Classical Civilization: Rome

Nardo, Don. Classical Civilization: Rome. 2012. 128p. ISBN 978-1-5993-5174-2. Available on the library shelves at 937 NAN.

Rome occupies a mythical place in the history of Western Civilization. The heart of the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire, Rome’s legacy is not only amazing monuments of marble and stone, but also a large body of literary, cultural and legal works. The Romans left us laws, forms of government, classical architecture, Latin and its offsprings the Romance languages, and its religion.

This concise book explores all of these topics in details. It provides a brief history of Ancient Rome, before presenting information on government and laws and its cities and urban life. Its precise and grandiose style of architecture is explored, and building techniques that were not exceeded until the 1800s are presented. Rome’s road network, which was not surpassed until railroads appeared in the 1820s, helped the Empire hold the various provinces under its dominion together and move its armies around quickly.

The rise of Latin and those that evolved from it, including French, Spanish, Italian, Portugese and Romanian is thoroughly discussed, while Roman literature which survived is also analyzed. Finally, the rise of Christianity and its adoption as the Empire’s only religion helped Latin and Roman customs survive well beyond the fall of the Western Empire in the 400s.

Rome’s history and accomplishments continue to fascinate, and this book helps provide an overview of the multifaceted importance of its legacy.

Nardo also wrote Games of Ancient Rome, a fascinating look at the violent and dangerous sports that entertained the ancient Romans.