Narrative Rome recommendations

[Tamur]

hi all,

I'm looking for some recommendations on books regarding "the history of Rome" except I need to explain that a bit.

What I'm looking for is a history that has a strong sense of narrative, or flow. Not fiction, because then one gets into the dreadful realms of deciding what is made up and what is real (or at worst, being completely misinformed as in Iggulden's Caesar series). Instead, I'm looking for a solid history where the writer is not afraid to use the language to its full capacity ("the language" being English, Swedish, or French in this case).

My friend who requested this is interested far more in the spiritual/religious/cultural side of Rome than military or political. She would like to know everything from why Rome's high priest was named after a bridge to what forces helped shape the transfer from family farms to "corporate" estates in the mid-late empire, all without having to skip three hundred years from one sentence to the next.

Not exactly an easy request, and I'm coming up empty, so I thought I'd ask here.

P.S. while I'm asking this for Rome, I'd also be interested to hear if anyone can recommend writers (again, not fiction) who do this for other cultures and periods. The only one I've come across in years of reading is a fellow named Carlo Franzero in a book called "The Life and Times of Tarquin the Etruscan". Solid research for the time he was writing, and beautifully written, but it's covering a very narrow historical range.

[Pannonian]

hi all,

I'm looking for some recommendations on books regarding "the history of Rome" except I need to explain that a bit.

What I'm looking for is a history that has a strong sense of narrative, or flow. Not fiction, because then one gets into the dreadful realms of deciding what is made up and what is real (or at worst, being completely misinformed as in Iggulden's Caesar series). Instead, I'm looking for a solid history where the writer is not afraid to use the language to its full capacity ("the language" being English, Swedish, or French in this case).

My friend who requested this is interested far more in the spiritual/religious/cultural side of Rome than military or political. She would like to know everything from why Rome's high priest was named after a bridge to what forces helped shape the transfer from family farms to "corporate" estates in the mid-late empire, all without having to skip three hundred years from one sentence to the next.

A History of the Roman World, 753 to 146 BC, by HH Scullard

covers the foundation of Rome to the fall of Carthage.

the tradition that Ancus (Marcius) built the first bridge at Rome is reasonable: the fact that this Pons Sublicius was made entirely of wood (sublica means a 'pile') indicates its antiquity, and its construction may be linked with the pontifices, whose name means 'bridge-builders'.

[Tamur]

Many thanks Pannonian! The University here has that title so I'll be checking it out later today.

[Pindar]

For an English speaker the obvious answer is the classic narrative of Edward Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire". The multi volume work covers from the establishment of the empire (32 B.C.E.) to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Gibbon's 10 year project is a late 18th Century work. It is the classic on Roman history and a touchstone for all such history in the English language to follow.

Here is one sited example: a three volume of six volume hardback boxed set: http://www.amazon.com/Decline-Fall-Roman-Empire-vol/dp/0679423087/sr=1-1/qid=1159998081/ref=sr_1_1/104-4953281-5989563?ie=UTF8&s=books

[King of Atlantis]

For an English speaker the obvious answer is the classic narrative of Edward Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire". The multi volume work covers from the establishment of the empire (32 B.C.E.) to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Gibbon's 10 year project is a late 18th Century work. It is the classic on Roman history and a touchstone for all such history in the English language to follow.

Gibbons history is rather outdated and more read for the fact that like you said it has become a model for English History narratives.

A good modern account of the fall of the empire alone is Peter Heather's Fall of the Roman Empire. Peter Heather is one of the foremost Barbarian Historians and his insights paint a very intresting picture of late Antiquity.

[Geoffrey S]

If you're looking for narrative perhaps you could try Tom Holland's Rubicon, but personally I find his historical accuracy and writing style dreadful. But it is a narrative history.

[Tamur]

Forgot to check this thread today, yay for some more suggestions!

I'll give Peter Heather a go. I have read much of Gibbon's work but worried about suggesting that to this friend of mine because she wants something she can read in a couple of days (500 pages being a couple of days for her).

And Geoffrey, I once owned Holland's Rubicon and found it to be rubbish! The endless conjecture very irritating. It in indeed a flowing narrative, but not on a river I wish to go down.

[Mount Suribachi]

Might I add the first volume of the 3 Part "History of Byzantium" by John Julius Norwich, which starts with the young Constantine. It certainly goes into the religious aspect of the late emipire, pagan v christian. The fall of the western empire & various wars against the barbarian migratory tribes is also well covered.

And if by "uses the full extent of the English language" you mean "uses lots of big words you need to look up in the dictionary", then the answer is yes ~:p

[Pindar]

I'll give Peter Heather a go. I have read much of Gibbon's work but worried about suggesting that to this friend of mine because she wants something she can read in a couple of days (500 pages being a couple of days for her).

And Geoffrey, I once owned Holland's Rubicon and found it to be rubbish! The endless conjecture very irritating. It in indeed a flowing narrative, but not on a river I wish to go down.

If Gibbon is out of favor then I think the other option would be volume three of Will Durant's History of Civilization: Cesar and Christ: http://www.amazon.com/Caesar-Christ-Will-Durant/dp/5552124359/ref=ed_oe_h/002-8745472-2504052?ie=UTF8 (it doesn't require any reference to any of the other works in the series) I think it is the best written narrative that fits the criteria you are looking for: covering all aspects of Rome in a good narrative format.

Heather's work is good, (I agree with his basic theses) but it is concerned with the fall of the Western Empire and focuses more on the political/military aspects of things which isn't what your friend was interested in I thought.

Norwich's volume one is also good. It ends right around the beginnings of the Ninth Century if I recall (all the troubles with the Irene) and will include more than Heather on architecture and faith matters.

If your friend is looking for simple exposition of the Roman mind. There is the standard from the Classicist Edith Hamilton: The Roman Way. It is a literary exposition of Rome contrasted with its companion work the Greek Way. http://www.amazon.com/Roman-Way-Edith-Hamilton/dp/0393310787/sr=1-1/qid=1160150356/ref=sr_1_1/002-8745472-2504052?ie=UTF8&s=books


There is also the Oxford Illustrated History: http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Illustrated-History-World-Histories/dp/0192854364/sr=1-12/qid=1160150637/ref=sr_1_12/002-8745472-2504052?ie=UTF8&s=books I've not read it but know it contains a variety of essays on various aspects of Rome.

I think Durant is maybe the best option for your friend.

[Tamur]

Thanks Mount & Pindar, it's great to have a few more options.

And thanks Pindar for the info on Heather. I read a couple of reviews on the book and it looks fascinating... I'm now tempted to get that one for myself immediately and keep looking for the other I need ~:)

[Pindar]

And thanks Pindar for the info on Heather. I read a couple of reviews on the book and it looks fascinating... I'm now tempted to get that one for myself immediately and keep looking for the other I need ~:)


My pleasure sir,

I liked Heather's thesis because I think he rightly rejects the Marxist interpretations of the Fall of the W. Empire and also rightly rejects the 'Gibbonesque' interpretations of the Christianization of the Empire and cultural decay as causative. Rather, he turns the focus to the military arena and the political landscape that informed that arena.