The History of Ancient Rome

The Great Courses

by Garrett G. Fagan

Course Lecture Titles 1. Introduction 2. The Sources 3. Pre-Roman Italy and the Etruscans 4. The Foundation of Rome 5. The Kings of Rome 6. Regal Society 7. The Beginnings of the Republic 8. The Struggle of the Orders 9. Roman Expansion in Italy 10. The Roman Confederation in Italy 11. The International Scene on the Eve of Roman Expansion 12. Carthage and the First Punic War 13. The Second Punic (or Hannibalic) War 14. Rome in the Eastern Mediterranean 15. Explaining the Rise of the Roman Empire 16. "The Captured Conqueror"-Rome and Hellenism 17. Governing the Roman Republic, Part I-Senate and Magistrates 18. Governing the Roman Republic, Part II-Popular Assemblies and Provincial Administration 19. The Pressures of Empire 20. The Gracchi Brothers 21. Marius and Sulla 22. "The Royal Rule of Sulla" 23. Sulla's Reforms Undone 24. Pompey and Crassus 25. The First Triumvirate 26. Pompey and Caesar 27. "The Domination of Caesar" 28. Social and Cultural Life in the Late Republic 29. Antony and Octavian 30. The Second Triumvirate 31. Octavian Emerges Supreme 32. The New Order of Augustus 33. The Imperial Succession 34. The Julio-Claudian Dynasty 35. The Emperor in the Roman World 36. The Third-Century Crisis 37. The Shape of Roman Society 38. Roman Slavery 39. The Family 40. Women in Roman Society 41. An Empire of Cities 42. Public Entertainment, Part I-The Roman Baths and Chariot Racing 43. Public Entertainment, Part II-Gladiatorial Games 44. Roman Paganism 45. The Rise of Christianity 46. The Restoration of Order 47. Constantine and the Late Empire 48. Thoughts on the "Fall" of the Roman Empire

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Ancient History, Roman History, Historical, Ancient

Audio CD

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a survey course (audio download) about the (ancient) history of Rome and not intended as an in depth study of all of ancient Rome's very complicated history. Dr Fagan presents a no-nonsense series of lectures that provides the basis for understanding the social, political and military evolution of possibly the most important and successful civilization of the western world. From monarchy to republic to empire the Roman models have been repeated...mostly by the 'bad guys'...in efforts to achieve the glory Rome had attained. And the Romans did indeed know how to be the bad guys. They conquered the world, but did they ever truly conquer themselves...or just survive from one civil war to the next? The US has had but one civil war in our 200+ years, and we continue reliving parts of that tradegy to this day. How must it have been for the Romans?
I will not provide here a rehash of the lectures...it has already been done. But what I will provide is a recommendation for these lectures, especially if you can follow along in the notes. The DVD format may be a better choice, if you can afford it.
Hope that helps.

[Brad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Garret G. Fagan isn't The Great Lectures greatest lecturer. While his Irish lilt can be lovely to listen too (and I can now do a fair impersonation of him after listening to 40+ hours of his voice), he stumbles back and forth and back between dismissive, annoyed, and downright bored. He reminds us time and time again that he simply doesn't have the time or the space to do any of his subjects justice, which makes him seem resentful of doing a "great lecture" at all. The message I kept hearing was, "I'll take the pay cheque, but I'd much rather be in a grad seminar with serious scholars to be than whoring myself out on an audiobook."

Yet for all that, I found Fagan's The History of Ancient Rome both a compelling listen and an excellent primer for all things Ancient Rome. For me, who studied Rome long ago and wanted an overview to help shape my return to Rome as a subject, Fagan's overview was a perfect fit. I learned a few new things, remembered some things I had forgotten, and made my decision about where to go next in my studies.

Finally one word of fairness to Dr. Fagan ... I think he'd be a brilliant live lecturer, especially were he focusing on some very specific part of Roman history and could give it the full attention he feels it deserves. Audiobooks, though, just aren't for him.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable Broad-Brush Overview with Engaging Irish Professor
This was my second audiobook in preparation for our first trip to Rome. The first was on Ancient Greek Civilization, as that is fundamental to any understanding of Roman civilization of course. I enjoyed this series of 48 wide-ranging lectures, and while Professor Fagan often seemed rushed, he is engaging and has a nice sense of humour. I was also watching the Netflix docudrama called The Roman Empire at the same time, so got a thorough treatment of the reigns of Commodus, Julius Caesar, and Caligula, in a more visual and sensational format, full of bloody killings and lots of naked women (and men), very much in the Game of Thrones mode, though with commentaries by professors on the subject.

[Chandler Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good general history of Rome. Going to Italy soon so was fun to learn some history before I go.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent lecture series.
Not a boring moment in the series.
Highly recommend it if you're interested in Roman History.
It's not as good as reading the ancient texts but it's much better & more informative than any current book on Roman History.

[Beauregard Bottomley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way we think about history changes as we see ourselves differently over time. Dr. Fagin presented this lecture in 1999, and how we think about Roman History has changed since he first presented this course. That makes this Great Course History lecture series worthwhile just for that.

Dr. Fagin presents the Roman World as it was thought of in 1999 without a flaw in his presentation.

You can read Livy and learn without a doubt that being Roman was about liberty, you can read Dio Cassius and learn being Roman was about respecting authority and embracing the old ways, and you can read Gibbons and think that the world was never better than it was under Marcus Aurelius and Britain was destined to be Rome’s natural heir. All histories are a product of their timeline, and Dr. Fagin gives a 1999 perspective which gives this lecture series an extra reason for listening to it while contextualizing each of the above three historians and then some.

Dr. Fagin does a great job overall. I’m struck at how that moron Governor in Florida wants to force colleges to require a ‘Western Civilization’ course and forbids diversity courses (according to the NYT 1/31/2023), the governor wants to freeze our understanding of history and return to his glory days of white supremacy without allowing us to ever see how we ourselves have grown while reassessing our own beliefs about history. Dr. Fagin illustrates and will even comment on how history changes as we see ourselves differently over time. DeSantis doesn’t care and wants to appeal to his MAGA base who falsely believe their false version of certainty and never need to reassess because they are certain in their own perceptions of the past. A pox upon them and their narrow world-view.

[Dan Wilbur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, it’s not a “book” but a series of lectures and I made it all the way through. I loved it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

While admittedly not a "book", and I did not technically "read" it, I'm reviewing here because I came across this excellent series of lectures when looking for a very broad overview of the history of Ancient Rome and kept coming up short in my actual book-picks. Everything I found earlier was too narrow, or went too deep, or seemed to require some other foundational understanding.

This was absolutely ideal for my purposes-- 20+ hours of lectures with a sweeping scope, that perfectly connected together the weird pockets of knowledge of classical antiquity my brain had hoarded over the years (mostly through Shakespeare, Hollywood, middle school Latin classes and a childhood obsession with D'Aulaires book of Greek mythology sooo... what I began with was spotty at best.) Professor Fagan has an easy-to-listen to Irish accent and a dry sense of humor, and the material never felt overwhelming even in the areas that went into more detail.

Probably not recommended for someone with a deep understanding of this history already, but a stellar jumping off point for a relative beginner.

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Prof. Fagan, sexy accent and all:) He makes all history fun:)

[Yoly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent course! This is one of the best of The Great Courses that I've listened to. Went right away and picked up another one of professor Fagan's courses.

[Koosha · Rating 5 out of 5]

History of Rome is a complicated one, and I had some major gaps in my knowledge of it. This course was exactly what I needed. 48 lectures, starting with the early days, the monarchic period, going into republic, and continuing with the empire phase. It gave me a great overview of the political evolution of Rome, as well as some insight into the daily life of Romans, their religion, their values, and their traditions. Professor Fagan is very eloquent and listening to him was a pleasure.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good and thorough but admittedly shallow look at the history of the Roman Empire from its inception to the fall of the Western Empire. It was informative and very well presented and had some asides into culture and entertainment as well as military organization. It's 38 30 minutes lectures long but well worth the time involved.

[Ryan Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read/listened to a boatload of Great Courses by now. And while I have interests in almost every topic, these series on the ancient world are my favorite.
This one is especially fantastic. Deep and insightful. Expansive and thorough. I couldn’t get enough. But alas like the Roman Empire it had to come to an end.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good series of lectures on the Roman republic and empire. He is a good lecturer, and it is all quite comprehensive. There is a focus on political history. In the beginning, he says he will avoid discussing art and literature much, which struck me as strange because at the very beginning of the series, he says Rome is important to study because it continues to have a deep influence on us. Of course, it is in literature, architecture and the arts more generally where that influence is most profound, and it is not like, in forty-eight lectures, he has to rush anything. Still, other than this, Fagan provides a good introduction to Rome’s history.

[Mizrob A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent intro to the subject, but I think Mike Duncan's podcast is more informative and comprehensive due to the span of the subject.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of the history of Ancient Rome. Well structured and comprehensive.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice overview of ancient Rome. Engaging.

[David Readmont-Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding Teaching Company series by the man, Garrett G. RIP.

[Jeffry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't recommend Fagan, or the Great Courses Lectures, enough. My brother Chris turned me on to the Great Courses & I've been enormously grateful for the many hours I've spent listening since.

[Fred Fifield · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent lecture series on the History of Ancient Rome. I could do without the canned applause at the beginning and ending of each lecture. That gets surprisingly annoying.

[Avbac23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this turned out to be a feast for my brain!

My education on ancient Rome in school was cursory at best, so I was mostly stuck with what little historical context I'd received as part of a religious upbringing. What, for example, do the common cultural references to "crossing the Rubicon" mean? If it wasn't in the bible, I couldn't know!

This course filled in a lot of such gaps for me, and gave me a well-rounded overview of political trends, battles and conquests, cultural norms, and religious beliefs in ancient Rome, as well as how they developed over time, and provided specific examples to illustrate each. It was not dull in the slightest; the lecturer had an excellent grasp of how much detail to give in each case, and didn't even bother listing all the emperors or battles in sequence. Instead, he described periods and trends, listing noteworthy occurrences, but glossing over the repetitive parts. He also used just the right amount of humor, with occasional puns or poignant references to modern life to flavor his presentation.

Fagan deserves special recognition for his scholarly honesty. He is very clear when aspects of Roman history are still controversial, and about the strength of the evidence he uses to support his assertions. He doesn't shy away from sharing his opinions about his sources and the likelihood of events, but is clear in stating what kinds of evidence he uses to arrive at his conclusions. In editorializing about the reasons for the fall of the Roman empire, he examines several popular views before stating his own opinions, and uses this discussion to highlight differences between the western part of the Roman empire and the eastern part (which survived as the Byzantine empire).

All such examples of clear presentation, well-thought-out opinions, and consideration of influences on his historical sources, serve to build respect and trust for Fagan's expertise and communication. With all the high points of Roman history covered well, this course makes a strong basis for understanding not only references but even modern traditions that trace their origins back two millennia to ancient Rome. But if the reader wants to use it as a springboard to dive deeper into ancient Roman history, Fagan also mentions several subjects that could be standalone courses on their own. So it's a great starting point, regardless of how much or how little we may want to continue to read and learn on the subject.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of history and so when I read a massive survey like this Great Courses book, I look for how the events are framed and whether or not the author gives me some new insight into the material. I very much enjoyed how Fagan did both of these things.

By far the strongest part of the book is his coverage of the generations long revolution that transformed Rome from a Republic into what is effectively a monarchical empire. Fagan expertly shows how each major player starting with the Grachus brothers made small but important changes to the ways in which the Republic’s government functioned that ultimately combined to fracture the Republic and return it to a monarchy in all but name. Many of these changes were not technically illegal—they were contrary to tradition—and they “justified” ever bigger breaches of tradition (under the excuse of preserving that very same tradition) by the opposition. It is difficult not to see parallels to the United States where, as in Rome, politicians make adjustments to the way things are traditionally done to advance their short-term interests and then seem shocked when their opponents do the same. The ultimate result for Rome was the loss of their Republic.

Fagan’s discussion of the Empire is much more general as he looks at longer term trends. If you want an emperor-by-emperor account, this part of the book is not for you. But if you want to look at major themes it’s a very helpful overview. Any way you look at it, this is a wonderful survey of Rome.

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1999 The Teaching Company Great Courses released Pennsylvania State University Prof Garrett Fagan’s 48 lecture course “The History of Ancient Rome.” The lectures are each 30 minutes long and the four course guides are 277 pages. The course covers Roman history from 1200 BC to the fall of Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. At this time Rome was taken over by the German military leader Odoacer when he became the King (Emperor) of Italy. Prof Fagan’s first 36 lectures present significant events that scholars believe led to the creation of the Roman Empire and influenced the Empire’s social/political evolution from the seven kings, to the Regal period, and then to the Republic era, and ending in the creation of the Imperial empire. After these lectures, Prof Fagan describes Roman social practices, slavery, family structures, public entertainment, and the rise of Christianity. The last two lectures in the course discuss Constantine’s exceptional reign; his moving the base of the empire from Rome to Constantinople; and his influence on Roman Christianity. The last lecture also discusses the forces that impacted the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. I found the lectures highly informative and very interesting. (P)

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+
Professor Garrett Fagan's History of Ancient Rome is one of the Great Courses' outstanding lecture series. In forty-eight 30-minute lectures, Fagan surveys the span of Roman history from its origins to the end of the Western empire.

Within this extensive history, the fall of the Roman Republic and the subsequent rise of autocracy is a subject that fascinates me. Beginning with the Gracchi Brothers, Fagan uses a narrative format to describe the colorful characters and examine the social, economic, and structural forces that led to the Republic's gradual decline. In addition, he vividly depicts the breakdown of social norms and conventions that slowly eroded the social fabric. As I listened to these lectures, it was easy to draw parallels to the current situation in the US.

Fagan is a social as well as a political historian. The psychology of public entertainment is one of his areas of expertise. His lectures on Roman Baths, Chariot Racing, and Gladiatorial Games provided rich insights into Roman life. I found the topic so engrossing that I bought one of his books, The Lure of the Arena: Social Psychology and the Crowd at the Roman Games.

I highly recommend this course for history buffs and intrepid travelers. It is first-rate.

[John Dembowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

OVERVIEW

I consider myself fairly well versed in Roman history, but my knowledge could be seen as vignette in nature, with gaps between major events and characters. This course helped me bridge those gaps together to have a more complete view on the empire as a whole.

SCOPE OF THE SERIES

It covers from the foundations of Rome (both myth and archeological evidence) to the fall of the Western Empire. This being said, the vast majority of the lessons cover the classical period through Augustus. With such a large timeperiod, the instructor acknowledged multiple times that he could not go into detail on many issues and topics.

INSTRUCTOR

The instructor was well versed and balanced in his interpretation of evidence, often presenting various opinions of other historians and weighing their merits and detractors. The Irish accent was quite pleasant as well.

MISCELLANEOUS

This series is best accompanied by McCullough's "First Man in Rome", Rome II: Total War, and red wine.

[Daniel L · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. SO good! Good voice. Good overview.

I was looking for an overview of the Roman Empire from start to finish, and this was it.

Positive:
Fagan is a historian. He shared bits and pieces of the evidence we have and highlighted the limitations in the extant information (for example, inscriptions, archeology, and histories written by ancient authors). This was helpful as a scientist, to understand the gaps we have in the information. His treatment was ~24 hours long, so it was a medium-depth overview.

Negative:
Fagan didn't extrapolate much to analyze trends. I do sometimes appreciate when historians recap their detail work by pointing out certain trends and developments. Fagan spent much time treating the famous figures, but less time treating the daily life of the poorer majority. This is understandable and was due to limited information in the ancient period, but that was a drawback.

Overall, very helpful and useful book.

[Matthew Peck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year I took on Ancient Egypt; this year it's Rome. Next year? My search for a general, newbie-friendly history of the Roman Empire led me the audio version of this Great Courses selection, and it seems to be fine place to start. The late Garret Fagan is a compelling and dry-humored guide, and the whole course is never, ever boring – even when the subject is the structure of popular assemblies and voting blocs. Many of my preconceived notions of the time were, shall we say, decimated. My only disappointment derives from the broader, thematic shape that the course takes once the Imperial Period takes off, after the detailed chronology that precedes it. I realize that it might have taken another 23 hours to properly go through everything, but the shift in focus was still a bit jarring. Apart from that, it's a thorough, cohesive, and entertaining history of a civilization that seems at once so alien and so familiar.

[Adrian Crawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like other reviewers have said this is a very brief overview on the entire Roman Empire, beginning to end.

As someone who knows very little about these people and this period of history, I felt that this book gives a decent overview and should be used as a means to evaluate your interest in the matter and/or what interests you the most about the Roman Empire.

If you are already interested/know more than the basics I doubt this book would shed anything new.

As for the professor teaching the course, it is clear that he knows quite a lot about the subject matter. He maintains direction and stay on topic well. However, I felt he talked in a very clipped and rushed tone. He seemed to be rushing through all 48 lectures and in turn it lead to a fairly stressful listen.

[Josh S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This course had a pretty slow start with lots of throat clearing, but once it got into the Roman Republic era it was downright riveting, and this section alone wins all 4 stars.

Unfortunately, for the period after the collapse of the Republic and the establishment of the emperors, it became very cursory; the course title is a bit misleading and might have been better titled The History of the Roman Republic.

I really enjoy a lot of The Great Courses offerings, and it was wonderful to listen to this after listening to courses about the prior Persian and Greek/Hellenistic empires.

[Balazs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent introduction, with some better parts (sources, kingdom, late Republic, bathing) and weaker ones (Middle Republic, imperial politics from the 2nd century CE onwards, military matters, economic structure). Some major questions (such as Roman foreign and military postures 2nd century BCE, and from Augustus onwards or the process of romanization after the Republic) get barely addressed, while minor ones (such as why the Romans didn't conquer the whole of Britain or Germania get a cursory and questionable treatment in "it was not worth it economically"). Still, when you factor in that Fagan had 24 hours to cover the whole of Roman history, it is agreeable.