Ancient Rome: An Introductory History

by Paul A. Zoch

Overview

In this revised and expanded edition of Ancient Rome, author Paul A. Zoch presents the history and mythology of Rome, from its legendary progenitor Aeneas to the death of the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius in 180 c.e. Zoch guides readers through the military campaigns and political developments that shaped Rome’s rise from a small Italian city to the greatest imperial power the world had ever known, and he includes stories about its protagonists—such as Romulus and Remus, Horatius, and Nero—that are often omitted from more specialized studies.

In Zoch’s retelling, the events and personalities of ancient Rome spring to life. We witness the long struggle against the enemy city of Carthage. We follow Caesar as he campaigns in Britain, and we observe the ebb and flow of Rome’s fortunes in the Hellenistic East.

Emphasizing both the political and moral lessons to be learned from Roman history—and that remain relevant today—Zoch gives readers a narrative that is both entertaining and informative. An afterword takes the history to the fall of the Roman Empire in the West in 476 c.e.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780806166650
Publisher:	University of Oklahoma Press
Publication date:	05/18/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
Sales rank:	869,817
File size:	23 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Paul A. Zoch, a Houston-based educator with thirty-one years of experience teaching Latin and ancient Roman history, is the author of Doomed to Fail: The Built-In Defects of American Education.
 

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

List of Illustrations
List of Maps
Preface
Acknowledgements
1. A Linguistic Introduction
2. Rome's Origins according to the Ancients
3. Romulus and Remus Found Rome
4. Kings after Romulus
5. Tarquin's Coup d'Etat and the End of Monarchy
6. The RES PUBLICA: "Senatus Populusque Romanus"
7. Traitors and Heroes of the Early Republic
8. Class Conflict in Rome
9. Coriolanus, Cincinnatus, and Camillus
10. The Gauls Sack Rome
11. The Wars with the Samnites
12. King Phyrrhus' Pyrrhic Victories
13. The First Punic War
14. The Second Punic War
15. Rome Encounters the East

Editorial Reviews

Shocked by the pathetic little his highschool Latin students knew about ancient Rome, Zoch contrived to sugarcoat the bitter parts of Roman history with its intriguing stories, legends, and myths. Large passages from original sources are often used to complement his detailed (but not too detailed) descriptions of military campaigns and political developments from Rome's founding in 753 B.C. to the death of Marcus Aurelius in A.D. 180. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

Zoch taught high school Latin to an audience which knew relatively little about the ancient Romans: his contribution is this title, which reveals Roman history, culture, and society. The introductory format makes it easy for students to quickly learn about Roman history and culture and Ancient Rome is recommended for any high school student of Latin or Roman history.

This introductory history catches the essence of wonderful stories come down to us from the ancient world. I wish that all historic stories were so well and clearly told.”—Southbridge Evening News
 

“Recommended for any high school student of Latin or Roman history.”—The Bookwatch
 

: “A concise, straightforward chronology of Roman history from the mythological founding of Rome to the reign of Marcus Aurelius.”—Booklist
 

“Offers a story-filled narrative of ancient Rome and is a good first book for readers.”—Houston Chronicle
 

From the Publisher