kdayshauthor 's review for:

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard

5.0

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Beautifully and concisely written, very accessible but packed with up-to-date knowledge and some of the controversies surrounding the evidence and understanding of the Roman world(s). I really love Mary Beard’s style, she is so enthusiastic about history and presents some great TV shows as well. I’ve been neck-deep in study of Rome for my latest Uni module and this was a great companion to it, covering all the bases in a less academic, highly interesting and engaging way. I would really recommend it, although not if you’re looking for something about the later empire, as she cuts off at Caracalla’s 212 CE citizenship edict, which is a fair enough point to end with in a way, considering the upheavals of the third century and beyond take in a whole breadth of other parameters and themes to consider. Overall, very well written, with a focus mainly on the city of Rome itself, peppered with some insights into the provinces near the end of the book. Really enjoyed it!