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A review by cassiecarola
A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women by Emma Southon
4.0
The term “revisionist history” has become a curse in the historical world. Anytime a historian brings up women, gender or sexuality history that has not been discussed popularly, the term “revisionist!” gets thrown at them from a cartoonish mob with pitchforks as they decide that anything that does not satisfy their -idea- of history is simply, made up. Not that people do not conceive of their own versions of history based on their biases, but what I consider revisionist is the prevailing idea that women just twiddled their thumbs from the beginning of time until 1970.
When Southon claims this book is a revisionist history, focusing on the “unimportant” women, I knew I was in for something good! Not because what she says is fake and suits my interests, but because it’s everything that certain historians have written off for over a millennia and I appreciate her claiming the term before they can throw it back at her.
The book is insightful (as the title suggests) through the author’s knowledge in the subject. On top of being insightful, it is also incredibly entertaining. Southon’s witty discussion of the women makes it feel as though you are listening to a podcast on the subject rather than reading a 350 page history book.
I would definitely recommend this book for those interested in history. It does not shoot information at you relentlessly in the way that academia-oriented books often do but instead invites you on a narrative story of Rome (all bits included) through its several centuries of history condensed into the lives of 21 women (mostly “unimportant” although we know no one’s ever really unimportant.) I can’t wait to read other books by the author!
When Southon claims this book is a revisionist history, focusing on the “unimportant” women, I knew I was in for something good! Not because what she says is fake and suits my interests, but because it’s everything that certain historians have written off for over a millennia and I appreciate her claiming the term before they can throw it back at her.
The book is insightful (as the title suggests) through the author’s knowledge in the subject. On top of being insightful, it is also incredibly entertaining. Southon’s witty discussion of the women makes it feel as though you are listening to a podcast on the subject rather than reading a 350 page history book.
I would definitely recommend this book for those interested in history. It does not shoot information at you relentlessly in the way that academia-oriented books often do but instead invites you on a narrative story of Rome (all bits included) through its several centuries of history condensed into the lives of 21 women (mostly “unimportant” although we know no one’s ever really unimportant.) I can’t wait to read other books by the author!