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A History of the Ancient World: Volume II Rome
First published in 1927 this monumental book has long been out of print. Brilliantly written, it stands on its own merits and has not been outdated by new discoveries or research. Rostovtzeff's narrative begins in the fourth century B.C. and concludes with the social and political catastrophe of the third century.' In between, he examines not only the political and military events of these centuries, but the social and economic milieu, the personalities, and the minutiae of day-to-day existence.
For this edition, Elias J. Bickerman has prepared a completely new and up-to-date bibliography and contributed brief addenda dealing with recent discoveries and scholarship. The maps of Italy and the Empire have been entirely redrawn, and twenty-three of the most relevant plates from the original edition have been retained.
For this edition, Elias J. Bickerman has prepared a completely new and up-to-date bibliography and contributed brief addenda dealing with recent discoveries and scholarship. The maps of Italy and the Empire have been entirely redrawn, and twenty-three of the most relevant plates from the original edition have been retained.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1926
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About the author
Michael Rostovtzeff
98 books18 followersMikhail Ivanovich Rostovtzeff, or Rostovtsev (Russian: Михаи́л Ива́нович Росто́вцев; November 10 [O.S. October 29] 1870 – October 20, 1952) was a Russian historian whose career straddled the 19th and 20th centuries and who produced important works on Ancient Roman and Greek history. He was a member of the Russian Academy of Science.
Rostovtzeff was the son of a Latin teacher. Upon completing his studies at the universities of Kiev and St. Petersburg, Rostovtsev served as an assistant and then as a full Professor of Latin at the University of St. Petersburg 1898–1918. In 1918, following the Russian Revolution, he emigrated first to Sweden, then to England, and finally in 1920 to the United States. There he accepted a chair at the University of Wisconsin–Madison before moving to Yale University in 1925 where he taught until his retirement in 1944. He oversaw all archaeological activities of the latter institution in general and the excavations of Dura-Europos in particular. He is believed to have coined the term "caravan city".
While working in Russia, Rostovtzeff became an authority on the ancient history of South Russia and Ukraine. He summed up his knowledge on the subject in Iranians and Greeks in South Russia (1922) and Skythien und der Bosporus (1925). His most important archaeological findings at Yale were described in Dura-Europos and Its Art (1938).
Glen Bowersock described Rostovtzeff's views as having been largely formed by the age of thirty, developing mainly only in the quality of execution in later life, and making him "the last of the nineteenth-century ancient historians". Rostovtzeff was known as a proud and slightly overpowering man who did not fit in easily. In later life, he suffered from depression.
The Social and Economic History of the Roman Empire:
Rostovtzeff was notable for his theories of the cause of the collapse of the Roman Empire which he expounded in detail in his magisterial The Social and Economic History of the Roman Empire (1926). Scarred by his experience of fleeing from the Russian Revolution, he attributed the collapse of the Roman Empire to an alliance between the rural proletariat and the military in the third century A.D. Despite not being a Marxist himself, Rostovtzeff used terms such as proletariat, bourgeoisie and capitalism freely in his work and the importation of those terms into a description of the ancient world, where they did not necessarily apply, caused criticism.
Rostovtzeff's theory was quickly understood as one based on the author's own experiences and equally quickly rejected by the academic community. Bowersock later described the book as "the marriage of pre-1918 scholarly training and taste with post-1918 personal experience and reflection." At the same time, however, the detailed scholarship involved in the production of the work impressed his contemporaries and he was one of the first to merge archaeological evidence with literary sources.
Rostovtzeff was the son of a Latin teacher. Upon completing his studies at the universities of Kiev and St. Petersburg, Rostovtsev served as an assistant and then as a full Professor of Latin at the University of St. Petersburg 1898–1918. In 1918, following the Russian Revolution, he emigrated first to Sweden, then to England, and finally in 1920 to the United States. There he accepted a chair at the University of Wisconsin–Madison before moving to Yale University in 1925 where he taught until his retirement in 1944. He oversaw all archaeological activities of the latter institution in general and the excavations of Dura-Europos in particular. He is believed to have coined the term "caravan city".
While working in Russia, Rostovtzeff became an authority on the ancient history of South Russia and Ukraine. He summed up his knowledge on the subject in Iranians and Greeks in South Russia (1922) and Skythien und der Bosporus (1925). His most important archaeological findings at Yale were described in Dura-Europos and Its Art (1938).
Glen Bowersock described Rostovtzeff's views as having been largely formed by the age of thirty, developing mainly only in the quality of execution in later life, and making him "the last of the nineteenth-century ancient historians". Rostovtzeff was known as a proud and slightly overpowering man who did not fit in easily. In later life, he suffered from depression.
The Social and Economic History of the Roman Empire:
Rostovtzeff was notable for his theories of the cause of the collapse of the Roman Empire which he expounded in detail in his magisterial The Social and Economic History of the Roman Empire (1926). Scarred by his experience of fleeing from the Russian Revolution, he attributed the collapse of the Roman Empire to an alliance between the rural proletariat and the military in the third century A.D. Despite not being a Marxist himself, Rostovtzeff used terms such as proletariat, bourgeoisie and capitalism freely in his work and the importation of those terms into a description of the ancient world, where they did not necessarily apply, caused criticism.
Rostovtzeff's theory was quickly understood as one based on the author's own experiences and equally quickly rejected by the academic community. Bowersock later described the book as "the marriage of pre-1918 scholarly training and taste with post-1918 personal experience and reflection." At the same time, however, the detailed scholarship involved in the production of the work impressed his contemporaries and he was one of the first to merge archaeological evidence with literary sources.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 6, 2017
Rostovtzeff is maybe the most important history scientist focused in Rome, this book despite its size it is only an entry level book in Roman history. This is the second time I read this book, The first time I read it I was most interested in war events. Now I find even more interesting the political evolution of Roman Republic until the Emperors ultimatum power.
By reading it you understand how the Hellenic culture was moved and influenced western Europe and the known world at that time.
The end of Roman Empire is the mark of the decadency of Ancient world.
Ancient world is one of the greatest steps of Human history for Arts, Law, Politics, Science and warfare among many others.
The end of Roman Empire also marks the start of Dark Ages, where religion (mostly Christianity) makes people think more about life after death instead of focusing the life before death that gave Hellenic Civilization one of the key advantages to prevail and send the human spirit in level never met before.
By reading it you understand how the Hellenic culture was moved and influenced western Europe and the known world at that time.
The end of Roman Empire is the mark of the decadency of Ancient world.
Ancient world is one of the greatest steps of Human history for Arts, Law, Politics, Science and warfare among many others.
The end of Roman Empire also marks the start of Dark Ages, where religion (mostly Christianity) makes people think more about life after death instead of focusing the life before death that gave Hellenic Civilization one of the key advantages to prevail and send the human spirit in level never met before.
July 17, 2019
This book is very organized and very informative. I feel much more prepared to discuss the topic.
January 2, 2026
Good synopsis of Rome. If you like Rome you’ll learn a thing or two from this. My hot gf bought me it.
January 20, 2023
羅斯托夫采夫，這位美籍俄裔學者，研究西方古典經濟史的人應該都熟悉的名字，他的經典大作《希臘化世界的社會經濟史》及《羅馬帝國社會經濟史》仍然值得一讀，尤其是後者，中文譯本水平不差，值得一推。
雖說羅氏的“古史現代”化理論，也就是把希臘羅馬時代的經濟用帶著資本主義眼光去觀察的這種說法已經遭到質疑，不論是傳統的老對手，強調古代還是難脫農業經濟的“原始主義派”，還是自成一家之言的M‧芬利，都找到其弱點。尤其是芬利，在韋伯跟波蘭尼的理論基礎上，延伸出“古代經濟實質上是附屬在政治活動之下，跟現代資本主義能夠反過來將之左右的立場不同”，這個論點實質上說服了不少人，“芬利模式”成為了古代經濟史討論的核心，不論是贊同還是反對。
當然，本文意不在探討，筆者不敢獻醜，感興趣的網友可以去Google中國學者黃洋的一篇〈摩西‧芬利與古代經濟史研究〉，有充分的說明。
撇開這些不談，羅氏仍然是學界敬重的學者，他的史識跟掌握資料的功力，從他的著作字裡行間就可以感受出來。本書雖然只是他的一部通史性的小書，但能夠以中譯本二十二萬字洋洋灑灑的交代了羅馬自傳說的王政到西部帝國崩潰為止前後千年的歷史，內文並非只是簡單的介紹跟流水帳，而是深刻的點出每個時代的關鍵跟轉折，讓讀者可以簡單明瞭的看懂。此外，筆者特別喜歡是羅氏對於古典文明衰亡的結論，雖然可能你不贊同，但還是能夠引發省思，甚至對於當下現況有些警覺吧。(雖然還是不脫他重視中產階級重要性的觀點就是了....笑)
最後不得不說的是，本書多少有些資料是落伍跟陳舊，但是觀點跟史論中的睿智卻是依舊。如果對於那厚厚的兩冊《羅馬帝國社會經濟史》有點恐懼，不妨改看這本，也可以瞻仰一下羅斯托夫采夫這位大家的風采。
本書的翻譯不差，除了把“corn”翻譯成玉米這個錯誤外....(希臘羅馬時代會有這種東西嗎？應該是另外一個意思：“穀類”吧！)
雖說羅氏的“古史現代”化理論，也就是把希臘羅馬時代的經濟用帶著資本主義眼光去觀察的這種說法已經遭到質疑，不論是傳統的老對手，強調古代還是難脫農業經濟的“原始主義派”，還是自成一家之言的M‧芬利，都找到其弱點。尤其是芬利，在韋伯跟波蘭尼的理論基礎上，延伸出“古代經濟實質上是附屬在政治活動之下，跟現代資本主義能夠反過來將之左右的立場不同”，這個論點實質上說服了不少人，“芬利模式”成為了古代經濟史討論的核心，不論是贊同還是反對。
當然，本文意不在探討，筆者不敢獻醜，感興趣的網友可以去Google中國學者黃洋的一篇〈摩西‧芬利與古代經濟史研究〉，有充分的說明。
撇開這些不談，羅氏仍然是學界敬重的學者，他的史識跟掌握資料的功力，從他的著作字裡行間就可以感受出來。本書雖然只是他的一部通史性的小書，但能夠以中譯本二十二萬字洋洋灑灑的交代了羅馬自傳說的王政到西部帝國崩潰為止前後千年的歷史，內文並非只是簡單的介紹跟流水帳，而是深刻的點出每個時代的關鍵跟轉折，讓讀者可以簡單明瞭的看懂。此外，筆者特別喜歡是羅氏對於古典文明衰亡的結論，雖然可能你不贊同，但還是能夠引發省思，甚至對於當下現況有些警覺吧。(雖然還是不脫他重視中產階級重要性的觀點就是了....笑)
最後不得不說的是，本書多少有些資料是落伍跟陳舊，但是觀點跟史論中的睿智卻是依舊。如果對於那厚厚的兩冊《羅馬帝國社會經濟史》有點恐懼，不妨改看這本，也可以瞻仰一下羅斯托夫采夫這位大家的風采。
本書的翻譯不差，除了把“corn”翻譯成玉米這個錯誤外....(希臘羅馬時代會有這種東西嗎？應該是另外一個意思：“穀類”吧！)
May 13, 2019
Este libro de historia es una magnífica introducción al estudio del imperio más sorprendente y longevo de nuestra civilización. La obra resume los que, en mi opinión, pueden ser los aspectos más significativos de la creación y desarrollo del imperio romano, dentro de lo que conocemos más fidedignamente por sus escritos y arqueología. Al mismo tiempo que nos describe su evolución, el autor va apuntando las causas de su decadencia en el siglo III, de manera muy convincente. El ensayo es todo un alarde de erudición histórica y síntesis en 300 páginas, una joya que te abre la puerta a todo un campo de conocimiento.
February 5, 2023
Great summary of the Roman empire from start to ~300AD. I found it to be a good middle ground between a very high level summary and a detailed history. Given that it covers almost 700 years of history in ~275 pages, some compromises have to be made, and the level of depth was what I was looking for. Covers the emperors and their impacts, art, economy, culture, military, and the various wars and political battles.
January 7, 2026
O livro cumpre perfeitamente com que descreve: explicar de forma geral, abordando os vários campos da sociedade, que formaram o Império Romano.
February 5, 2026
TANTO IBAS A TENER PARA CONTAR AMIGO dios
August 11, 2024
Άριστο βιβλίο. Ολόκληρο το έργο παρουσιάζει απίστευτη συνοχή - κάθε παράγραφος στέκεται αυθυπόσταστη και συμπληρώνει υπάρχουσες, ή εισαγάγει νέες ιδέες με εύληπτο τρόπο, χωρίς περιττολογίες. Γενικά άριστο.
July 13, 2012
I have not read the entire book and I have an old German edition which I picked up by chance the other day in Dusseldorf. However, I have read enough to award this 4 stars. It provides a very clear if rather dry overview of Ancient Rome. The beginning is abrupt and there is no attempt to provide a background history, so beginning the book is like coming into a cinema after a film has started. Positive is the clarity and in my opinion the nice balance which the writer has achieved between providing too much detail, whereby the reader would become bogged down and too little detail, whereby the reader would not understand what is happening. The writer also has a lot to say about economics and economic relations, which clarifies many issues.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews