Rome The Rise And Fall

Ancient Rome is the story of the greatest empire the world has ever known. Focusing on six turning points in Roman history, Simon Baker's absorbing narrative charts the rise and fall of the world's first superpower--a political machine unmatched in its brutality, genius, and lust for power. From the conquest of the Mediterranean in the 3rd century BC to the destruction of the Empire at the hands of barbarian invaders 700 years later, we discover the pivotal episodes in Roman history. At the heart of this account are some of the most powerful rulers in history: men like Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero, and Constantine. Putting flesh on the bones of these legendary figures, Baker looks beyond the dusty caricatures to explore their real motivations, ambitions, intrigues, and rivalries. Accompanying a landmark BBC television series, Ancient Rome is a fresh, fast-paced account that addresses themes as relevant today as they were 2,000 years ago.

In the history of empires, few compare in influence to the Roman Empire. In the course of its 500-year history, the empire yielded advances in philosophy, governance, science, and the arts that are still relied upon today. Despite its long span and enduring legacy, however, the empire eventually succumbed to its Visigoth invaders. This enchanting narrative traces the history of ancient Rome, from its beginnings through its days as a republic and into the evolution and dissolution of its empire. Cultural achievements of the empire are placed in historical context, and a timeline conveniently summarizes key events for quick reference.

Two leading authorities on Galileo offer a brilliant revisionist look at the career of the great Italian scientist.

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An in-depth look at the first chapter of Ancient Roman history, this book takes a personal and compelling approach that makes the already rich story of Ancient Rome that much more engaging. "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Kingdom" takes the reader from the mythical earliest days of Rome through to its transformation into a unified city of diverse tribes. Explore the unique mix of legend and truth that defines the early kings of Rome and learn about the first steps Rome took toward Republic and eventual Empire. This book makes history relevant and entertaining, and is a must-read for any fan of the ancient world. Follow the rest of the story of Rome with the second and third books in this trilogy, "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic" and "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire."

This is the story of the greatest empire the world has ever known. Simon Baker charts the rise and fall of the world's first superpower, focusing on six momentous turning points that shaped Roman history. Welcome to Rome as you've never seen it before - awesome and splendid, gritty and squalid. From the conquest of the Mediterranean beginning in the third century BC to the destruction of the Roman Empire at the hands of barbarian invaders some seven centuries later, we discover the most critical episodes in Roman history: the spectacular collapse of the 'free' republic, the birth of the age of the 'Caesars', the violent suppression of the strongest rebellion against Roman power, and the bloody civil war that launched Christianity as a world religion. At the heart of this account are the dynamic, complex but flawed characters of some of the most powerful rulers in history: men such as Pompey the Great, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero and Constantine. Putting flesh on the bones of these distant, legendary figures, Simon Baker looks beyond the dusty, toga-clad caricatures and explores their real motivations and ambitions, intrigues and rivalries. The superb narrative, full of energy and imagination, is a brilliant distillation of the latest scholarship and a wonderfully evocative account of Ancient Rome.

What went wrong in imperial Rome, and how we can avoid it: “If you want to understand where America stands in the world today, read this.” —Thomas E. Ricks The rise and fall of ancient Rome has been on American minds since the beginning of our republic. Depending on who’s doing the talking, the history of Rome serves as either a triumphal call to action—or a dire warning of imminent collapse. In this “provocative and lively” book, Cullen Murphy points out that today we focus less on the Roman Republic than on the empire that took its place, and reveals a wide array of similarities between the two societies (The New York Times). Looking at the blinkered, insular culture of our capitals; the debilitating effect of bribery in public life; the paradoxical issue of borders; and the weakening of the body politic through various forms of privatization, Murphy persuasively argues that we most resemble Rome in the burgeoning corruption of our government and in our arrogant ignorance of the world outside—two things that must be changed if we are to avoid Rome’s fate. “Are We Rome? is just about a perfect book. . . . I wish every politician would spend an evening with this book.” —James Fallows

The story of ancient Rome is one of the great tales of human history. This richly illustrated book offers a fascinating insight into the rise of Rome, which ruled almost the whole known world from Britain in the west to north Africa and the Middle East. Over 1500 years after Rome's final decline and fall, this examination of the people, places and events of this military and political empire will absorb any reader. Magnificent photographs, specially commissioned illustrations, family trees, maps, battle plans and time charts build up a panoramic picture of the political strength of the Roman empire and its policy of ruthless military conquest.