Et tu, Brute? This is one of the most commonly known Latin lines in history. It of course refers to the last statement of Julius Caesar, after being stabbed in the back by his long time friend, Brutus. Of which occurred during one of the most interesting periods of history, the rule of the Roman Empire. This is one of my favorite areas of study, which usually brings enthusiasm to my studies about the great Caesars of old and the battles of the Republic. Usually, but in the case of Edith Hamilton's The Roman Way to Western Civilization, this is not true.

The largest problem with the book is the way in which it was presented to the reader. It is set up to seem like a textbook on Roman civilization and culture, this provides unsurpassable insight into what life would have been at the height of the...