Product Description

Ancient Rome and the Roman Empire tells the enthralling story of how an insignificant settlement came to be a pre-eminent metropolis, and how a tribe of impoverished shepherds came to rule the world. Having learned to fight for their very survival, the Romans were soon waging war as a way of life: before long, all of Italy was under their command. Across Western Europe, North Africa and the Near East, the legions carried Roman culture wherever they went, building roads and cities and establishing law and order. Yet alongside the civic dignity, the awesome engineering achievements and stunning works of art, a more sinister side of Roman culture could be seen in the arena at the Colosseum, where gladiators fought to the death. Whatever its flaws, the world the Romans built seemed strong and stable enough to last for ever: in the end, though, the eternal city would prove all too mortal. It was another unlikely race of shepherds - nomadic tribesmen far out on the Central Asian steppe - which set in motion the cataclysmic sequence of events that led to Rome's decline and fall. As this fascinating history shows, the legacy the Romans left behind them would live on to influence just about every aspect of our lives in the modern world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #553454 in Books
• Published on: 2001-03-29
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 96 pages

Review
So what have the Romans ever done for us? The answer to that immortal question is contained in this short but informative book. Kerrigan tells the remarkable tale of how an insignificant tribe of shepherds coalesced into a mighty metropolis which then came to rule a large portion of the known world. At its height the Roman Empire unified with a single language and legal system an area stretching from Scotland to Egypt, and from Morocco to the Caspian Sea. Kerrigan details in concise but enlightening manner the considerable achievements and influence of the Romans: their shrewd military tactics and phenomenal feats of engineering, their art and literature, their obsession with hygiene and extravagant cuisine. Yet alongside all this civic dignity was of course the sinister spectacle of the gladiatorial arena, the enduring appeal of which can be seen in the success of Ridley Scott's recent film. It is all too tempting to see in Rome's thirst for blood and all-round decadence the seeds of its decline and eventual destruction, but Kerrigan argues convincingly that the Romans ran a very successful empire on the basis of bread and circuses for almost a thousand years before finally succumbing to the barbarian hordes. The reason for Rome's fall has more to do with demographics, the enforced movement westwards of another race of shepherds - the Huns - affecting Rome's eastern neighbours, the Ostrogoths and Visigoths, and driving them, ultimately, to the very gates of Rome. Packed with fascinating facts, maps, drawings, diagrams and photographs, this slender volume provides an ideal introduction to anyone interested in classical civilizations. (Kirkus UK)

Synopsis
Ancient Rome and the Roman Empire tells the enthralling story of how an insignificant settlement came to be a pre-eminent metropolis, and how a tribe of impoverished shepherds came to rule the world. Having learned to fight for their very survival, the Romans were soon waging war as a way of life: before long, all of Italy was under their command. Across Western Europe, North Africa and the Near East, the legions carried Roman culture wherever they went, building roads and cities and establishing law and order. Yet alongside the civic dignity, the awesome engineering achievements and stunning works of art, a more sinister side of Roman culture could be seen in the arena at the Colosseum, where gladiators fought to the death. Whatever its flaws, the world the Romans built seemed strong and stable enough to last for ever: in the end, though, the eternal city would prove all too mortal. It was another unlikely race of shepherds - nomadic tribesmen far out on the Central Asian steppe - which set in motion the cataclysmic sequence of events that led to Rome's decline and fall. As this fascinating history shows, the legacy the Romans left behind them would live on to influence just about every aspect of our lives in the modern world.

Customer Reviews

Clear. waffle free guide and very good value
I reccommend this book as a first read on Roman history. This book is a cover to cover read, and suits even people like me who don't have lots of time to study or read. You can read through the story to get the overall picture of the events before possibly going deeper into an area of interest in other books or when visiting Rome or sites. The photos illustrate the text and have good informative captions. The text is clear and you will learn quickly. A nice book and great value.

A CONCISE ILLUSTRATED SUMMARY IN UNDER ONE HUNDRED PAGES OF
The time-line on the contents page provides a means os seeing at a glance what is contained in the four sections of the book that are entitled 'The Rise of Rome', 'The Empire Triumphant,' 'The Roman World' and 'Decline and Fall'. Because of its length, one cannot expect detailed treatment of any one topic but this is not the purpose of the author. What is provided is a sequence that runs from the earliest Greek settlements in Italy that preceded the foundation of Rome, through the early years of the establishment of the City , its expansion in the peninsula, its conquest of the lands that formed its empire and its decline and fall in 461AD. On the last two pages there is a gesture in the direction of the Eastern Roman Empire, known as the Byzantine Empire after the fifth century BC, but, apart from a fine coloured photograph of a mosaic, there is no further useful information in this section which is entitled 'The Legacy'. One of the most important features of the book is a large selection of coloured photographs, aalthough they are not listed for easy reference. A section at the back gives information of further reading with short, informative notes about the contents of each book. This volume is adequately indexed. The writing, as one would expect from Michael Kerrigan, is clear, easy-going and scholarly. For anyone looking for a concise account of Rome and its Empire, it is difficult to suggest anything better than this account.