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SPQR

A History of Ancient Rome

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SPQR

By: Mary Beard
Narrated by: Phyllida Nash
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Sunday Times top 10 best seller.

Shortlisted for a British Book Industry Book of the Year Award 2016.

The new series Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit is on BBC2.

Ancient Rome matters.

Its history of empire, conquest, cruelty and excess is something against which we still judge ourselves. Its myths and stories - from Romulus and Remus to the Rape of Lucretia - still strike a chord with us. And its debates about citizenship, security and the rights of the individual still influence our own debates on civil liberty today.

SPQR is a new look at Roman history from one of the world's foremost classicists. It explores not only how Rome grew from an insignificant village in Central Italy to a power that controlled territory from Spain to Syria, but also how the Romans thought about themselves and their achievements, and why they are still important to us. Covering 1,000 years of history and casting fresh light on the basics of Roman culture from slavery to running water, as well as exploring democracy, migration, religious controversy, social mobility and exploitation in the larger context of the empire, this is a definitive history of ancient Rome.

SPQR is the Romans' own abbreviation for their state: Senatus Populusque Romanus, 'the Senate and People of Rome'.

©2016 Mary Beard (P)2016 Hachette Audio UK Ancient
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Mary Beard does such a wonderful job giving just the right balance of conceptual understanding and detailed explanation of many facets of ancient Rome. And although she is so erudite and such a profound expert on the topic, she presents the stories and explanations in clear, accessible, and non-intimidating ways. So enjoyable.

Fascinating portrait of first century of ancient Rome

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The book is pretty good and lives up to its reputation. Be warned though: The reader is not for everyone. Her reading pauses at commas are often so long that they sound like full stops which can really throw off the rhythm and makes many sentences hard to make sense of

Worthwhile and gripping

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Ein tolles Buch, um einen groben Überblick über die römische Geschichte zu bekommen. Es glänzt am stärksten, wenn es die Geschichte Roms mit den Schicksalen und Charakteren einzelner Personen verknüpft und ist am schwächsten, wenn es (vor allem im letzten Drittel) dann doch eher aus Aufzählungen als aus koheränten Erzählungen oder Analysen besteht.

Ein guter Überblick der gegen Ende ein bisschen an Struktur verliert

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i loved the detailed description and analysis. the focus not only on the elites, but the popr, slaves, women. it's a masterpiece about Rome from its beginning to 212ad

Amazing history. Brings Rome to life

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