The Shortest History of Ancient Rome
Ross King

The Shortest History of Ancient Rome takes readers on a sweeping journey through a millennia and a half of mayhem, madness and magnificence. Capturing the grandeur and complexity of Rome’s rise and fall, it explores the Republic’s formation, the Empire’s expansion, and the intricate web of politics, culture and military might that sustained it.

At its zenith, Rome’s reach extended from the Irish Sea to the Caspian, from England’s shores—deemed ‘outside the limits of the known world’—to the deserts of Arabia. This book vividly illustrates how the Romans left their mark not only in the remnants of their vast trade networks but also in the bedrock of Western civilization—law, architecture, philosophy and language. The influence of Rome endures, echoing in the legal codes of Europe, the republican ideals of modern democracies, and even in the English language itself.

The Shortest History of Ancient Rome offers an engaging and thorough exploration of how Rome’s rich and intricate legacies continue to shape our world today.