Customer Reviews

A History of Rome

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I've listened to a lot of books on tape, especially nonfiction, and this is one of the best. If you like history, this is a real gem. Chapters are separated by music and sound effects, and they really add to the drama. I studied classics in college and Cyril Robinson was one of the authors we were assigned. His work is beautifully written and very carefully researched. I read some of the comments below and am distressed that such a wonderful author as Robinson should be slandered so needlessly. I'm Jewish myself and heard absolutely nothing here which would qualify as anti-Semitic. It is a well known historical fact that the Eastern Mediterranean was indeed a very corrupt place in the third and second centuries BC. When the Romans conquered that area, they imported that corruption...and it had telling effects in the years to follow. I'm sorry if the historical truth hurts some people, but it's certainly no reflection on people who are living today. I can only assume these people have some sort of agenda that does not include historical accuracy. Also, I noted that someone tried to compare Professor Robinson's work with Gibbon. That's a stretch. Gibbon was concerned with what happened from the second century AD until the dissolution of the empire. Robinson takes us from the very beginning of Roman history around 700 BC and ends his story just before the final chaos which Gibbon is concerned with. These are totally different histories. In short, if you are a true lover of accurate history well written (and in this case, superbly recorded), then you should definitely pick up a copy of this classic work of ancient history.

In language both simple and elegant, Cyril Robinson has left us a masterpiece of early 20th century historical writing. This History of Rome is easily the finest of its type. It is comprehensive enough (18 hours of narrative) to include everything of significance, yet concise enough not to get bogged down in arcane details. I highly recommend this for anyone who has a lay person's interest in ancient history. The narration is superb and very dramatic at times. Chapters are separated by wonderful drums and sound effects, which greatly enhance the mood.

I'm no judge of the content per se, but I can say it's a very stimulating experience to listen to. I wasn't looking for anything "origianl," just a better understanding of Roman history that could hold my attention. And that's just what I got.

What another reviewer has called "dated" is a very polished British accent, that shows training, as you might hear on the stage. It's an absolute pleasure to listen to. It gives the reading a classical and dramatic tone which really enhances the already well writen text. Perhaps those who find it dated just don't get out enough. Maybe they'd prefer a more modern American reading from someone like Adam Sandler. You can easily listen to a sampe from the Audible site and decide for yourself.