Der Aufstieg Roms

Kathryn Lomas masterfully and multifacetedly depicts Roman history from its very beginnings to the onset of the Punic Wars. She brilliantly makes this history comprehensible in its uniqueness and provides surprising answers to the historical question of all questions: How and why did a small town achieve the remarkable, entirely unpredicted rise to world power? In the late Iron Age, Rome was a small cluster of huts on some hills by the Tiber. By the 3rd century BC, it had already become a large and powerful city with monumental temples and public buildings. Rome had conquered all of Italy and was on the verge of establishing a world empire. But how and with what means did the Romans accomplish this historically significant feat? How did a collection of villages transform into a world city? Kathryn Lomas narrates the history and development of Rome from its mythical beginnings to the start of the wars with Carthage, showing how the Romans established their rule and subdued Italy. Rome differed in important ways from its neighbors, particularly in its novel relationships with other states. The author impressively portrays the world of the Romans and their neighbors in all its facets (politics, society, economy, and military). This nuanced yet vivid panorama of one of the most exciting epochs in world history continues to resonate into our present day. Lomas's clear language and her up-to-date archaeological knowledge are the perfect combination to illuminate the fascinating story of Rome's rise to world power.