Roman People [Paperback]

Robert B. Kebric (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0767417070 | ISBN-13: 978-0767417075 | Publication Date: August 11, 2000 | Edition: 3 Sub

This supplemental text explains the ancient classical Roman world, by focusing on individual personalities - what is known about them and their world view. Each individual becomes a lens through which the student can view the values and characteristics of ancient Rome.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Professor Robert B. Kebric teaches Greek and Roman History, History of the Olympic Games, and the Humanities at the University of Louisville. He is the author of a number of books and articles, including Greek People, and the companion volume of Roman People. He was born in Palo Alto, California, and attended the University of Southern California, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa and a Woodrow Wilson Fellow. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. from Binghamton University in New York. He has been a historical consultant to Time-Life Books and is a published photographer. He has directed and taught programs of study in Greece, Italy, Egypt, Turkey, and Israel, and spends extended periods in England, Australia, and Hawaii. He lives with his wife, Judith Hartung Kebric, and four basenjis in Louisville, Kentucky. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Langua; 3 Sub edition (August 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767417070
• ISBN-13: 978-0767417075
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,311,387 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gem of a Book!, September 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Roman People (Paperback)

I was dissappointed somewhat when I first got this book, as I was expecting it to cover the social conditions of one particular period of the Roman Empire instead of being a general history. When I finally sat down to read it, though, I was pleasantly surprised by what a gem of a book this is.

Not exactly social history, not exactly general history, this book instead considers the lives of various people throughout the history of the Roman state which are either important in their own right (those of important political figures) or else important as indicators of significant trends (e.g. the rise of Christianity).

Perhaps why I like this book most, though, is the author's crips style and lucid reasoning. Conclusions are always supported with reference to original sources, and when these are either lacking or ambigious then clear-headed deduction is used to try to reconstruct what most likely might have happened. A fine example of this is when Kebric argues that Roman incompetence was probably more responsible for the protracted siege of Syracuse than any fantastic siege inventions on the part of Archimedes.

Given how much ink has been spilled on Roman history, I can perhaps give no greater praise to this book than by saying it showed me things I had never seen or thought of before.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Reference Work, September 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Roman People (Paperback)

After reading Kebric's "Greek People," I thought I'd give "Roman People" a try as well. Both are well-written social histories of ancient Greece and Rome that look at the daily lives of the people through the eyes of those who were there. Kebric makes liberal use of primary-source material to support his narrative, and he keeps the reader engaged with small vignets about the significant contributions of individual Roman people.

I thoroughly recommend this book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a Social History, but History through the Lives of Its Participants., November 2, 2009

By 

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This review is from: Roman People (Paperback)

In his preface, Robert Kebric describes "Roman People" as an alternative to event-and-theory history books. This is more of a people-and-event book. It is not a social history, though it includes some of that element. It's literally about Roman people, most often notable people, and how they experienced history from the 3rd century BC through the 3rd century AD. As Roman society was a very political one, particularly for the people we remember, this is often a political history viewed through the actions of its participants. Kebric relates their stories but also includes excerpts from ancient historians and letters, allowing the people to tell their own stories whenever possible. There are black-and-white photos and maps throughout.

Chapters are organized by time period and by theme, from Rome's expansion, though its slave revolts, transition from republic to empire, eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, the Severan dynasty, and the increasing influence of Christianity. Kebric focuses attention on people one might normally think of as of secondary importance, in addition to the prominent figures, such as a chapter dedicated to Brutus, Julius Caesar's assassin, a great deal about the influence of Tiberius' astrologer Thrasyllus. Beside events and people, there are chapters dedicated to old age in Roman society and the popularity of chariot races and the Circus Maximus. There are useful "Suggestions for Further Reading" at the end of each chapter.

Kebric makes an effort to understand many of the prominent and influential women in Roman society, so women are not under-represented. The middle and lower classes get little attention due to a lack of information about specific people. There is not a lot here about lifestyles, such as daily routines, medicine, courtship, art, sex, or social mores. There is limited information about food and entertainment, but "Roman History" is not primarily a social history. It would make a useful supplement to one. I would have appreciated dates for each piece of literature that is quoted, and analysis of the individuals could have more depth. But "Roman People" is a helpful lens through which to view Roman history.