Handbook to life in ancient Rome

This handy reference provides full access to the 1,200 years of Roman rule from the 8th century B.C. to the 5th century A.D., including information that is hard to find and even harder to decipher. Clear, authoritative, and highly organized, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome provides a uniquelook at a civilization whose art, literature, law, and engineering influenced the whole of Western Europe throughout the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and beyond.The myriad topics covered include rulers; the legal and governmental system; architectural feats such as the famous Roman roads and aqueducts; the many Roman religions and festivals; the Roman system of personal names; contemporary poets and historians; even typical Roman leisure pursuits. Eachchapter includes an extensive bibliography, as well as more than 125 site-specific photographs and line drawings. Maps chart the expansion and contraction of the territory from the foundation city of Rome itself to the Byzantine Empire and the ultimate decline of the West.Combining both archaeological and historical evidence, the Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome is perfect for anyone interested in Roman history, the classics, or an overview of the amazing period in which the Romans ruled.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member gmicksmith

This is a handy, encyclopedic survey of the Romans. Archaeologists Lesley and Roy Adkins previously published a Dictionary of Roman Religion, An Introduction to Archaeology, and Handbook to Life in Ancient Greece.

The chapters are arranged thematically, and cover the republic, military affairs,

geography, town and countryside, travel and trade, writing, religion, economy and industry, and everyday life. Within each chapter the authors cover an exhaustive range of subtopics. There are brief entries but the authors include extensive bibliographies at the end of each chapter, as well as over 125 photographs, line drawings, and maps to round out the picture. The work is informative about lesser known topics such as a sound description of Roman names.

In the early Republic, each man had two names, the praenomen and the nomen. Later, three names became more common: praenomen, nomen, and cognomen. The praenomen was the common every day name in the home. The nomen was more important and indicated the family or gens from which a person arose. The cognomen was an appendage of a name, often which indicated a personal characteristic.

Show Less