A readable, narrative history of ancient Rome. The framework is the main course of Roman history, from her mythical origins to the effective establishment of the Empire by Augustus and its consolidation by Vespasian, the first non-patrician emperor, in the second half of the first century AD.
It is a book designed to be dipped into easily if the reader is interested in a particular episode or topic. As a study of the Romans it is by no means exhaustive: outside of their wars, politics and personalities it merely glances at their achievements in, for instance, literature, engineering and law.
Above all, the book is intended to show that the Romans were an interesting people, whose history makes a worthwhile study in so many ways, many of which can be surprisingly relevant to the modern world, with which there are striking parallels.
