Rome
8 works · kept by Mine
This is very republic heavy, especially the late republic. I don't necessarily think the late republic is more interesting or important than the foundation of the republic, but we do have far more good sources on the late republic & early empire. Any of the Plutarch biographies can be read in a couple of hours, and those that have survived antiquity are all readily available online in good translations. Sallust's The War With Cataline is also readable in one sitting and is tremendous fun. If you do decide to jump in with these ancient sources, you will find you lack a lot of context. I think you just have to roll with it. Looking at my list I realise I am much more interested in the character of the Romans, of what they were like, than any more exact chronology or grand narratives. I think you learn more about them by going deep into particular moments than by attempting to take the whole grand vista in.
Some of my favourite stuff ever written. Maybe the most fun and approachable ancient history. A big collection of short biographies of the leading men of ancient Greece and Rome. The author is a diligent, wise and fair minded Greek philosopher writing around the time of Rome's zenith. He tries to draw moral lessons from the lives of these men, examples of virtues to be emulated and vices to be avoided. He condemns Caesar and Alexander for pride and ambition, for example, but cannot prevent himself from enjoying their exploits and excesses. A few centuries ago you would be considered a complete ignoramus if they you were not thoroughly familiar with the lives. Plutarch was of immense importance to the Founders, French revolutionaries etc. You cannot understand Napoleon, Jefferson, Hamilton, Robespierre and co. without having read Plutarch. The lives of the Grachii are a great place to start. if you are unfamiliar with Roman history and prepared to take the plunge, the life of Caesar is a good place to start if you want something that you are (probably) at least a little familiar with. If you are feeling more Greek start with Themistocles, which is the best of the bunch IMO. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/plutarch/lives/home.html - here are all the surviving lives freely available, courtesy of the university of Chicago. Penguin and Oxford have very good collections on the late Roman republic, and prime Athens.
Imperial Rome needed an epic poem in the vein of the Homeric epics. Coming shortly after the fall of the republic and at the beginning of the empire it was a very important work for primus inter pares Augusts. which is a lens to keep in mind when reading it. For me that doesn't take away from the poem it adds to it. Most importantly, its very fun. The Robert Fagles translation is very good.
Brilliant history of the second Punic war (the one with the elephants and the alps). Livy wrote an entire and enormous history of the Roman Republic, most of which is lost : ( but we still have a huge amount of Livy, which is great, because he's a great historian. You can read The War with Hannibal as one complete work. If you're prepared to get stuck into Rome just getting this book and reading it is a great way to start. Back yourself.
More Imperial Roman poetry. Very interesting and peculiar, especially if you haven't read anything comparatively ancient before. It's not a narrative like The Aeneid so you can just dip into some of the poetry and get a feel for it.
The War With Catiline - Sallust
Tremendous near contemporary account of the Catiline conspiracy which was a really dramatic attempt to overthrow the republic by a gang of wretches led by a few dazzling rogues. This episode of Roman history is paid much less attention than it should be, being understandably overshadowed by later events. In significant supporting roles the work contains a young Caesar, Cato and Cicero. The event itself is probably best termed a violent insurrection, rather than a full blown civil war, but it exposes the deep rot and dysfunction which had already set in and which would, shortly, lead to the collapse of the republic. Readers can draw what parallels they will. Sallust is super biased, which is something to keep in mind, but its great. Can be read in one sitting. You can find it online here https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/sallust/bellum_catilinae*.html
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Edward Gibbon
Classic History. As important for its influence on the way we write history as for its inherent value. Gibbon does not hold your hand. It is enormously long so I have only yet read it in abridgement. If you want entertainment start with the parts about Atilla the Hun, if you want to hear Gibbons description of Rome at its height and analysis of the fall in short read the first few chapters.
The Roman Revolution - Ronald Syme
Brilliant but serious and difficult history of the fall of the republic/ rise of the empire. Wouldn't go for it unless you are already familiar with the history, as it is more the authors' analysis of events, presuming a certain preexisting familiarity with events in the reader, than a chronology. It was written against the backdrop of the rise of fascism in the 30s and it bears that mark. Augusts/Octavian is the main character. This book really makes you appreciate how much of a genius and b*stard he was.
From the Grachii to Nero - Howard Hayes Scullard
If you want to get into Rome, want something modern, and don't know where to start this is the book for you. It also has a lot for those already well acquainted. A standard textbook.
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