About the Book
Beginning with the founding of Rome, each chapter features important figures- including Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Hadrian to discuss the evolution of the republic, Greek influences, and rise of Christianity. Chapters on gladiatorial games, business, and class conflict balance out sections covering emperors, wars, and conquests. Numerous illustrations and full-color photographs of site, artifacts, and period artwork bring the time period to life for readers. The
engaging and accessible writing, combined with sourced quotations make it a useful resource for research and discovery.
About the Author :
Ronald Mellor, who is Professor of History at UCLA, first became enthralled with ancient history as a student at Regis High School in New York City. He is the statewide Faculty Advisor of the California History-Social Science Project, which brings university faculty together with K-12 teachers at sites throughout California. In 2000, the American Historical Association awarded the CHSSP the Albert J. Beveridge Award for K-12 teaching. Professor
Mellor has held fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Council of Learned Societies. His research has centered on ancient religion and Roman historiography. His books include: Theia
Rhome: The Goddess Roma in the Greek World (1975); From Augustus to Nero: The First Dynasty of Imperial Rome (1990); Tacitus 1993); Tacitus: The Classical Heritage (1995); The Historians of Ancient Rome (1997); and The Roman Historians (1999). Born in New Orleans, Marni McGee grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her love of words began in childhood. She remembers sitting around the dinner table at night with her father, mother, older sister, and younger brother--all talking about the day. Along with the fried chicken and grits were dishes of laughter, teasing, memories, and stories. Many of her books spring from these family experiences. She began writing children's books in 1974 and has been a full-time writer
since 1994. Her work--published in the United States, United Kingdom, and Korea--includes award-winning picture books, easy readers, poetry, and historical fiction.
Review :
"Numerous books deal with ancient Rome, but this volume from the World in Ancient Times series has the advantage of being more readable, more complete, and more attractive than most.... The book is more accessible than many volumes on the subject; the writing is quite engaging, with plenty of sourced quotations....A promising start to a new series." --Booklist
"A professional historian and a YA novelist pair off to kick a wide-angle history of Rome up a notch. The result makes livelier-than-average reading....Supported by plenty of color photos -- either of ancient artifacts or Neoclassical reconstructions of pivotal events, closely based on cited ancient sources -- and incorporating many recent discoveries, this will make a solid update or replacement for older conventional
surveys."--Kirkus Reviews
"...at makes this book accessible is the lively writing.. Many quotes from ancient writers also add interest. Chapters on gladiatorial games, business, and class conflict balance other more purely historical sections covering emperors, wars, and conquests. The numerous illustrations include full-color photographs and reproductions of sites, artifacts, period artwork, and an occasional movie still. There are also a number of simple maps. A
comprehensive index adds to the book's usefulness for research and reports. Don Nardo's From Founding to Fall: A History of Rome (Lucent, 2003) is less comprehensive." -- School Library Journal
"With the continuing discoveries of archaeologists and researchers, history is constantly changing...and so is `narning about history thanks to this series." --Growing Minds
"For fans of Joy Hakim's wonderful History of US series, Oxford University Press is publishing The World in Ancient Times, the multi-volume world history equivalent....This series is a great idea." -- Home Education
"Numerous books deal with ancient Rome, but this volume from the World in Ancient Times series has the advantage of being more readable, more complete, and more attractive than most....Includes chapters on important figures, such as Julius Caesar, Augustus, Hadrian, and on such topics as the Etruscans, the evolution of the republic, Greek influences, slavery, and the rise of Christianity....The book is more accessible than many volumes on the subject; the
writing is quite engaging, with plenty of sourced quotations. It's a promising start to a new series, to be followed by volumes on China and Greece, which will also be written by a historian in tandem with
an author who writes for young adults." --Booklist
"Twenty-six chapters covering the history of Rome from its founding to its fall make this volume somewhat more inclusive than many other works for this audience. What makes this book accessible is the lively writing. The story of Spartacus and his slave revolt, for example, is told without embellishment, but in a narrative form that brings it alive. Many quotes from ancient writers also add interest. Chapters on gladiatorial games, business, and class conflict
balance other more purely historical sections covering emperors, wars, and conquests. The numerous illustrations include full-color photographs and reproductions of sites, artifacts, period artwork,
and an occasional movie still. There are also a number of simple maps. A comprehensive index adds to the book's usefulness for research and reports. Don Nardo's From Founding to Fall: A History of Rome (Lucent, 2003) is less comprehensive." -- School Library Journal
