Customer Reviews

The Ancient Roman City (Ancient Society and History)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I first read this book some years ago, as a classics major and student of ancient domestic architecture, I found it easy to read and digest. The caveat for this review is that it has been a few years since I last referenced the book--although I always make certain it's handy on my library shelf. It walks the line between detailed scholarship and accessibility, which led me at first to wonder how it could be both a pleasant read and so informative. It helps that this is a topic of special interest for me, but I remember it so fondly that I still think of it as a model for writing on the topic. I recommend it as an introduction or overview, and direct readers to the footnotes and sources for further reading and study.

Stambaugh's decision to begin with a political overview of the city's development and then to focus individual chapters on particular topics related to urban history is an excellent solution to presenting his material. This book works very well in undergraduate courses on ancient history, and I'm sure would be a very satisfying read for anyone with a targeted interest in the city of Rome.

The bottom line is that Stambaugh offers up a lot of information in a reasonably small volume, making it interesting and accessible. The only fault, besides an overtly unapologetic Romanocentric view, is that his prose style is somewhat redundant and pejorative. With each chapter he lays out the information he plans to present, and then drifts back and forth between examples. At the end of each chapter he presents a succint and very readable summary of his findings. That is, essentially all of the information you need is available in approximately one-tenth of the text. Nevertheless, this is a fascinating account of the architecture and engineering of the ancient city of Rome; most interesting are his accounts of the representation of the city in the Hellenistic Era. Recommended.

I had to have it for a class. It worked. Can't really say much more about it, not sure who reads this kind of stuff for pleasure. Seems to me if you are ordering it it is probably cause you don't have a choice so even if I said it was a horrible text, you still have to order it.