What do you think?
Rate this book
Populus: Living and Dying in Ancient Rome
This revealing look at life in ancient Rome offers a compelling journey through the vivid landscape of politics, domestic life, entertainment, and inequality experienced daily by Romans of all social strata.
Frenzied crowds, talking ravens, the stench of the Tiber life in ancient Rome was stimulating, dynamic, and often downright dangerous. The Romans relaxed and gossiped in baths, stole precious water from aqueducts, and partied and dined to excess. Everyone from senators to the enslaved crowded into theaters and circuses to watch their favorite singers, pantomime, and comedies and scream their approval at charioteers. The lucky celebrated their accomplishments with elaborate tombs. Amid pervasive inequality and brutality, beauty also flourished through architecture, poetry, and art.
From the smells of fragrant cookshops and religious sacrifices to the cries of public executions and murderous electoral mobs, Guy de la Bédoyère’s Populus draws on a host of historical and literary sources to transport us into the intensity of daily life at the height of ancient Rome.
Frenzied crowds, talking ravens, the stench of the Tiber life in ancient Rome was stimulating, dynamic, and often downright dangerous. The Romans relaxed and gossiped in baths, stole precious water from aqueducts, and partied and dined to excess. Everyone from senators to the enslaved crowded into theaters and circuses to watch their favorite singers, pantomime, and comedies and scream their approval at charioteers. The lucky celebrated their accomplishments with elaborate tombs. Amid pervasive inequality and brutality, beauty also flourished through architecture, poetry, and art.
From the smells of fragrant cookshops and religious sacrifices to the cries of public executions and murderous electoral mobs, Guy de la Bédoyère’s Populus draws on a host of historical and literary sources to transport us into the intensity of daily life at the height of ancient Rome.
470 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2024
69 people are currently reading
420 people want to read
About the author
Guy de la Bédoyère
59 books103 followersGuy de la Bédoyère is author of a widely admired series of books on Roman history. He appeared regularly on the UK’s Channel 4 archaeology series Time Team and is well known in the United States for his volume The Romans for Dummies. His latest books are Gladius. Living, Fighting, and Dying in the Roman Army (2020), and Pharaohs of the Sun. How Egypt's Despots and Dreamers Drove the Rise and Fall of Tutankhamun's Dynasty (2022). He lives in Grantham, Lincolnshire, UK.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 15, 2024
This is not a bad book; the corollary is that it isn't that great either. This is the first de la Bédoyère title that I have read. He mostly publishes with very good presses and mostly gets good reviews; I am underwhelmed.
There are a lot of structural issues: the map is not very good and does not include many of the places referenced in the book. The color illustrations are great; unfortunately, there are no references to them at appropriate points in the text and there is no list. It is a lot of work to match them up to appropriate passages in the text. The book is based mostly on primary sources (good), but at times it seems like strings of loosely related stories and anecdotes. De la Bédoyère also pulls together material from over a thousand years of Roman history. The diachronic approach has its problems; many things didn't change much over time, but others did. There are several places where a lack of revision and/or copy-editing is painfully obvious. On p. 150, de la Bédoyère quotes a letter of the Younger Pliny, which he claims is to Pliny's father. The Plinius Paternus in question may be a relative, but is not his father, who was long dead at the time (died while Pliny was a child). What we know about him is in Sherwin-White's The Letters of Pliny: A Historical and Social Commentary ad loc (p.135). On p.154, de la Bédoyère quotes the same letter in a different translation and says that Plinius Paternus was probably a relative. This is just an embarrassment. On p. 265, de la Bédoyère tells us that Cicero heard an actress, Volumnia Cytheris recite "Vergil's messianic sixth Eclogue." Difficult, since Cicero was dead before Vergil wrote the Eclogues. And it is the fourth, not the sixth, which is often referred to as the messianic eclogue. A lot of the book is accurate, but you can't really trust someone who makes such glaring errors. There are also a number of typos sprinkled through the book (misspelled words, dropped prepositions). I have read a fair number of Chicago books over the years and have never seen so many typos and such poor copy-editing.
Two stars may be overly generous. I enjoyed some of amusing stories. But as a work of popular history, it cannot be recommended. There are other, better books. Jérôme Carcopino's Daily Life in Ancient Rome covers Roman life at the height of the empire (second century AD), the time that Gibbon referred to as that "during which the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous." JPVD Balsdon's Life and Leisure in Ancient Rome covers the late Republic and early Empire. Both, while a bit dated, are better written and informed by superior scholarship.
I will not waste further time on M. de la Bédoyère's writings. Life is too short.
There are a lot of structural issues: the map is not very good and does not include many of the places referenced in the book. The color illustrations are great; unfortunately, there are no references to them at appropriate points in the text and there is no list. It is a lot of work to match them up to appropriate passages in the text. The book is based mostly on primary sources (good), but at times it seems like strings of loosely related stories and anecdotes. De la Bédoyère also pulls together material from over a thousand years of Roman history. The diachronic approach has its problems; many things didn't change much over time, but others did. There are several places where a lack of revision and/or copy-editing is painfully obvious. On p. 150, de la Bédoyère quotes a letter of the Younger Pliny, which he claims is to Pliny's father. The Plinius Paternus in question may be a relative, but is not his father, who was long dead at the time (died while Pliny was a child). What we know about him is in Sherwin-White's The Letters of Pliny: A Historical and Social Commentary ad loc (p.135). On p.154, de la Bédoyère quotes the same letter in a different translation and says that Plinius Paternus was probably a relative. This is just an embarrassment. On p. 265, de la Bédoyère tells us that Cicero heard an actress, Volumnia Cytheris recite "Vergil's messianic sixth Eclogue." Difficult, since Cicero was dead before Vergil wrote the Eclogues. And it is the fourth, not the sixth, which is often referred to as the messianic eclogue. A lot of the book is accurate, but you can't really trust someone who makes such glaring errors. There are also a number of typos sprinkled through the book (misspelled words, dropped prepositions). I have read a fair number of Chicago books over the years and have never seen so many typos and such poor copy-editing.
Two stars may be overly generous. I enjoyed some of amusing stories. But as a work of popular history, it cannot be recommended. There are other, better books. Jérôme Carcopino's Daily Life in Ancient Rome covers Roman life at the height of the empire (second century AD), the time that Gibbon referred to as that "during which the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous." JPVD Balsdon's Life and Leisure in Ancient Rome covers the late Republic and early Empire. Both, while a bit dated, are better written and informed by superior scholarship.
I will not waste further time on M. de la Bédoyère's writings. Life is too short.
September 13, 2024
just couldn't get on with this book , interesting in parts
October 21, 2024
An interesting read which caught my attention. However, lots of subject matter was repeated, and the flow of timeline was not linear which was confusing.
May 7, 2025
“What’s it going to take to get you into this Roman history book today? I tell you, you don’t look like the type that wants deep historical analysis, no, pretty thing like you wants anecdotes, right? We all love a good anecdote. Not sure if they add up to anything, but they’re fun, if a little tiring in a row for 400 pages. Tell you what [slaps top of book] you won’t believe how many anecdotes pulled from gravestones and the like you can fit into this thing. Hell, we both know that stories about disgraced emperors aren’t reliable, and it’ll keep telling you that, but they’re too much fun to leave out, am I right?”
September 21, 2024
2.5 stars
A book crying out for a thesis. Some kind of overarching narrative thread.
There's plenty of fascinating information in here but as a series of vignettes. An epic toilet book.
A book crying out for a thesis. Some kind of overarching narrative thread.
There's plenty of fascinating information in here but as a series of vignettes. An epic toilet book.
September 20, 2025
I listened to the audiobook over 2 shifts driving an ambulance, so take this with a grain of salt since, while I did pay attention, my experience was not just as if I had read it. I very much enjoyed the book though, and it gave me my favorite glimpse into antiquity, of human life as it was lived. The writing I found approachable and not cumbersome, and I found the chapter on death and grieving in ancient Rome genuinely affecting.
January 12, 2025
Energetic, bustling, detailed.
January 21, 2025
2.5 stars probably, but this is a bit of a weird kind. It’s a mishmash of classical sources all shoved together in a horse… I mean book with no real idea of what it’s trying to do.
Ostensibly, de la Bedoyere wants to tell the story of the common people, which he doesn’t do because his sources didn’t give a toss for the common people and gravestones looted by later generations and Pompeii can only give you so much.
De la Bedoyere is also laughably out of touch with modern reality in places, most notably: “a shocking aspect of Roman society was that women were more at risk of being killed by their families than by strangers, or so it seems.” No. Shit. This is literally still the case and has literally been the case for all of recorded history. The only shocking thing about this is that de la Bedoyere is shocked by it, frankly.
Ostensibly, de la Bedoyere wants to tell the story of the common people, which he doesn’t do because his sources didn’t give a toss for the common people and gravestones looted by later generations and Pompeii can only give you so much.
De la Bedoyere is also laughably out of touch with modern reality in places, most notably: “a shocking aspect of Roman society was that women were more at risk of being killed by their families than by strangers, or so it seems.” No. Shit. This is literally still the case and has literally been the case for all of recorded history. The only shocking thing about this is that de la Bedoyere is shocked by it, frankly.
March 16, 2025
Guy de la Bédoyère's Populus: Living and Dying in Ancient Rome is a richly detailed exploration of everyday life in one of history's greatest civilizations. Departing from the usual focus on emperors, battles (Guy wrote “Gladius” to cover these topics), and politics, the book immerses readers in the experiences of ordinary Romans—from slaves and freedmen to politicians and merchants—offering an expansive view of what it meant to live, work, love, and die in the ancient city.
Strengths:
One of Populus's greatest strengths is its ability to bring Rome to life. De la Bédoyère skilfully reconstructs the world of ancient Rome using a vast range of sources, blending archaeology, literature, and historical accounts to create a vivid picture of the Roman urban experience. The book covers key aspects of Roman life, including family structures, dining customs, religious practices, political ambitions, public entertainment, attitudes towards death and even how they viewed animals. Each chapter is structured to tackle a different element of Roman society, making the book accessible to newcomers to the topic.
The thematic approach works particularly well in showcasing the contrasts within Roman society. The interplay of opulence and poverty, tradition and excess, discipline and decadence, is masterfully illustrated. For example, his exploration of the cursus honorum, (the career path of Roman magistrates), highlights both the rigid hierarchies of political life and the role of wealth and patronage in shaping Roman careers, and how lower classes and freedman were integrated in the system of patronage. Similarly, his discussion of gladiatorial combat and public spectacles underscores how these brutal events were simultaneously a form of state-sponsored control and a source of immense popular entertainment.
Another highlight is the book’s examination of Roman attitudes towards death. De la Bédoyère delves into funeral customs, tomb inscriptions, and beliefs about the afterlife, showing how Romans confronted mortality and sought to preserve their legacies. The final chapter, From Rome to Eternity, ties together these themes, emphasizing how Roman identity persisted long after the city itself declined, sometimes with tombstones being used as parts of walls or drains.
Also interesting is that most of what is known about urban lifestyle is due to Pompeii and Herculaneum being time capsules from the 1st century. The destruction of these cities actually protected buildings and artifacts that would have been lost had there been continued habitation. However, it is crucial to highlight that local differences likely existed between these cities and the metropolis of Rome, meaning that while they provide invaluable insight, they may not fully represent the broader urban experience across the empire.
Improvement points:
While Populus excels in its engaging storytelling and immersive detail, there are a few notable issues that prevent it from being a flawless historical account.
Firstly, there are occasional factual errors (like the Volumnia Cytheris mention by Cicero, which is a glaring mistake) and misleading interpretations throughout the text. While these do not significantly undermine the book’s overall thesis, they do pose a problem for readers seeking precise historical accuracy. Some claims regarding Roman hygiene, safety from crime, and gladiatorial casualties contain intellectual anachronisms that can create a misleading impression of daily life in Rome. Just as an example, while gladiatorial games were extremely violent, casualty rates were often lower than modern audiences assume, and this nuance is definitely lost in the narrative.
Another key issue is the book’s expansive chronological scope. Populus attempts to cover a vast period of Roman history, ranging from the Republic to the later Empire, yet it does not always clearly differentiate between different time periods. Roman beliefs, customs, and social norms evolved significantly over centuries, and a Roman of the 3rd century BC would have had notably different perspectives from one in the 5th century AD. Unfortunately, there are points where these distinctions are not made explicit, leading to a sense of generalization that may obscure important cultural shifts. A more structured approach, explicitly marking the evolution of practices over time, would have strengthened the book’s historical clarity.
Final Thoughts:
Despite these critiques, Populus remains an impressive and engrossing account of life in ancient Rome. Guy de la Bédoyère’s engaging prose, meticulous research, and ability to weave together diverse historical perspectives make this book a valuable read for anyone interested in the human side of Roman history. While readers should approach some details with caution due to occasional factual inconsistencies and broad generalizations, the book succeeds in its ultimate goal: bringing the people of ancient Rome to life.
For those fascinated by the everyday realities of Rome—beyond the usual tales of emperors and conquests—Populus offers a compelling journey into the lives of its inhabitants, revealing both the grandeur and the struggles of a civilization that continues to captivate the modern imagination.
Strengths:
One of Populus's greatest strengths is its ability to bring Rome to life. De la Bédoyère skilfully reconstructs the world of ancient Rome using a vast range of sources, blending archaeology, literature, and historical accounts to create a vivid picture of the Roman urban experience. The book covers key aspects of Roman life, including family structures, dining customs, religious practices, political ambitions, public entertainment, attitudes towards death and even how they viewed animals. Each chapter is structured to tackle a different element of Roman society, making the book accessible to newcomers to the topic.
The thematic approach works particularly well in showcasing the contrasts within Roman society. The interplay of opulence and poverty, tradition and excess, discipline and decadence, is masterfully illustrated. For example, his exploration of the cursus honorum, (the career path of Roman magistrates), highlights both the rigid hierarchies of political life and the role of wealth and patronage in shaping Roman careers, and how lower classes and freedman were integrated in the system of patronage. Similarly, his discussion of gladiatorial combat and public spectacles underscores how these brutal events were simultaneously a form of state-sponsored control and a source of immense popular entertainment.
Another highlight is the book’s examination of Roman attitudes towards death. De la Bédoyère delves into funeral customs, tomb inscriptions, and beliefs about the afterlife, showing how Romans confronted mortality and sought to preserve their legacies. The final chapter, From Rome to Eternity, ties together these themes, emphasizing how Roman identity persisted long after the city itself declined, sometimes with tombstones being used as parts of walls or drains.
Also interesting is that most of what is known about urban lifestyle is due to Pompeii and Herculaneum being time capsules from the 1st century. The destruction of these cities actually protected buildings and artifacts that would have been lost had there been continued habitation. However, it is crucial to highlight that local differences likely existed between these cities and the metropolis of Rome, meaning that while they provide invaluable insight, they may not fully represent the broader urban experience across the empire.
Improvement points:
While Populus excels in its engaging storytelling and immersive detail, there are a few notable issues that prevent it from being a flawless historical account.
Firstly, there are occasional factual errors (like the Volumnia Cytheris mention by Cicero, which is a glaring mistake) and misleading interpretations throughout the text. While these do not significantly undermine the book’s overall thesis, they do pose a problem for readers seeking precise historical accuracy. Some claims regarding Roman hygiene, safety from crime, and gladiatorial casualties contain intellectual anachronisms that can create a misleading impression of daily life in Rome. Just as an example, while gladiatorial games were extremely violent, casualty rates were often lower than modern audiences assume, and this nuance is definitely lost in the narrative.
Another key issue is the book’s expansive chronological scope. Populus attempts to cover a vast period of Roman history, ranging from the Republic to the later Empire, yet it does not always clearly differentiate between different time periods. Roman beliefs, customs, and social norms evolved significantly over centuries, and a Roman of the 3rd century BC would have had notably different perspectives from one in the 5th century AD. Unfortunately, there are points where these distinctions are not made explicit, leading to a sense of generalization that may obscure important cultural shifts. A more structured approach, explicitly marking the evolution of practices over time, would have strengthened the book’s historical clarity.
Final Thoughts:
Despite these critiques, Populus remains an impressive and engrossing account of life in ancient Rome. Guy de la Bédoyère’s engaging prose, meticulous research, and ability to weave together diverse historical perspectives make this book a valuable read for anyone interested in the human side of Roman history. While readers should approach some details with caution due to occasional factual inconsistencies and broad generalizations, the book succeeds in its ultimate goal: bringing the people of ancient Rome to life.
For those fascinated by the everyday realities of Rome—beyond the usual tales of emperors and conquests—Populus offers a compelling journey into the lives of its inhabitants, revealing both the grandeur and the struggles of a civilization that continues to captivate the modern imagination.
May 5, 2025
This book has so much research and new information. Well done, Guy de la Bedoyere. This is my first book of yours, and I think I will read more because I learned so much. I will say that the content is heady, but I tried to put myself into each chapter and setting. The content would not have meant nearly as much had I not just spent some time in Rome in the fall, and then in Greece/Turkey/other parts of Italy to really understand and have context. I could picture myself in Pompeii, and all around the ancient city in Rome, near the Colosseum.
I learned about this book when I got the latest University of Chicago Press catalog. Woohoo! I love finding new books, especially historical ones researched this well. "Considerable detail in an easygoing style."
Chapter titles below:
Intro on audio book - that helped me understand where the author was coming from.
1. Cityscape
2. The Roman Mindset
3. Domus et Familia
4. Sex and Passion - some weird wild stuff that made me mad in the way men treated their sexual goals and their spouses/servants.
5. Cursus Honorum
6. The Frightened City
7. Slaves - fascinating chapter
8. Splendid Accessories: Freedmen and Freedwomen
9. Dining Out and Eating In
10. Doctors and Disease - interesting things the Romans believed
11. Enfeebled by Baths - I don't know that I could do the baths. I really do like cleanliness and my privacy.
12. Spectacles - the gladiator parts and trying to get animals for these fights - that was interesting.
13. Animals in Rome - I liked this chapter
14. Gods, Shrines, and Omens - I want to understand Roman mythology more. Years ago I learned as much as I could about the Greek and Roman gods, but it didn't mean much to me until I was there. It's a topic I'd love to study again.
15. From Rome to Eternity
(Audio book has chapter at end titled "Funeral of an Emperor")
One part I found confusing was the shift in time periods. For each chapter and topic, it would have been helpful to show a time progression as norms or traditions changed. The book was more comprehensive than just one century.
A part I loved in the book - all the names, and realizing that name endings depending on gender: "us" is the standard masculine ending for Latin adjectives. Women's names usually ended in "a", because that is the standard feminine ending. I love learning new facts, like this:
1. Praenomen: Similar to a modern first name, it was the personal name given to the child.
2. Nomen: This represented the family or gens name, often ending in "-ius". (why so many people in the book had "ius" ending - more men were discussed than women."
3. Cognomen: This was an additional name, often a nickname or a name denoting a specific branch of the family, and could become hereditary.
And having 3 names was for a higher social status.
I learned about this book when I got the latest University of Chicago Press catalog. Woohoo! I love finding new books, especially historical ones researched this well. "Considerable detail in an easygoing style."
Chapter titles below:
Intro on audio book - that helped me understand where the author was coming from.
1. Cityscape
2. The Roman Mindset
3. Domus et Familia
4. Sex and Passion - some weird wild stuff that made me mad in the way men treated their sexual goals and their spouses/servants.
5. Cursus Honorum
6. The Frightened City
7. Slaves - fascinating chapter
8. Splendid Accessories: Freedmen and Freedwomen
9. Dining Out and Eating In
10. Doctors and Disease - interesting things the Romans believed
11. Enfeebled by Baths - I don't know that I could do the baths. I really do like cleanliness and my privacy.
12. Spectacles - the gladiator parts and trying to get animals for these fights - that was interesting.
13. Animals in Rome - I liked this chapter
14. Gods, Shrines, and Omens - I want to understand Roman mythology more. Years ago I learned as much as I could about the Greek and Roman gods, but it didn't mean much to me until I was there. It's a topic I'd love to study again.
15. From Rome to Eternity
(Audio book has chapter at end titled "Funeral of an Emperor")
One part I found confusing was the shift in time periods. For each chapter and topic, it would have been helpful to show a time progression as norms or traditions changed. The book was more comprehensive than just one century.
A part I loved in the book - all the names, and realizing that name endings depending on gender: "us" is the standard masculine ending for Latin adjectives. Women's names usually ended in "a", because that is the standard feminine ending. I love learning new facts, like this:
1. Praenomen: Similar to a modern first name, it was the personal name given to the child.
2. Nomen: This represented the family or gens name, often ending in "-ius". (why so many people in the book had "ius" ending - more men were discussed than women."
3. Cognomen: This was an additional name, often a nickname or a name denoting a specific branch of the family, and could become hereditary.
And having 3 names was for a higher social status.
April 29, 2025
A decent book to give you some sense of what it was like to live as a Roman inhabitant. As noted in the intro de la Bédoyère shamelessly skips around throughout subjects and ages as it amuses him. It's more or less a collection of anecdotes that have survived the ages combined with research that helps fill in the gaps. Since it is a book designed to give you a flavor of life in ancient Rome and not a bona fide history, it works alright. That said I still found myself at some moments certain the experience of food or disease or the baths or even courtship, sex, and marriage would be vastly different in Rome of the Republic vs. The Principate vs. The Dominate. Occasionally the author will point this out explicitly or tacitly, sometimes not - but at least he's clear that he's just focusing on this incident or that finding to provide a series of scenes from a theme.
There were some good bits drawing on recent findings from Pompeii and Herculaneum. I think those pieces gave you a good sense of what city life might have been like for the budding business class and skilled freedmen. It is also interesting to return to the Pompeian over the course of the book and slowly knit the web of principals and families that were movers and shakers in town.
An enjoyable read.
There were some good bits drawing on recent findings from Pompeii and Herculaneum. I think those pieces gave you a good sense of what city life might have been like for the budding business class and skilled freedmen. It is also interesting to return to the Pompeian over the course of the book and slowly knit the web of principals and families that were movers and shakers in town.
An enjoyable read.
September 5, 2024
3.5 because things moved a lot faster when I realised I didn’t have to read every section of every chapter. Life in Ancient Rome is fascinating, especially given our apparent backward slide throughout medieval and subsequent eras. This (or rather, the chapters you choose to read) is a fascinating insight into ‘Living and Dying in the Wealth, Smoke, and Din of Ancient Rome’, and covers interesting sections like disease and doctors, family and home, slaves/freedpersons, and animals, but I did zone out a bit when it went a bit more into the politicians etc. And not as long a read as I thought, as there is a very comprehensive glossary, several appendices, notes, and further reading.
August 16, 2025
Enjoyable but flawed. This book tries to cover too many individual topics for its length, each chapter subdivided down into multiple areas, with the result that each thing gets a very shallow treatment indeed. There’s a book called Invisible Romans by Robert Knapp which is very similar but doesn’t subdivide topics so much with the result it’s a deeper dive and much better. This book is interesting for sure but way too wide and simply not deep enough. It’s nothing more than an entertaining very shallow overview. As the third of this author’s books I’ve read, I have to say “wide overview” is a real theme emerging.
April 17, 2025
I can’t remember a book that laid out the everyday life of a Roman in such detail as this. You’re not going to get some Great Man tale or some sweeping narrative of warfare, but you will finish this work with a good understanding of the daily trials and tribulations of life under Roman rule. From the Eternal City to the provinces, Roman religion, agriculture, entertainment, civics and food are all liberally presented for your consumption. My favorite takeaway is the wonderful descriptions of the patronage system and freedman’s role, definitely a work not to be missed by any who dream of Rome.
August 10, 2024
Fascinating! The author has extensively researched literature, history, and personal writings to compile this description of daily life in ancient Rome, covering not only the well-knowns (Claudius, Cassius, etc.) but also the bakers, potters, merchants, and others who also lived and often thrived in Rome. It was surprising to me how well the intrigue and back-stabbing (both literal and figurative) are mirrored in today's political activities.
November 14, 2024
"La obra aúna madurez y frescura dándole al conjunto un tono tremendamente humano, poniendo el foco en las personas de todos los estratos sociales, e hilando muy bien un relato de los acontecimientos con un análisis más fino de todas y cada una de las facetas de la vida en la antigua Roma".
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://atrapadaenunashojasdepapel.bl...
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://atrapadaenunashojasdepapel.bl...
November 12, 2025
Entertaining romp of interesting popular history.
As others state, it is not in chronological order but rather ordered by subject area.
It is clearly written, entertaining and informative and whilst there are a few minor errors or inaccuracies, as an educated reader you can figure it out easily and if you can't, just shrug and move on.
Deeper detail is available in more academic texts.
As others state, it is not in chronological order but rather ordered by subject area.
It is clearly written, entertaining and informative and whilst there are a few minor errors or inaccuracies, as an educated reader you can figure it out easily and if you can't, just shrug and move on.
Deeper detail is available in more academic texts.
February 20, 2025
Surprisingly insightful and well-written. Not aiming to surprise the readers with some "juicy facts", but aimed more in giving people an idea how the situation was.
Would definitely recommend to lay readers as well as for students looking into an intro for this field.
Would definitely recommend to lay readers as well as for students looking into an intro for this field.
June 29, 2024
Didn't finish it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2025
A very detailed look at the lives (birth, making money, beliefs) and deaths of the people of Ancient Rome. The rich, what can be known of the poor and slaves were included.
February 27, 2025
It's really interesting to read a book focussed on the people of the Roman empire rather than the rulers. A deeply fascinating book.
June 18, 2025
A great help in my initial research for my dissertation, very thankful for detailed citations
July 14, 2025
2.5 stars
Read
February 27, 2025I am a novice, i am not learnered (if that is the right word) but i do have a passion for the Roman way of life. If you didn't have land, coin or power, life was hard. I have read a number of books about roman life and this one dug a bit deeper into the workings of daily life. I found it very readable and can recommend it to anybody that just wants to find out.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews