Roman Civilization: Sourcebook 2: Roman Empire

by Naphtali Lewis (editor)

Naphtali Lewis and Meyer Reinhold's Roman Civilization is a classic. Originally published by Columbia University Press in 1955, the authors have undertaken another revision which takes into account recent work in the field. These volumes consist of selected primary documents from ancient Rome, covering a range f over 1,000 years of Roman culture, from the foundation of the city to its sacking by the Goths.

The selections cover a broad spectrum of Roman civilization, including literature, philosophy, religion, education, politics, military affairs, and economics. These English translations of literary, inscriptional, and papyrological sources, many of which are available nowhere else, create a mosaic of the brilliance, the beauty, and the power of Rome.

Genres: History, Classical Studies, Nonfiction, Roman History, Ancient History, Reference, Classics

674 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1942

Reviews

[Brian Griffith · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's full of fascinating details on dozens of subjects. It presents a big mosaic rather than a story line or a portrait, and I like it that way.

[Martin Ridgway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primary sources from around 14 to 410.
Not a book for reading cover-to-cover but loads of interesting background.

[Belinda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm very glad I didn't buy this direct from the university, as it would have been the biggest waste of money. I didn't even open this textbook for any assessments, and when I looked in it for general reading I was surprised at how useless it really is.


Prime example of a textbook set for no good reason, it's a shame when there are so many good texts on Ancient Rome!
Save your money, borrow it from the library.

[Hildegart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 2 is another fascinating collection of primary sources! This is from the Roman Republic and starts with the Res Gestae Divi Augustus (The deeds of the divine Augustus). It is a great book to have on your shelf if you like Ancient Roman History!!

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a book to be read from cover-to-cover, it is a research aid to be dipped into and a pretty fine one at that. I have used several examples from here for essays in archaeology and early church history. IMO well worth the money.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent compendium of primary sources. Invaluable tool for research during the Imperial period.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this for a classics class in college and I wasn't that impressed by it.

[Annabelle]

*For school