The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. 10: The Augustan Empire, 43 BC-AD 69 (Volume 10) [Hardcover]

Alan Bowman (Editor), Edward Champlin (Editor), Andrew Lintott (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 26, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0521264308 | ISBN-13: 978-0521264303 | Edition: 2nd Revised & enlarged

The period described in this volume begins in the year after the death of Julius Caesar and ends in the year after the fall of Nero. Its main theme is the transformation of the political configuration of the state to a dynastic monarchy and the establishment of the Roman Empire. Central to the period is the achievement of the first emperor, Augustus.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The new volume X of the Cambridge Ancient History is an impressive accomplishment....the editors have done an admirable job. The overall standard of the contributions is good: anyone seeking an outline of the period who turns to this book will not be badly served." International History Review

"...the range and breadth of material covered will make this indispensable reading for ancient historians and students of Roman literature adn culture alike. The high level of quality throughout is what we have come to expect from this venerable series." Craige Champion, Classical World

"...this series is a basic "must" for all public and private libraries, in the community or in the universities. It will be the standard general work for serious academic students and scholars for the next generation." Religious Studies Review

Book Description

The period described in this volume begins in the year after the death of Julius Caesar and ends in the year after the fall of Nero. Its main theme is the transformation of the political configuration of the state to a dynastic monarchy and the establishment of the Roman Empire. Central to the period is the achievement of the first emperor, Augustus.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1090 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2nd Revised & enlarged edition (April 26, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521264308
• ISBN-13: 978-0521264303
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 2.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,708,663 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Readable, December 7, 2006

By 

Bruce Brocka (Quad Cities) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. 10: The Augustan Empire, 43 BC-AD 69 (Volume 10) (Hardcover)

Being an armchair historian, I found this work to be highly readable and entertaining. The bibliography is exhaustive (about 100 pages), as one might expect, and their are numerous maps and genealogy tables. Despite numerous authors, it does not backtrack nor contradict itself. For a scholarly work, it is impressive for its contribution, compactness (yes, even at 1,000 pages, it could have been 1,000 more) and ease of reading.

That said, it's not for those unfamiliar with the "story" of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. It more or less assumes you're quite familiar with Suetonius, Cassius Dio, Plutarch, et al, and various long standing controversies in interpretation. So if you've read a few books on the subject, you'll be quite comfortable with this work. If you've read the Routledge and Yale Press Imperial Biography series, then this work helps with context, providing the latest (and perhaps alternative) views on current scholarship.

Don't let the price scare you off. It's well worth several other books one might consider, combined.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good, up-to-date overview, July 23, 2001

By A Customer

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This review is from: The Cambridge Ancient History Volume 14: Late Antiquity: Empire and Successors, AD 425-600 (Hardcover)

This review concerns the volume of the Cambridge Ancient history covering 425-600.

This was a very readable book, that I have just completed. I read about eighty percent of it, only skipping or skimmimg a few sections. Admittedly, this would not make a good introductory book, and probably not even a good second book, on the period, but if you are interested in the period and have a working knowledge of it, I am sure you will find much of interest. The book begins with an evocative 150 pages or so of narrative historical overview, with the latest interpretations of chronology. Some of this material is then covered in a more thematic way, and also in an area-by-area manner, later in the book. There are also many sections on various social aspects. One such that I gained much from was the one on education. Interestingly, there was no separate section on women. The bibliography is 100 pages long, so the reading matter itself is about 1000 pages. The book was worth the money to me.