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SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard - 4* - My Review

Earlier this year, I watched a 23-part documentary about the history of Rome. I decided to reinforce my understanding by reading more about the same time period, so I put this book on my Subdue list. SPQR stands for “Senatus Populus Que Romanus,” or “the senate and people of Rome.” This is a scholarly work that is told in an accessible manner so that it may be enjoyed by those of us who are not academics, but merely interested in the history of the period. It starts in the 8th century BCE with the legends and myths of the city’s foundation and proceeds mostly chronologically until 212 CE, when Emperor Caracalla decreed that all free men of the empire, wherever they lived, were Roman citizens.

The first half of the book is focused on the early history of Rome through the Roman Republic. The second half starts with the assassination of Julius Caesar, and moves forward in time, covering the many rulers and their methods. Beard examines the various social classes, their interactions, and power balances (and imbalances). She looks at the freedoms and restrictions on certain groups, such as women and slaves. She takes a look at the culture and how it changed over time. Along the way, she explodes a few myths or at least casts doubt on them.

Beard is keen on drawing conclusions based on historical evidence, which is often lacking, and leaves open the possibility of different explanations. She explores these nuances and complexities rather than attempting to come up with a single straight-forward explanation. I appreciate this approach, as it definitely helps to gain an understanding of the big picture. The book is expansive in scope, including information based on archeological studies, as well as the literature and written records (which are mostly from the elite perspective since they left the most documentation). It looks at the legal, political, economic, and social institutions, and the interactions among them.

This book will appeal to those seeking to learn more about ancient Roman history. It also includes a massive additional reading list that will keep me occupied for a very long time if I decide to read them all (though I will probably select only a few). If you are at least somewhat familiar with ancient Rome, it is worth reading. It definitely added to my depth of knowledge.