Reading Guide to the Roman Republic and Empire?

[Capitanloco6]

Dear all,

I was reading yesterday Admiral Piett's great post in which he lists a series of books that a begginner should read in order to get acquainted with the Pacific Theatre of WW2. Recently Semper Victor's posts on Sasssanian history have re-awakened my interest in ancient history in the Mediterranean, so I want to learn more about Rome. I wonder if some of you fellow forumites could also come up with a list of books thorugh which one could learn about Rome, from the beggining of the Republic to the fall of the Western Roman Empire? I would be mostly interested in books which cover 'thematic blocks' such as the fall of the republic, the crisis of the third century, the punic wars, etc. instead of broader (and less deep) single volumes.

 

[cpreston5]

As far as I know HH Scullard's From the Gracchi to Nero is the most common introductory text for university courses on the late Republic/early Principate.

I've found that when googling "class reading list (insert subject)", some universities have lists available on public pages.

 

[Barsoom]

As far as I know HH Scullard's From the Gracchi to Nero is the most common introductory text for university courses on the late Republic/early Principate.

I've found that when googling "class reading list (insert subject)", some universities have lists available on public pages.

Good tip. I live in a university town, it's been my habit to visit the book store at the beginning of each semester to check out the prescribed reading list.

I recently read Gary Forsythe's A Critical History of Early Rome, very insightful. More conventional but still quite interesting is Mary Beard's SPQR. Richard Miles' Ancient Worlds considers Rome together with its archnemesis, while his Carthage Must Be Destroyed gives a good overview of that state's history. In the Penguin History of Europe series (which I recommend for all periods), there's Simon Price and Peter Thonemann, The Birth of Classical Europe, which includes Greece and Rome and fortunately doesn't skip over the Diadochi kingdoms.

 

[Henry IX]

Rome and the Enemy: Imperial Strategy in the Principate by Susan Mattern is an excellent book on Roman diplomacy and imperial policy during the Principate. Although she claims to only be offering commentary on the Principate, the general principals seem to hold well for the Dominate as well as partially explaining why the crisis of the 3rd century spiralled out of control.

The First Man in Rome series by Colleen McCullough is fiction, but is frankly better researched than many scholarly works on the period (late Republic) and gives a very good feel for the time period.

If you really enjoyed Semper Victor's work on the Sassanids then The Nisbis War: The Defence of the Roman East by John Harrel is a good study of that war.

Osprey has a whole series of books in their Osprey Guide to... series, which are good if you want a short and easy to read introduction.

The Invasion of Europe by the Barbarians J. Bury is old, and showing its age in some way, but for a literary source based history of the fall of the West it remains well written and scholarly. Is retains its value due to the author avoiding speculation, or clearly labelling what is uncertain when he does speculate, where evidence is lacking.

There is also a series of lectures from Yale, by Proff. Freedman, about the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and the Early Middle Ages which are excellent

 

[Capitanloco6]

Thank you all! I will be sure to take a look at all these fine suggestions. I already have 'A Critical History of Early Rome' but the rest are now on my list.

 

[Narol]

"The Fate of Rome" (2017) by Kyle Harper is a very interesting book that brings a new light on the fall of the Western part of the Empire, based on recent scientific discoveries.

 

[MCMartel]

Dear all,

I was reading yesterday Admiral Piett's great post in which he lists a series of books that a begginner should read in order to get acquainted with the Pacific Theatre of WW2. Recently Semper Victor's posts on Sasssanian history have re-awakened my interest in ancient history in the Mediterranean, so I want to learn more about Rome. I wonder if some of you fellow forumites could also come up with a list of books thorugh which one could learn about Rome, from the beggining of the Republic to the fall of the Western Roman Empire? I would be mostly interested in books which cover 'thematic blocks' such as the fall of the republic, the crisis of the third century, the punic wars, etc. instead of broader (and less deep) single volumes.

Good current sources:
1. Mary Beard's SPQR is widely regarded as the best current popular history of the republic.
2. For the end of the republic "The Storm Before the Storm" and "Rubicon" (in that order) are well researched, very readable.
"Popular history" here is used to mean "written for people who aren't working on PH.D's"