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A review by nelsta
Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire by Simon Baker
4.0
A few years ago, I read "SPQR" by Mary Beard. It was good, but that book left me wondering if a good history of the Roman Republic and Empire existed. You can find my review on "SPQR" elsewhere on my Goodreads account. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago: my curiosity about Rome, which was left unsatiated by "SPQR," drew me to search for other histories that might give me the context and history I was missing. This book seemed to fit the bill.
I briefly considered returning this book once I realized it was essentially a companion volume to the BBC's "Ancient Rome" miniseries that ran in the early 2000s. I felt duped, like I could have been getting the same kitsch history from actors on screen rather than reading a book I paid for. But I'm glad I stuck it out. Had I never known this book accompanied the BBC's miniseries, I never would have guessed. The history is fascinating and the storytelling is great. The book follows a handful of different individuals (or events) and their effect on Roman history. I initially thought this would feel myopic, but it doesn't. Baker does a really good job of providing context before and after the event.
Honestly the book hit its high point about 2/3 the way through. The section on Diocletian and Constantine was riveting to me, although the section on Caesar Augustus was also pretty good. I especially appreciated the final section, which explained how Rome fell in the 5th century AD. It's apparent that Rome fell for many reasons, but not least because Diocletian's choice to split up the Empire into four districts each run by a co-emperor opened the flood gates for Game of Thrones-like political jockeying. (If you don't believe me, check out Constantine's quest for sole power.)
While this book is good at putting a human face on many of the most famous people in European history, it does not address Roman culture, infrastructure, or society in a meaningful way. I keep hoping I'll find a book that does, though. My disappointment aside, this book knows what it is, and it delivers. I enjoyed it immensely more than Beard's "SPQR" and would recommend it ahead of her history to anyone interested in a bird's eye view of the Roman Republic and Empire. 4/5 stars
I briefly considered returning this book once I realized it was essentially a companion volume to the BBC's "Ancient Rome" miniseries that ran in the early 2000s. I felt duped, like I could have been getting the same kitsch history from actors on screen rather than reading a book I paid for. But I'm glad I stuck it out. Had I never known this book accompanied the BBC's miniseries, I never would have guessed. The history is fascinating and the storytelling is great. The book follows a handful of different individuals (or events) and their effect on Roman history. I initially thought this would feel myopic, but it doesn't. Baker does a really good job of providing context before and after the event.
Honestly the book hit its high point about 2/3 the way through. The section on Diocletian and Constantine was riveting to me, although the section on Caesar Augustus was also pretty good. I especially appreciated the final section, which explained how Rome fell in the 5th century AD. It's apparent that Rome fell for many reasons, but not least because Diocletian's choice to split up the Empire into four districts each run by a co-emperor opened the flood gates for Game of Thrones-like political jockeying. (If you don't believe me, check out Constantine's quest for sole power.)
While this book is good at putting a human face on many of the most famous people in European history, it does not address Roman culture, infrastructure, or society in a meaningful way. I keep hoping I'll find a book that does, though. My disappointment aside, this book knows what it is, and it delivers. I enjoyed it immensely more than Beard's "SPQR" and would recommend it ahead of her history to anyone interested in a bird's eye view of the Roman Republic and Empire. 4/5 stars