SPQR
"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'"--Jacket.
Stats for nerds
19recommend
29mentions
26people
2016–2026years
72% recommend28% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- Mary Beard's SPQR is an amazing book about Rome and I recommend it to any fellow history nerds. If it wasn't for that book, I wouldn't have gotten the "Cataline conspiracy" joke in Mountainhead.
- If you've learned even a little about the history of Rome then you'll quickly bump into SPQR, Mary Beard's recent popular, and very good book on the Romans it titled "SPQR", in the city of Rome you'll see SPQR used all over, in films when Romans are depicted, SPQR is always there. While not everyone will have a background where it's familiar, it's also not at all obscure. If you're not familiar with the Romans you won't know, but lots of people like to learn about the ancient past since it's really interesting to some types.
- I already read SPQR, by Mary Beard, on the history of Rome's kingdom, Republic and early empire.
I liked it so much that now I am in the middle of Emperor of Rome.
Does anyone here have any good recommendations on Rome's history?
- The plague was a factor in the demise of Rome, but it was not the factor. Mary Beard's SPQR discusses some that are not always mentioned today, perhaps because they are too close for comfort for Europe and the USA or too political. I recommend reading Beard's book.
- Mary Beard is one of the best historians of Rome ever. Her SPQR book is comprehensive, detailed and challenges cliches by grounding itself in sound scholarship with a great balance between literary sources and archaeology.
- I've seen some interest on HN for the Roman Kingdom, Republic and Empire.
For a very interesting history of Rome, from the 2 foundation myths (Romulus vs Aeneas) until the end of the "Pax Romana", I strongly suggest the book "SPQR", by Mary Beard.
She is a very respected scholar on Ancient Rome and she has a lot of documentaries on Youtube.
I just started the famous "Decline and fall of the Roman Empire", by Edward Gibbons, covering the period after the SPQR book. Still in the beginning, to early for conclusions.
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