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Ah, the Roman Empire trend. 2023 was the year of ‘My Roman Empire [this], My Roman Empire [that].’ The term ‘My Roman Empire” has entered into common usage now. So what is the big deal? Well, though the Roman Empire was not the largest in history, that would be the British Empire (unfortunately), it was certainly the most influential empire in the ancient world. The Roman Empire became renowned for its water filtration systems, expertly built cities, religion—both Roman paganism and later Christianity—and the Roman Senate. It was best known, however, for being a military society which conquered foreign lands. Indeed, at its height the Roman Empire spanned from Asia Minor to most of Europe.
One of the major reasons modern historians know so much about the Roman Empire is because of its robust tradition of writers, which included historians, orators who studied rhetoric, and poets. These writers often wrote about Rome itself, and accounts of conquests overseas. Since there are so many Roman writers, the world of Roman classical writing can easily become overwhelming. If you are interested in this world of literature like me, you may ask, ‘Where do I start? There is so much to read!’ Fear not dear friend, since I once felt as you did, and I am here to help you conquer this world.
General Overview: Modern Introductions to rome
If reading a classical text feels too overwhelming at first, you prefer modern writing, and you wish to get a background on the ancient world, reading a book which gives a general overview of ancient Rome by a living historian is a great start.
Cambridge classicist Mary Beard’s S.P.Q.R. was written in 2016, to critical acclaim. S.P.Q.R. provides a thorough, well-researched overview of Roman society and politics.
If you would like to understand Rome from an 18th century perspective, Edward Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire remains a classic to this day. The work was written in six volumes, so reading it is definitely a project that could take the course of a full year.
If you prefer something shorter and more approachable, Horrible Histories: Rotten Romans is a great start. Horrible Histories are written for middle-school children, and they are every history teacher’s favourite series to recommend to students interested in delving into the subject. The best part is that this book can likely be found at your local library!
Ancient Roman Authors
Tacitus: Tactius was a Roman historian who wrote the The Annals (1st century A.D.) and Histories (100-110), but is most well known for his work Agricola and Germania (98 A.D.) Agricola was written about his father-in-law’s tenure as a Roman legionnaire who conquered Britannia, and Germania is a survey of the tribes in Gaul. Both works contain details of these ancient peoples of Gaul and Britain, from the perspective of a Roman Historian. Agricola and Germania is an approachable work since it is so short, only 98 pages.
Julius Caesar: Julius Caesar was emperor of Rome from 44 – 46 B.C. He was most renowned for being a Roman general, who had great success in conquering lands for Rome. Caesar left many writings, including the Gallic War, Civil War, Alexandrian War, African War and Spanish War. If learning about various ancient cultures and military history is your thing, Caesar is your guy! If reading Caesar when having lunch, why not make a salad?
Virgil: If poetry is your thing, Virgil is your man. Virgil was a poet who lived from 70 B.C. – 19 B.C. He is most famous for his epic poem The Aeneid, which has become required reading in classics and English courses. The Aeneid tells the story of Aeneas. He leaves Troy after the sack of the city, and then goes to Italy where he becomes the father of the Romans. Penguin Classics has a clothbound edition of this work, which will look great on any shelf!
Ovid: If you prefer ancient mythology, check out Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Ovid was also a poet and lived during the time of Virgil. His work Metamorphoses is an epic which tells the entire history of the world up to the time of Julius Caesar. It contains many gods and goddesses, including Jupiter, Juno, Apollo, Venus, Aphrodite, Diana, Minerva, and Pluto. Be sure to follow up your reading with a look at your horoscope!
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Now that you know the CDXI (411) on books about Rome and Roman authors, there is nothing else to do open your books, as if you were in the Ancient Library in Alexandria, and read away! Happy reading!