Renowned classicist Mary Beard, a professor at Cambridge University, has spent much of the last half century studying the literature produced by the Romans and the thousands of books and papers that have been written about them. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome is an authoritative exploration of how a small, unremarkable and unknown village became such a central power on three continents in such a short period of time. The beginning of the worlds most renowned empire is typically lost within written records. This book highlights the growth of the civilization and how it came about versus many Historically correct books that document its fall. The title of the book refers to the Senate and the Roman People, the main sources of authority witin
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“The expansion of Roman Power through Italy was dramatic. It is easy to be dazzled, or applied, by Rome’s later overseas empires, which eventually amounted to 2 million square miles.” (Beard 2016.153) First, it’s true that Roman culture placed a high value on success on the battlefield. “The Triumphal processions of victorious generals offered on of the most impressive windows onto the outside. When the Roman crowds lined the streets to welcome home their conquering armies, which paraded through the city with their profits and plunder on display,” (Beard 2016.201) She doesn’t excuse this empires terrible brutality on the battlefield. However, violence was endemic in that era, and other peoples were just as committed to warfare and atrocities as the Romans were. “Here geography alone should gives pause. We need simply look at the location of these heroic battles: they were all fought within a radius of about 12 miles of the city of Rome.” (Bead 2016.99) Second, the Romans didn’t plan to conquer and control Italy. They saw their expansion in terms of making alliances with other people rather than gaining territory. The only long-term obligation the Romans imposed on those they defeated was the provision and upkeep of troops for the Roman
“The expansion of Roman Power through Italy was dramatic. It is easy to be dazzled, or applied, by Rome’s later overseas empires, which eventually amounted to 2 million square miles.” (Beard 2016.153) First, it’s true that Roman culture placed a high value on success on the battlefield. “The Triumphal processions of victorious generals offered on of the most impressive windows onto the outside. When the Roman crowds lined the streets to welcome home their conquering armies, which paraded through the city with their profits and plunder on display,” (Beard 2016.201) She doesn’t excuse this empires terrible brutality on the battlefield. However, violence was endemic in that era, and other peoples were just as committed to warfare and atrocities as the Romans were. “Here geography alone should gives pause. We need simply look at the location of these heroic battles: they were all fought within a radius of about 12 miles of the city of Rome.” (Bead 2016.99) Second, the Romans didn’t plan to conquer and control Italy. They saw their expansion in terms of making alliances with other people rather than gaining territory. The only long-term obligation the Romans imposed on those they defeated was the provision and upkeep of troops for the Roman