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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
**Listened to the audiobook narrated by Phyllida Nash**
TL;DR - terrific, comprehensive history with interesting anecdotes. May be helpful to have a baseline familiarity with Roman origin myths, social structure and general notable figures.
The Writing: 5 stars. Mary Beard’s SPQR was fascinating and covered a vast landscape, from conflicting origin myths to military campaigns and social life. I wouldn’t say I am a subject matter expert on Rome by any means, but I feel I had a decent baseline familiarity having studied Rome in school and visited. Having that was helpful, as SPQR is not a Roman 101. Beard helpfully connects anecdotes and color to various characters as she threads the narrative needle, which was particularly helpful once we moved into the era of “everyone is named Caesar.” Having listened to SPQR, I now feel I have not only a foundation but, to continue the analogy, a first floor for Roman history, which is useful should I decide to pursue additional texts on the various topics she covered in her comprehensive work.
In particular, I thought her inclusion of social and family structure was quite interesting, both to understand the use and limitations of slavery within Roman culture, and the role of women. It is rare to get a look into historic reproductive health care, let alone of antiquity, so the inclusion was, to me, notable. These “behind the scenes” individuals are often overlooked in history texts in favor of powerful men, but in my opinion, it is useful to understand the culture through the lens of the populace, rather than solely through that of the rulers.
The Narration: 5 stars. Phyllida Nash gave a wonderful performance of SPQR. She is a talented narrator who (as far as I am aware) nailed the commonly accepted pronunciations of Latin terms and names. I’m thrilled to know she has a number of other audiobooks available.
The Production: 4 stars. I am happy to report there were no glaring production issues. I think there was at times some soft background music between chapters or sections of the book. It was fine, but I kept thinking I was accidentally playing music on another device instead of it being part of the audiobook.
TL;DR - terrific, comprehensive history with interesting anecdotes. May be helpful to have a baseline familiarity with Roman origin myths, social structure and general notable figures.
The Writing: 5 stars. Mary Beard’s SPQR was fascinating and covered a vast landscape, from conflicting origin myths to military campaigns and social life. I wouldn’t say I am a subject matter expert on Rome by any means, but I feel I had a decent baseline familiarity having studied Rome in school and visited. Having that was helpful, as SPQR is not a Roman 101. Beard helpfully connects anecdotes and color to various characters as she threads the narrative needle, which was particularly helpful once we moved into the era of “everyone is named Caesar.” Having listened to SPQR, I now feel I have not only a foundation but, to continue the analogy, a first floor for Roman history, which is useful should I decide to pursue additional texts on the various topics she covered in her comprehensive work.
In particular, I thought her inclusion of social and family structure was quite interesting, both to understand the use and limitations of slavery within Roman culture, and the role of women. It is rare to get a look into historic reproductive health care, let alone of antiquity, so the inclusion was, to me, notable. These “behind the scenes” individuals are often overlooked in history texts in favor of powerful men, but in my opinion, it is useful to understand the culture through the lens of the populace, rather than solely through that of the rulers.
The Narration: 5 stars. Phyllida Nash gave a wonderful performance of SPQR. She is a talented narrator who (as far as I am aware) nailed the commonly accepted pronunciations of Latin terms and names. I’m thrilled to know she has a number of other audiobooks available.
The Production: 4 stars. I am happy to report there were no glaring production issues. I think there was at times some soft background music between chapters or sections of the book. It was fine, but I kept thinking I was accidentally playing music on another device instead of it being part of the audiobook.
informative
medium-paced
I had virtually no knowledge of or interest in Ancient Rome before reading this. Beard does a great job giving a sweeping overview of the first Roman millennium and its contemporary importance —ideas of democracy, citizenship, intense class conflict, and imperialism were prevalent in Ancient Rome in a way eerily similar to today. I think this book does a good job making someone who really has had very little interest in Rome understand what all the hype is about.
Very Good!
Very Good!
informative
reflective
slow-paced
It’s become a cliché to ask somebody (usually male) how often they think about “ancient Rome.”I daydream about it often, but knew little aside from the highlights.
I figured this book would be a good introduction to Rome’s first millennium — roughly, from its founding until the deathbed baptism of its first Christian Emperor. There is a lot of ground to cover, and no slim volume can do it all, but SPQR provides an historical overview and points the way toward more detailed (and hopefully more exciting) readings on “great men” like Julius Caesar, Pompey, Cicero, Augustus and others.
SPQR is not a page-turner. Mary Beard’s text comes most alive when discussing private letters, obscene graffiti and the archaeological treasures found in classical latrines. My takeaway is that the Romans — even the “great” ones — were just guys (and gals) like us.
Divine trumpets did not sound when Caesar crossed the Rubicon (a humble stream or brook, in Beard’s telling), any more than the Olympian Gods struggled in the heavens with Jesus Christ for the immortal soul of Constantine. Instead, flawed human beings, motivated by familiar impulses, lived, loved, struggled and died. “Omnia mutantur, nihil interit.”
I figured this book would be a good introduction to Rome’s first millennium — roughly, from its founding until the deathbed baptism of its first Christian Emperor. There is a lot of ground to cover, and no slim volume can do it all, but SPQR provides an historical overview and points the way toward more detailed (and hopefully more exciting) readings on “great men” like Julius Caesar, Pompey, Cicero, Augustus and others.
SPQR is not a page-turner. Mary Beard’s text comes most alive when discussing private letters, obscene graffiti and the archaeological treasures found in classical latrines. My takeaway is that the Romans — even the “great” ones — were just guys (and gals) like us.
Divine trumpets did not sound when Caesar crossed the Rubicon (a humble stream or brook, in Beard’s telling), any more than the Olympian Gods struggled in the heavens with Jesus Christ for the immortal soul of Constantine. Instead, flawed human beings, motivated by familiar impulses, lived, loved, struggled and died. “Omnia mutantur, nihil interit.”
informative
medium-paced
Good book cover the Roman Empire overall you get a good overview of the major ideas
informative
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
slow-paced