A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome [Hardcover]

L. Richardson jr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1992

The first such dictionary since that of Platner and Ashby in 1929, A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome defines and describes the known buildings and monuments, as well as the geographical and topographical features, of ancient Rome. It provides a concise history of each, with measurements, dates, and citations of significant ancient and modern sources.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

All concerned with the topography and monuments of ancient Rome will welcome this splendid study, which brings up to date and in effect replaces the classic of 1929 by Samual Ball Platner and Thomas Ashby. Richardson catalogs all monuments and landmarks, major or minor, that are mentioned by ancient testimonia or have been discovered by modern archaeology, from Martial's Pear Tree to the Casa della Farnesina. Each entry presents a summary of the evidence and of problems associated with the evidence, as well as a brief guide to the ancient and modern bibliography. Familiarity with the Augustan XIV Regiones is assumed, but these are also explained (though not diagrammed). The introduction sketches the history of the study of Roman topography, a model of pellucid information. Recommended for specialized collections.
- James S. Ruebel, Iowa State Univ., Ames
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

All concerned with the topography and monuments of ancient Rome will welcome this splendid study, which brings up to date and in effect replaces the classic dictionary of 1929 by Platner and Ashby. Richardson catalogs all monuments and landmarks, major or minor, that are mentioned by ancient testimonia or have been discovered by modern archaeology... Each entry presents a summary of the evidence and of problems associated with the evidence, and a brief guide to the ancient and modern bibliography.

(Library Journal )

Richardson's scholarly dictionary is an essential tool for the study of the place about which Augustus Caesar reportedly claimed, 'I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.'.

(Wilson Library Bulletin )

Richardson has produced a new standard work on the topography of ancient Rome in this exhaustive and objective study... [He] writes with clarity and authority and his erudite synthesis of the research carried out by a large number of academics is a superb achievement.

(Reference Reviews )

This is the kind of essential reference work whose value becomes increasingly clear with repeated use. A great deal of information is painlessly conveyed.

(Greece and Rome )

Product Details

• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (October 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801843006
• ISBN-13: 978-0801843006
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #532,528 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Celtic
  • #24 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Geography

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely critical to understanding ancient Rome (the city), July 16, 1999

By 

MM Goodwin - See all my reviews

This review is from: A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome (Hardcover)

With this magnificent work in hand one can read the ancient historians and understand what you are reading, street by street, site by site. New information and research has been presented in the 60 plus years since the last dictionary of ancient Rome, and it makes this new topographical tome so exciting. If you are going to Rome and have a strong arm as well as a strong interest in what was where and when, then this admittedly heavyweight book will not be too much to take along. Perhaps most fascinating are those wonderful maps which present past and present on sites long lost to the avid Roman visitor. You may not see what was there by looking at the present site, but you can understand what was there better with this book. For the college student who may be planning a career or a deep interest in classical Rome, this book will be worth the price many times over! Best of all is the list of all the classical references for each building, site, or even, in some cases, statues or adornments. This book is more than a gift of scholarship, it is a gift of love of the history of Rome and for all those who will come along in the future to study it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Topographical Dictionary is a must!, July 28, 2005

By 

J. C. Vargas (Rome, Italy) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome (Hardcover)

I have lived in Rome for 12 years and have become an avid enthusiast of ancient Roman history. History is inextricably connected to physical locations. The Topographical Guide has proven to be invaluable. There is not one location in Rome that I have looked up that I did not find. The who, what, when, where and why of the location is concisely and clearly presented in a very easy reading style. I consider it a must for any student or enthusiast of Ancient Rome.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good text, weak on illustrations and maps, June 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome (Hardcover)

There is a wealth of fascinating textual information in this book, together with about a hundred illustrations, mostly architectural plans or fragments of the ancient marble plan. The author states that it was a deliberate decision not to include drawings or photographs, since these are available in Nash's Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome -- but that work is very rare and expensive. His decision is understandable, but it is harder to account for the complete absence of maps. A couple of flyleaf maps of the ancient and modern city would have been very helpful in orienting the reader.