Anyone desiring to learn about ancient Rome will be delighted with the history as it is told by Mr. From the beginning of ancient Rome to the end of the Empire, the reader is allowed to see each event unfold. The Roman Empire was the first "super power" of recorded history. The Etruscans and the Greeks had a tremendous amount of influence on the development of Roman culture. Law in Rome had great concern for humanity and personal rights. Women of this era were afforded greater freedom and opportunity than ever before. There is so much to be said about Rome, that it is hard to choose what to write about. After reading this book it is just unimaginable that something so great could ever fail. .
Who were the Romans? What kind of people were the Romans? These are two fascinating questions that are answered by Mr. Barrow. Romans were people of patience and great courage. The Roman farmer was also the Roman soldier, equally capable of being both. He gives his loyalty to persons and places and to friends. Romans believed that a person must subordinate himself to something. By subordination a person could achieve a sense of dedication and purpose in life. The sense of dedication reveals itself in the household and in the family. It enlarges itself into the city-state and ultimately ends in the imperial idea.
The history of Rome can be broken down to three parts: The period of the Kings, the Republic, and the Empire. Tradition says that Rome was founded in 753 B.C. Tarquinius Superbus was the last of the Kings, and was ousted in 510 B.C. What is known about the period of the Kings is largely legend. The period of the Republic begins in 509 B.C. and is the beginning of Roman dominance in Italy and the Mediterranean. During this period we meet some of the most famous Romans: Julius Caesar, Brutus, and Cicero just to name a few. The last period is the period of the Empire, this period begins in 27 B.C. The first part of this period is called the constructive years.
