Pax Romana - by Paul Petit (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Pax Romana: The High Point of Roman Civilization explores the Roman Empire's flourishing period between 31 B.C., following the Battle of Actium, and A.D. 193, when the Severans came to power. Often hailed as the Empire's "golden age," this era is marked by monumental achievements in literature, arts, and governance. However, this book challenges the traditional romanticization of this epoch, revealing that even periods of apparent stability and prosperity carried significant complexities and contradictions. Rather than offering a chronological recounting of emperors and events, the book focuses on the structures and systems that underpinned Roman society, examining political, social, and economic dynamics across the Empire.

In its second part, the book delves into the deeper questions surrounding life in the early Empire, focusing on regional distinctions, economic frameworks, and societal hierarchies. It confronts both Marxist critiques of Roman society as a flawed, "slave-owning" system and overly optimistic bourgeois narratives, providing a balanced analysis of the period's strengths and limitations. Notably, topics like military strategy, administrative structures, and religion are selectively addressed, while Christianity is excluded as a subject for separate consideration. By blending traditional historical perspectives with modern analytical techniques, Pax Romana offers a nuanced view of Rome's zenith, making it an essential resource for understanding the interplay of power, culture, and economics during this transformative era.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1967.