A Walk Through Ancient Rome: A Tour of the Historical Sites That Shaped the City

by Philip Matyszak

In this expert guide to the ancient city, Dr Philip Matyszak takes us on a tour of ancient Rome’s most fascinating and important sites and locations, revealing the secrets of the beating heart of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Rome itself was never grander or more magnificent than just before it fell, so be transported back in time to the Empire’s twilight years at the end of the 4th century ad, with almost a thousand years of Roman history to explore. Each chapter focuses on one of Rome’s districts, with maps throughout and explanations of how the same routes would look today. Put yourself in the sandals of a Roman pedestrian and take a walk along the Via Appia, through the Capuan Gate and past all the wonders inside the walls of ancient Rome, from tombs and temples to sewers and shrines, the grand gardens and the humble street markets, from Nero’s Golden House to the slums where Julius Caesar grew up. Walk alongside the ghosts of Trajan, Nero and Cicero; stand where they stood and see what they saw.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 11, 2024

About the author

Philip Matyszak is a British nonfiction author, primarily of historical works relating to ancient Rome. Matyszak has a doctorate in Roman history from St. John's College, Oxford. In addition to being a professional author, he also teaches ancient history for Madingley Hall Institute of Continuing Education, Cambridge University.

Reviews

[Jake · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea is we are walking through Ancient Rome and getting a guided tour. It’s very informative and well researched I was just very bored. My Goodreads ratings just reflect my personal reading experience. It probably deserved a more careful reading.

[Kayleigh Wolput · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book. Each chapter begins with how the monuments and buildings looked during the ancient times. Each chapter ends with which monuments and buildings we can (or can't) see now. This book makes me want to go to Rome again.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the buildings of Rome and the people who made them rise and fall. However, Matyszak moves around rapidly in time, telling, usually in present tense, of what the condition of a place or building was in the Kingdom, Republic, Empire, Middle Ages, Rennaissance, Victorian, 20th century and 21st century Rome, not necessarily in that order, and repeated for every spot in Rome the book visits.

[The Bibliognost Bampot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clever way of providing a gallop through the history of Rome from the Sabines to Romulus and Remus to the Republic, Julius Caesar to the Emperors to christianity, the crucifixion of St Paul and the popes, stripping back the layers and walking through the monuments is a very revealing format. A helpful guide for the 21st century tourist too. Funny and interesting, all in all, a good read. Just a couple of continuity/grammatical errors that should have been picked up by the editor.

[Rob Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice introduction to Rome.

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

heel grondig maar met vlage saai