The Oxford Illustrated History of the Roman World (Oxford Illustrated Histories) [Paperback]

John Boardman (Editor), Jasper Griffin (Editor), Oswyn Murray (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0192854364 | ISBN-13: 978-0192854360 | Publication Date: May 24, 2001

This authoritative and compelling work tells the story of the rise of Rome from its origins as a cluster of villages, to the foundation of the Roman Empire by Augustus, to its consolidation in the first two centuries AD. It also discusses aspects of the later Empire and its influence on western civilizations, not least the adoption of Christianity.
Chapters dealing with social and political history are interwoven with chapters on literature, philosophy, and the arts. Among the other topics addressed are Roman Emperors; Roman historians, such as Tacitus and Livy; and Stoicism and Skepticism. Throughout, the book's historical framework is reinforced by detailed maps and chronological charts, as well as by informative bibliographies and a full index. Moreover, the book includes exquisite color and black-and-white illustrations that lend beautifully to the narrative, making this rich work both a delight to peruse and an indispensable resource on the history of one of the greatest empires.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`the grateful reader wonders how on earth they could have done such a stylish job and still set the price so low.' Country Life

About the Author

Sir John Boardman is Emeritus Professor of Classical Archaeology and Art, Oxford, and has been based at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, since 1955 Jasper Griffin is Professor of Classical Literature, University of Oxford, and Dyson Fellow in Greek Culture, Jowett Fellow, Jowett Lecturer and Tutor in Classics, Balliol College, Oxford. Oswyn Murray is MacGregor Fellow, Jowett Fellow, Jowett Lecturer, and Tutor in Ancient History, Balliol College, Oxford

Product Details

• Paperback: 470 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (May 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192854364
• ISBN-13: 978-0192854360
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #319,166 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Text book, May 30, 2011

By 

Michael Kissel "MDK" (Philly) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Oxford Illustrated History of the Roman World (Oxford Illustrated Histories) (Paperback)

It's just a text book, not much flavor but well put together. I would strongly recommend as the Romans Did as a supplemental, or for the casual reader pick up something by Goldsworthy or Anthony Everitt.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good collection of essays; not a history, August 30, 2010

By 

Kirk H Sowell (Washington D.C.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Oxford Illustrated History of the Roman World (Oxford Illustrated Histories) (Paperback)

I purchased this book expecting it to be a good historical overview, albeit an illustrated one, and was disappointed. This Oxford history of the Roman world is a collection of essays on various aspects of Roman history, government and society. There is no coherent narrative history here, although the republican period is covered better in this regard than the imperial period (i.e. before Caesar in the first century). The essays are pretty good, but a history they do not make.

N.B. - This book is textually identical to the "Oxford History of the Roman World" - the difference between the two is illustrations. Also, the non-illustrated is more compact, whereas the illustrated is more of a coffee table book. Because of its bulk, it will more likely be damaged in shipping, so if you move around, get the non-illustrated version.

The first three chapters, covering the regal period (up to 500 BC) to the first century, was the closest to a real history; the first two chapters were largely narrative, then the third chapter is about early Latin writers. I thought the chapter covering the supremely important period of the Roman revolution - "Cicero and Rome" - was framed in an odd way, although I grant the author's premise that Cicero's voluminous surviving writings bias the traditional history of the period. After the Augustan period which immediately followed, there is no attempt to maintain a historical narrative. The fact that each essay is written by a separate author undermines the book's coherence as well.