Product Description

The standard textbook for the central period of Roman history. Covers the decline and fall of the Republic and the establishment of the Pax Romana under the early Principate.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18539 in Books
• Published on: 1982-07-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 528 pages

Review
'A classic textbook: clear, authoratative and balanced in its judgements ... it has established itself as the fundamental modern work of reference for teachers, sixth-formers and university students ... it is still the best and most reliable modern account of the period.' - Tim Cornell, University of Manchester

'It remains without a rival as a guide to the intricacies of Republican politics.' - Greg Woolf, University of St Andrews

'This book is a modern classic. It provides a clear narrative of the two centuries from 133 BC to 68 AD, but it is especially valuable for Scullard's extensive footnotes which provide undergraduates with both the ancient sources and the most important scholarly contributions.' - Ron Mellor

From the Back Cover
Scullard's clear and comprehensive narrative covers the period from 133 BC to 69 AD, exploring the decline and fall of the Republic, and the establishment of the Pax Romana under the early Principate. More than forty years after its first publication this masterful survey remains the standard textbook on the central period of Roman history.

Customer Reviews

Good read, slightly outdated in parts.
For anyone wanting a good narrative overview of the last years of the republic and the formative years of the principate this book is very useful. Sullards style is vivid and comfortable to read. However it is now, sadly, outdated and his views on the roman political system, means of social control(clientela)and on non-roman civilisations have now been outgrown by academic research in the twenty years since the last edition. Those wishing to see a more up to date view (for the late republic at least) should see Beard and Crawford's Rome in the late Republic, and perhaps the latest edition of the Cambridge Ancient History Volumes IX,X and XI (although you may have to go to your local library to read these as they are rather expensive). Nonetheless it is still useful to student and non-student alike, even if certain areas should be read with scepticsim, and there is currently no comparable complete overview of the period Scullard covers.

From the Gracchi to Nero
For almost fifty years, H. H. Scullard's text on Roman history, From the Gracchi to Nero: A History of Rome from 133 B.C to A. D. 68, has been a staple of introductory Ancient History courses. Scullard's writing is clear, concise, and for the most part it stays away from embellishment or falling into the trap of creating a coherent narrative. While the endless stream of names, dates, places and times can be difficult to keep track of, the book if collected into a mostly chronological and thematic selection of chapters revolving around a particular topic - The Gracchi, Pompey the Great, Julius Ceasar and so on.

The work is split into roughly two halves. The first deals with the time from the Gracchi brothers and their attempts at social reform, to the Second Triumvirate, when Octavian, Antony and Lepidus combined their power for the good of the Roman Republic. Along the way we learn of Brutus' treachery against Julius Ceasar, we learn of the rise and fall of Marius, who instigated reforms that allowed cracks to form in the previously impregnable Republic, and of poor Sulla.

The second half focuses on Octavian's massive success in making himself the sole ruler of Rome. He destroyed the Republic, shifted the power from the Senate to himself and, to a lesser extend, the People, and he also, somewhat amazingly, set in place a structure that would create peace for two hundred odd years, which would then go on to assist in the creation of modern Europe. Indeed, the 'universal peace' or Pax Romana of 27 B.C. or so until about 180 A.D. has inspired many nations and people's around the world to believe in the possibility of a further universal peace in our own (or their own) time.

These halves are bookended with examinations of the literature, architecture, philosophy and general lifestyles of the times. These parts are perhaps the most relevant for reader's interested in understanding the 'feel' of Ancient Rome during it's most turbulent and difficult times. The wars, betrayals and changes of the period from the Gracchi to Nero inspired names that are still great today - Virgil and his Aeneid, Horace and his satires, Livy and his magnificent history of Rome, Cicero and his speeches, Seneca and his philosophy. Scullard goes to great lengths to show that Ancient Rome was not beholden to Ancient Greece for its genius, instead it built upon the towers of Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and countless more to create its own mythology, its own art, its own method of artistic and creative expression.

How did Rome go from a small city state - of which there were many in Italy at the time - to the massive, 'world' spanning empire that it later became? Scullard surprisingly offers no hard and fast answers to this, though several reasons may be gleaned from the texts. The complex political machinations of the Roman Republic encouraged - almost demanded - that ambitious young men go off in search of war and conquest, and this of course led to ever expanding borders. But it was also the interplay between the Senators, the Consuls, the military and the People which ensured a constant and active debate regarding the spread of wealth and spoils from military activity. And, while it was rare (very rare), a man could rise from relative obscurity to become a 'novus homo' or new man - meaning he had risen to the ranks of the Senate and Consulship.

There are a lot of names and places mentioned throughout the text. At times, it can be overwhelming. Scullard is providing an introductory text, not an exhaustive text, though sometimes it could be wished he had slowed down a little to help put some of the minor players into perspective. The chapters focus on the major figures of the time, which leaves little to those who, while they achieved much and were certainly notable and effective during their lives, have not gone on and entered the pantheon of great Roman statesmen. This is a shame, and detracts from the overall value of the text. It is akin to knowing post-WWII history only through the American Presidents - sure, you would understand the gist of what has occurred in the last sixty years, but you lose a lot of the colour by not also knowing the details of the Russian, the Europeans, the British, and the minor players of all these countries.

In the fifth edition of this work, there are over one hundred pages of notes, which range from standard lists of further texts to read, to summaries of laws, lands, legions and literature. There are other summaries of course; happily, Scullard does not limit himself to the letter l. These notes are not necessary for a full understanding of the text, but they do go some way to combat the criticism that the minor characters are left merely as names and dates.

The fifth edition, published by Routledge, is a handsome book. The pages are thick and creamy, and the binding appears to be very strong. It was a pleasure to read from a utility perspective, as well as from the content within. Scullard's work is served well by Routledge, and both the neophyte Ancient Rome scholar and the casual enthusiast will find something - many things - to enjoy from this work. Well recommended.

A comprehensive overview
Covering perhaps the most significant years of roman power from republic to empire this book is an ambitous attempt at an overview of the society and personalities of that period.As good a read as you will find on the subject as evidenced by the number of reissues of this book.