Summary

Ancient Rome is important because it still helps to define the way think about ourselves and our world; it continues to underpin Western culture and politics. For example, Rome has bequeathed to us ideas of liberty, citizenship, politics, and imperialism. The history of Rome has evolved and changed over the years as various historians bring their unique perspectives and priorities to the subject; furthermore, new archeological discoveries are changing our understandings regularly. In her contribution to this history, Mary Beard, explores how Rome grew and sustained its position for so long. She also confronts some of the myths and half-truths about Ancient Rome. Beard notes that the history of Rome is not the same as the history of Roman Britain, for example. This book focuses on the city of Rome and on Roman Italy, with some inclusion of the perspectives...