The Roman Empire

by John Wacher

Dozens of books have been written on the Roman Empire, most of them concentrating on the culture, law & society of Rome itself, overlooking that most essential component of empire, the provinces. This study takes us East of Roma into Macedonia, Asia, Syria, Egypt & Mesopotamia; West into Sardinia, Spain, Africa, Germany & Britain. Using archeological evidence, the author reveals that in the early years of Empire, Rome was somewhat flexible in its imposition of laws & customs, embracing a laissez-faire attitude toward many of the provinces & taking advantage of provincial economies that included villas & farms, mining & manufacturing, & flourishing trade routes connecting Rome to China & India. Final chapters address the civil wars & barbarian invasions that led to the Empire's ultimate breakdown, completing this original & innovative approach to a timeworn if complex subject. B&W illustrations.

Genres: History, Ancient History, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Autumn Slaght · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had some great information about the Roman Empire, however I had to practically drag myself through it. The writing style was quite boring, and he spoke a lot about territories and clans and things surrounding these. I got some good tips, but not what I really wanted to get out of the book. I also felt that the way that the persecution of the early Christians was pretty poorly written - not inaccurate, per se, but it didn't quite cover the entire spectrum of why the Christians were persecuted, just some of it. Did I enjoy the book? No. I'm pretty glad that it's behind me to be honest.