The Romans - by Paul Chrystal (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Drawing on diverse sources, this book offers a view of ancient Rome as seen by its people that reveals the lasting legacy of its ordinary men and women.

The Romans loom large in the imagination, credited with roads, aqueducts, politics, plumbing, and empire--yet these familiar achievements tell only part of the story. The Romans: A People's History turns away from generals and emperors to focus instead on the millions of ordinary men and women whose voices rarely made it into history. Drawing on inscriptions, literature, household objects, mosaics, and myth, it reveals how plebian lives shaped the culture that still surrounds us: from food and labor to beliefs, entertainment, violence, and political resistance. Not shying away from contentious subjects--misogyny, slavery, racism, and the enjoyment of brutal spectacle--Paul Chrystal offers a rich, human-centered account of Roman civilization seen from the ground up, suggesting that what ordinary Romans endured and achieved still echoes in how we live, argue, and govern today.

Review Quotes

"Chrystal has an eye for the quirky and unusual. His highly readable style and solid scholarship combine to make this book an engrossing read."

"Here is a welcome innovation - a book about ancient Rome that foregrounds the person in the street rather than the over-entitled and over-discussed nobleman. A thoroughly satisfying read."

About the Author

Paul Chrystal is a contributor to several history and archaeology magazines as well as TV and radio programs. His numerous books include Miracula: Weird and Wonderful Stories of Ancient Greece and Rome, also published by Reaktion Books.