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Why We're All Romans: The Roman Contribution to the Western World
This engaging yet deeply informed work not only examines Roman history and the multitude of Roman achievements in rich and colorful detail but also delineates their crucial and lasting impact on Western civilization. Noted historian Carl J. Richard argues that although we Westerners are "all Greeks" in politics, science, philosophy, and literature and "all Hebrews" in morality and spirituality, it was the Romans who made us Greeks and Hebrews.
As the author convincingly shows, from the Middle Ages on, most Westerners received Greek ideas from Roman sources. Similarly, when the Western world adopted the ethical monotheism of the Hebrews, it did so at the instigation of a Roman citizen named Paul, who took advantage of the peace, unity, stability, and roads of the empire to proselytize the previously pagan Gentiles, who quickly became a majority of the religion's adherents. Although the Roman government of the first century crucified Christ and persecuted Christians, Rome's fourth- and fifth-century leaders encouraged the spread of Christianity throughout the Western world.
In addition to making original contributions to administration, law, engineering, and architecture, the Romans modified and often improved the ideas they assimilated. Without the Roman sense of social responsibility to temper the individualism of Hellenistic Greece, classical culture might have perished, and without the Roman masses to proselytize and the social and material conditions necessary to this evangelism, Christianity itself might not have survived.
As the author convincingly shows, from the Middle Ages on, most Westerners received Greek ideas from Roman sources. Similarly, when the Western world adopted the ethical monotheism of the Hebrews, it did so at the instigation of a Roman citizen named Paul, who took advantage of the peace, unity, stability, and roads of the empire to proselytize the previously pagan Gentiles, who quickly became a majority of the religion's adherents. Although the Roman government of the first century crucified Christ and persecuted Christians, Rome's fourth- and fifth-century leaders encouraged the spread of Christianity throughout the Western world.
In addition to making original contributions to administration, law, engineering, and architecture, the Romans modified and often improved the ideas they assimilated. Without the Roman sense of social responsibility to temper the individualism of Hellenistic Greece, classical culture might have perished, and without the Roman masses to proselytize and the social and material conditions necessary to this evangelism, Christianity itself might not have survived.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 31, 2018
Rating: 4 stars
A surprisingly not-that-dry guide to Roman architecture, history, philosophy, important figures, and more. I used this book as a reference guide during my Classical Civilizations course, and it was a great help. There were tons of interesting facts in here. I loved the connections that the author made to present day American and our founding fathers.
I recommend for history nerds and Roman nerds...so me, basically. Again, also a great reference guide for classics majors/minors.
A surprisingly not-that-dry guide to Roman architecture, history, philosophy, important figures, and more. I used this book as a reference guide during my Classical Civilizations course, and it was a great help. There were tons of interesting facts in here. I loved the connections that the author made to present day American and our founding fathers.
I recommend for history nerds and Roman nerds...so me, basically. Again, also a great reference guide for classics majors/minors.
June 23, 2015
I really liked this book. It gives reasons why the culture from the Greeks have come down to us through the Romans and were added to by other Romans. Each chapter deals with a different area such as law, literature, and history.
May 14, 2020
"Why We're All Romans" was solid but not spectacular. For the most part, Richard does a good job at proving his central theme: ways in which our modern society is shaped by ancient Rome. There are both good broad points and lots of good little anecdotes. The chapters on Administration and Law, Engineering and Architecture, and the Rise and Romanization of Christianity were my favorites.
A lot of this book focused on Roman literature in its various forms, and I get why that's an important area to look at, but too much of this book was really just a bunch of Roman author literary analysis ("___'s verse was powerful while being playful", that sort of thing). I even like reading some of this ancient literature and yet I found this analysis pedantic. I also found it a bit strange that Richard has obviously spent a considerable amount of time compiling and praising Roman contributions to the world, and yet in the Christianity chapter he is rather critical of Roman influences as corrupters of the religion.
A lot of this book focused on Roman literature in its various forms, and I get why that's an important area to look at, but too much of this book was really just a bunch of Roman author literary analysis ("___'s verse was powerful while being playful", that sort of thing). I even like reading some of this ancient literature and yet I found this analysis pedantic. I also found it a bit strange that Richard has obviously spent a considerable amount of time compiling and praising Roman contributions to the world, and yet in the Christianity chapter he is rather critical of Roman influences as corrupters of the religion.
June 15, 2019
Why We're All Romans: The Roman Contribution to the Western World is a survey of the intellectual heritage of the classical world written from a (mostly unobtrusive) Christian and politically conservative perspective. Richard usually begins his topical chapters with a survey of Greek precursors and concludes them with an examination of the classical impact on modern (and especially, American) culture. Besides names one would expect to find in the index of such a book, there are references to John Calvin, Thomas Aquinas, Francis Bacon, John C. Calhoun, Winston Churchill, Elijah, Isaiah, Diderot, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther, Forrest McDonald, Molière, Montaigne, St. Paul, Jonathan Swift, and George Washington. Richard’s prose is clear and engaging, and his big ideas are almost beyond debate. Presumably, Richard and his publisher were aiming at some subset of the proverbial general reader because there are no citations beyond translation acknowledgments.
May 31, 2024
Fast-paced and impressively informative given the incredible scope of its ambition. This book is an excellent introduction to Western Civilization's Roman heritage.
My only slight critique is that the final section on Christianity went on much longer than I anticipated; and the rationale for the discursus wasn't obvious.
Don't get me wrong, the section on Christianity was equally interesting. I'd happily read a history of Christianity by Richard, I just didn't get how it "fit" with the rest of the work.
My only slight critique is that the final section on Christianity went on much longer than I anticipated; and the rationale for the discursus wasn't obvious.
Don't get me wrong, the section on Christianity was equally interesting. I'd happily read a history of Christianity by Richard, I just didn't get how it "fit" with the rest of the work.
February 10, 2025
I wish that it would not have contributed so much acquisitiveness to our culture, but maybe it was already there? Interesting thoughts on how the Romans came to be considered so worthy of emulation.
January 7, 2013
"Why We're All Romans" is an interesting collection of some of Rome (and Greece's) biggest accomplishments and is presented in a well-written and entertaining manner. While I've read a fair number of books on Rome, I found quite a bit of new information and generally found this book to be a very worthwhile read. I'm going to sound a bit spoiled when I suggest a few criticisms of this book, but here goes nothing.
There are a few times where the author's brevity is a disservice to the reader. He describes some of the emperors in too simplistic a fashion. Claudius only gets a few sentences for example which makes both him and his accomplishments seem forgettable when his reign was anything but. At the same time, a few sections go into too much detail. The philosophy section was too much for me. I can remember learning about Plato and Socrates in college, and I still felt overwhelmed by the amount of ideas the author tried to cover. I also have to confess that I've already forgotten most of what I should have learned in that section. Along the same lines, I feel like the last chapter talked too much about Christianity and started to get away from Rome itself. I think a fair number of readers will like the detail here, but as an Agnostic, I could definitely be spared some of the praise for Christianity. These complaints are all minor however. If you're interested in learning of the greatness of Rome and a little about Greece too then I give this book a strong recommendation.
There are a few times where the author's brevity is a disservice to the reader. He describes some of the emperors in too simplistic a fashion. Claudius only gets a few sentences for example which makes both him and his accomplishments seem forgettable when his reign was anything but. At the same time, a few sections go into too much detail. The philosophy section was too much for me. I can remember learning about Plato and Socrates in college, and I still felt overwhelmed by the amount of ideas the author tried to cover. I also have to confess that I've already forgotten most of what I should have learned in that section. Along the same lines, I feel like the last chapter talked too much about Christianity and started to get away from Rome itself. I think a fair number of readers will like the detail here, but as an Agnostic, I could definitely be spared some of the praise for Christianity. These complaints are all minor however. If you're interested in learning of the greatness of Rome and a little about Greece too then I give this book a strong recommendation.
August 3, 2010
I enjoyed this book a lot. The chapters on writing (philosophy, poetry, history, speeches and plays) all give a quick summary of Greek precursors as well as later European and American works which were influenced by the Romans. An interesting review is here - http://www.unrv.com/book-review/why-w....
June 2, 2014
Really fun read! Carl Richard goes through the various famous men of Rome, explaining their significance to their own time, but most importantly how they influenced Western culture, and particularly the American Founding Fathers. Well written!
September 13, 2012
I read this on my Kindle, and it inspired me to buy a hardcopy to display and lend. An excellent little book on the tremendous debt of Western culture in general to Rome. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews