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Product Description
This handy reference provides full access to the 1,200 years of Roman rule from the 8th century B.C. to the 5th century A.D., including information that is hard to find and even harder to decipher. Clear, authoritative, and highly organized, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome provides a unique look at a civilization whose art, literature, law, and engineering influenced the whole of Western Europe throughout the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and beyond. The myriad topics covered include rulers; the legal and governmental system; architectural feats such as the famous Roman roads and aqueducts; the many Roman religions and festivals; the Roman system of personal names; contemporary poets and historians; even typical Roman leisure pursuits. Each chapter includes an extensive bibliography, as well as more than 125 site-specific photographs and line drawings. Maps chart the expansion and contraction of the territory from the foundation city of Rome itself to the Byzantine Empire and the ultimate decline of the West.
Combining both archaeological and historical evidence, the Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome is perfect for anyone interested in Roman history, the classics, or an overview of the amazing period in which the Romans ruled.
Amazon.com Review
Archaeologists Lesley and Roy Adkins offer a sweeping overview of the Roman world in Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. The authors, whose previous books include Dictionary of Roman Religion, An Introduction to Archaeology, and Handbook to Life in Ancient Greece, draw upon both archaeological and historical evidence to provide an authoritative and engaging look at an empire that lasted some 1,200 years and formed the basis for the development of Western jurisprudence and governmental systems.
The chapters are arranged thematically, and cover the republic, military affairs, geography, town and countryside, travel and trade, writing, religion, economy and industry, and everyday life. Within each chapter the authors cover an exhaustive range of subtopics. For instance, in the chapter on towns and countryside, one can find information that spans from the planning and construction of aqueducts to the furnishings found in the typical Roman apartment. Though each entry is fairly short, the authors include extensive bibliographies at the end of each chapter, as well as over 125 photographs, line drawings, and maps to round out the picture. Informative and entertaining, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome is an illuminating guide to the Roman world.
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