City of Echoes: A New History of Rome, its Popes and its People

by Jessica Wärnberg

In Rome the echoes of the past resound clearly in its palaces and monuments, and in the remains of the ancient imperial city. But another presence has dominated Rome for 2,000 years -the pope, whose actions and influence echo down the ages. In this epic tale, historian Jessica Wärnberg tells, for the first time, the story of Rome through the lens of its popes, illuminating how these remarkable (and unremarkable) men have transformed lives and played a crucial role in deciding the fate of the city.

Emerging as the anonymous leader of a marginal cult in the humblest quarters of the city, less than 300 years later the pope sat enthroned in a gilt basilica, endorsed by the emperor himself. Eventually, the Roman pontiff would supplant even the emperors, becoming the de facto ruler of Rome and pre-eminent leader of the Christian world.

Shifting elegantly between the panoramic and the personal, the spiritual and the profane, this is a fresh and often surprising take on a city, a people and an institution that is at once familiar and elusive.

Genres: History, Religion, Italy, Nonfiction, European History, Cities, Christianity

448 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 2023

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book while checking out e-books dealing with Rome after the Roman Empire. That's a search in which isn't necessarily the easiest to find good materials, so I was happy to find this. City of Echoes especially focuses on papal Rome, which was exactly what I was looking for. My recent trip to Italy (March 2023) highlighted the gaps in my knowledge of papal Rome and this book really helped to bridge those gaps.

The focus of City of Echoes is, of course, the evolution of Rome as a city under papal rule. It partly looks at monuments, partly at papal history and weaves both into the life of the city over fifteen hundred years of history. The impression is the layering of influences which you can see in the city as well. The ancient layer, of course, but also a the Christianization of the city, the mediaeval dying back, the Renaissance rebuilding and the centuries of disunity leading to unification in the 19th century. Warnburg's account is compelling and she manages to keep the human element front and centre.

This is truly well worth picking up, if you're interested in Rome the city. Warnburg is an excellent writer and she kept my interest through out.

[Ends of the Word · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Becca Packer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall an interesting read however it was a bit all over the place. The author would start a chapter on one subject, jump to another decades prior and then jump back to the original subject. Also there were several sentences that made no sense at all and seemed to have been over looked in editing. Also over look in editing....she references the "Kingdom of Belgium" in 1246 but the Kingdom of Belgium wasn't a thing until 1830...

[Luke Judge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting overview but a tad light on the popes flaws through the centuries. Reads a bit like a Catholic manifesto

[Jo ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first overtly historical book that I actually sat down and read the entirety of, and after finishing, I’m even more convinced that the history of Rome is one of the richest that this world offers.

“City of Echoes” takes you from the ancient era soon after the death of Christ and the apostles Peter and Paul to the address given by Pope Francis I in 2020 on the Coronavirus in the Post-post-modern era. From cover to cover, Wärnberg dedicates the text to exploring the intertwinement of the papacy and the city of Rome, touching off on several vital points in history that not only influence Rome today, but the entirety of the globe.

This book isn’t a deep dive into Roman history, but it does serve well as a touch off point for those looking for specifics in history to become interested in. It’s a great intro to the history of Rome, incredibly readable and full of extensive information.

For anyone with an extensive interest in Rome, ancient history or even just history in general, I highly encourage you to read Jessica Wärnberg’s “City of Echoes”.

[Gerry Connolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jessica Warnberg’s City of Echoes purports to be the story of Rome and the papacy. More than 260 men have claimed the Petrine tiara and most have reigned from Rome. Warnberg’s is a simple thesis: Rome and the papacy are inextricably linked. Hardly a profound insight. Her corollary thesis seems to be that the papacy matters. Her coverage of the evolution of the papacy and its impact and relevance is pretty thin. She glosses over centuries of a corrupt, squalid parade of 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th century pontiffs. She minimizes the extreme reactionary popes of the 19th and even 20th century and devotes a page to Pius XII’s shameful Neglect of the Jewish population in the fascist and Nazi years. And the groundbreaking Pope John XXIII who is the agent of profound reform and ushers in Agiornamento through Vatican II is barely mentioned. This is an embarrassing effort that mixes time frames and confuses the reader with so many popes. Little insight and less analysis. Discordant and disappointing.

[Rob Hartnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very accessible and all the way from St Peter on his travels to Pope Francis in a pandemically sparse St Peter’s Square. Did you know that the Vatican City as a state is less than 100 years old and was gifted by Benito Mussolini?

[Benjamin Farr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well researched exploration of the history of Rome through the lens of papal power - from St. Peter to Pope Benedict.