The Romans: An Introduction(Peoples of the Ancient World)

The second edition of The Romans: An Introduction is a concise, readable, and comprehensive survey of the civilization of ancient Rome. It covers more than 1200 years of political and military history, including many of the famous, and infamous, personalities who featured in them. Further, it describes the religions, society, and daily life of the Romans, and their literature, art, architecture, and technology, illustrated by extracts in new translations from Latin and Greek authors of the times. This second edition contains extensive additional and revised material designed to enhance the value of the book to students especially of classical or Roman civilization, Roman history, or elementary Latin, as well as to general readers and students of other disciplines for whom an understanding of the civilization and literature of Rome is desirable. In particular, the chapter on religions has been expanded, as have the sections on the role of women and on Roman social divisions and cultural traditions. There is more, too, on the diversity and administration of the empire at different periods, on changes in the army, and on significant figures of the middle and later imperial eras. New features include a glossary of Latin terms and timelines. Maps have been redrawn and new ones included along with extra illustrations, and reading lists have been revised and updated. The book now has its own dedicated website at www.the-romans.co.uk, which is packed full of additional resources.

Table of Contents:
1. The Origins of Rome 2. The Republic 3. Twelve Caesars 4. Religions and Mythology 5. Society and Daily Life 6. Art, Architecture, and Building 7. Latin Literature 8. The Roman Army 9. The Empire: Stability, Disintegration, Recovery, Fall Appendices Index

About the Author :
Antony Kamm read Classics and English at Oxford University. He was lecturer in publishing studies at the University of Stirling 1988-95. His publications include the Collins Biographical Dictionary of English Literature (1993), The Israelites: an introduction (Routledge1999), The Last Frontier: the Roman invasions of Scotland (2004), and Julius Caesar: a life (Routledge 2006).

Review :
'The Romans joins a field no less crowded today ! It stands out for a number of reasons--it remains affordable, compact ! concise ! and attractively formatted. Its value to the 21st-century newcomer to ancient Rome is enhanced by a user-friendly website featuring supplementary materials in tabbed chapters and subheadings that correspond to the book, digital maps and a gallery of colour images keyed to individual chapters ! The major strength of the new edition, however, remains Kamm's distinctive voice--graceful prose with touches of irreverence and a style that combines analysis of detail with balanced overview ! Never forgetting that we today are "foreigners," Kamm integrates ancient materials and modern analogues into a compelling narrative that is at once intelligent inquiry and absorbing story ! This is an admirable introduction to the Romans for our time. Well-grounded in ancient sources and solid research, it will instruct and delight the general reader and be a popular class text for courses in Roman civilization and history.' -- Ann R. Raia, The Classical Journal 'Based on the book 'The Romans: An Introduction' by Anthony Kamm, this site is packed with nearly 70 pages of information, supported with insightful illustrations and images. The site also features 47 interactive quizzes to test your knowledge along the way... A well designed and easy-to-use site which covers a full range of topics.' - Amazing-grades.com