First published 2012
Anthony Everitt examines how Rome transformed from a collection of hill settlements into history's greatest empire. The bestselling biographer of Cicero, Augustus, and Hadrian chronicles Rome's evolution from an eighth century market town to the ancient world's dominant power. Everitt explores the political struggles between patricians and plebeians that shaped the Republic's character. He demonstrates how Rome's policy of granting citizenship to conquered peoples fueled imperial expansion. The narrative traces the gradual erosion of constitutional traditions as imperial wealth corrupted republican values, ultimately leading to civil war and internal collapse despite external triumph. Everitt profiles key figures including Cincinnatus, the warrior-aristocrat who embodied republican ideals, Scipio Africanus, who defeated Hannibal's Carthaginian challenge, and intellectual leaders like Cato the Elder and Cicero, whose political writings continue influencing modern governance. The book reveals how Rome's strategic decisions and cultural adaptations enabled its remarkable ascent while exposing the internal contradictions that would eventually undermine the Republic.
Genres: biography, history, non-fiction, ancient-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-figures, rise-and-fall
Setting: Rome, Carthage
Period: 8th Century BCE, Roman Republic, Roman Empire
480 pages · Hardcover · Random House (NY)