Life in Ancient Rome (Perigee) [Paperback]

F. R. Cowell (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (February 27, 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399503285
• ISBN-13: 978-0399503283
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #793,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book begins where history leaves off, March 10, 2002

By 

Marco J. Jimenez (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life in Ancient Rome (Perigee) (Paperback)

If you are already familiar with Rome, with her institutions, with her laws, with her senate and emperors, and you're looking for more, or if you're just interested in how ordinary, everyday Romans lived, this book is for you.

With superb organization and enjoyable, erudite illustrations throughout, F.R. Cowell introduces the reader to what it was like to grow up in ancient Rome, what education was like, what religion was like, what people ate, how people dressed, how people earned a living, and what they did in their free time. In doing so, he also addresses darker issues like slavery, the Colosseum's blood baths, and mob rule. The reader comes away from this book with a better sense of what it was like to be Roman, but the book is not perfect either.

Sometimes F.R. Cowell's writing style is a bit dry (except when he discusses the legal and medical professions in Rome, and the opening days of the Colosseum, which are superb!), his use of quotes from Roman writers is decent but could have been more plentiful, as could have been his discussion of archaeology.

Overall, however, this is a worthwhile, enjoyable book that will certainly fill in gaps in one's knowledge of the Romans.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life in Ancient Rome, May 27, 2008

By 

K. Murphy "Fortune favors the Bold" (The thriving metropolis of Masury, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life in Ancient Rome (Perigee) (Paperback)

I first discovered this book at a library the same summer I first took an interest in the Roman Empire, and am still reading and using it today. This is the single best book I have discovered that looks at life in the Roman Empire, particularly in the Eternal City herself, from the perspective of the middle and lower class inhabitants.

The author doesn't make all sorts of claims of questionable accuracy throughout the book, but instead lets the people and contemporaries of the Empire do the talking for him; virtually every page has one or more quotes by a Classical writer or politician. He examines every facet of life, from family life to entertainment to food to clothing in a manner that is clear, if somewhat dry, and every several pages there is a black and white illustration for the current topic.

Overall, a highly recommendable book for those with an interest in the daily life and experiences of SPQR, and is equally useful to the beginner and those more seasoned in Roman studies.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine introduction to the social history of Ancient Rome., September 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Life in Ancient Rome (Perigee) (Paperback)

"Life in Ancient Rome" is a book aimed at a young-adult readership, yet older adults and high-school students alike will also enjoy it as an introductory reference. F. R. Cowell succeeds in colorfully portraying the basic aspects of ancient Roman life from clothesmaking to religious observances. Complemented with photographs and illustrations, the text is clear yet rich in detail, and a chronological summary provides a good outline of the principal events of Roman history from 753 B.C. to A.D. 476. Mr. Cowell also includes excellent references in the book's bibliography (which he simply titles "A Note About Books"). For those interested in studying Roman social history, "Life in Ancient Rome" is a recommended starting point