rome, nor is it the kind of book that you'd read front-to-back. Think of it more like a high-quality reference for visitors to Rome who have at least a passing background in ancient history, and a strong interest in Roman archeology.

Each chapter is designed to be read while you explore a different region of the Eternal City; there are maps and (very brief) instructions to walk you from one highlight to the next. You'll find plenty of technical information about major sites like the Forums and the Colosseum, but even better are all the little-known gems you can track down if you've got the patience and stamina. You'll find bits of ancient temples embedded in the walls of modern buildings, traces of old aqueducts, and remains of classical statues tucked away in alleys and side-streets. You can even find the exact spot where Caesar was assassinated, though there isn't much to see, since it's under a road now.

The only downside to this book is its age. As others have mentioned, it is badly in need of a second edition. Most of the information related to the various ruins and excavation sites is still correct, but it is sometimes incomplete. Much worse are the sections describing the various museums in Rome. These are now largely unusable, as most of the museums have long ago reorganized their collections.

Nonetheless, this book is still the best reference of its type that I know of.

[Pedro Ceneme · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is outstanding! I thoroughly recommend this for any history buff that will visit the Eternal City and is particularly interest in the Roman period. Amanda Claridge will guide you through countless sights and neighborhoods of Rome, providing a very extensive historical perspective, such as building techniques and materials (and their sources), political, religious and social context as well as any changes in these throughout time, as it was frequent for buildings that stood ~2000 years in use.

The book is expertly organized around different regions in Rome, zooming into the different buildings (some not easily seen, if at all) of each area. Each section has an overview map with labels, many pictures, illustrations, and drawings to better explain how the building looked like, how was decorated and how it fitted with the environment around it. Texts vary in depth and length, but all strike a very nice balance between detail and brevity. This makes the book extremely readable and a nice companion to bring along when visiting such sites.

Having recently being to Rome, I cannot recommend this book enough: it massively improved my trip experience. Knowing details of how the buildings functioned, in what context and how that change gives you an enormously different perspective. The possibility of checking the text during the visit makes all the more enjoyable. If possible, I would recommend you read and highlight the most interesting parts, specially of the sights you intend to see. Not only you will help you prioritize in a city that has far too much to be seen even in a month, but you will arrive already armed with some knowledge and will help you to refresh your knowledge faster during the visit. The chapters on the areas in and around the Forum (Capitoline Hill, Palatine Hill), Campus Martius, Caelian and Viminal were the highlights, but the entire book is a joy to read and extremely useful for any tourist that wants to go deep into the historical Rome.

[Susan Paxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Likely I will never get to Rome, but if I do this book will be in my luggage, and it ought to be in the luggage of anyone heading there who has even a remote interest in the archaeology of the city. The book may seem a bit thick, but there are many riches here: it opens with a historical overview followed by an illustrated glossary of terms that will be helpful for understanding both what you see and the terminology you might encounter. This introductory material is followed by a detailed guide to archaeological sites in Rome, organized by region. You'll learn quickly that yes, while you have to see the Imperial fora and the Colosseum and the Pantheon, there are many other jewels that you might find more interesting and that are likely less crowded with clueless tourists waving their iJunk and posting selfies to Facebook. Sites outside the walls of Rome are also covered briefly, including many of the catacombs, and there is also a guide to museums. A must-have, and, just in case I do have the chance, it will be waiting on my shelves.

[Sam Hilfiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic introduction to the layout of the ancient city and the details of the architecture as well as some of the history. This book does need a new edition to include more recent finds, but it's an excellent introduction and includes all of the major sites you want to read about. Also, it's very much a reference book, so do't expect it to be a page turner or to give extensive historical context. However, if you have an interest in Roman city archaeology, it's an absolute essential for the library.

[Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally found this book while writing a paper on a former fountain (it's the Meta Sudans , for those who'd like to know more) in Rome. While the book doesn't provide information as comprehensive as you'd expect from an excavation report from an archaeological site, I could definitely imagine myself utilizing it while doing some in-depth explorations in Rome. I recommend those who intend to visit the Eternal City with the spirit of a classical archaeologist to get this book, it'll come in real handy.

[Mark Mellon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone with a serious interest in antiquarian Rome who plans to visit there should get this book., an invaluable guide for in-depth background on nearly every site, making allowances for subsequent discoveries since the book is over twenty years old. It's still extremely useful!

[Carl Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this book. It’s my No. 1 go to reference book on the city of Rome. I use it in my classical university studies. I use it when I walk around Rome. I use it as evening fun!

Highly recommended. Thorough writing. Easy to understand. Great graphics. Exhaustive.

[Max Alexander · Rating 1 out of 5]

Appalling Kindle conversion

Unacceptable for a Kindle edition to retain hard-copy page refs (“see page 25” etc). Memo to publisher: Kindle books aren’t free. Format them properly.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant guide to have handy while in Rome. All those random sites you were wondering about, this has the answers.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you going to Rome? Because you are going to want this book! Claridge has done a wonderful job of collecting all the notable (and so notable) sites of Rome into this easy to carry volume. You'll find yourself dog-earring pages and underlining passages, as you explore the city.

People are going to say, oh you'll forget to enjoy the sights of Rome with your nose buried in a book. Well, I say, to hell with them! You'll know exactly what is in front of you and how old it is and read the history of the monument or statue, etc.

Highly recommended as a great supplement for a tour of Rome. Ciao!

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent source of information for the archaeological sites of Rome. While technically a work of scholarship, it also doubles as a useful guide for tourists of the Eternal City due to Claridge's clarity and reasonably non-technical language. You won't find mountains of technical terms in this book, but it still conveys a lot of information. My only criticism is that it is now rather out of date given the amount of work that has been done on the archaeological sites of Rome in the last 10 years. However no better successor has yet appeared.

[Chelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how well laid out this book is. It is great for anyone interested in traveling to Rome, or just has a general interest in the subject. If you try to read it straight through, it can get tiring because it is still written like an encyclopedia. It is very informative and I will keep it for many years to come!

[Door Person · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything you've ever wanted to know about ancient Rome and its environs but were afraid to ask. Seriously. This may be an overview, but Claridge accomplishes in a the few pages she devotes to eat subject what some scholars can't accomplish in chapters.

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book but is badly in need of a second edition, because of all of the excavations and ideas that have been published since 1998 (the original publication date).

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

An encyclopediac account of Roman ancient sites and ruins. I'll update this review when we return from our trip, but so far has been invaluable in planning days and walking trips around Rome.

[DMae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the basic book for learning about basic Roman archaeology.

[Paula Landart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily accessible, comprehensive.