Goodman presents a lucid and balanced picture of the Roman world examining the Roman empire from a variety of perspectives; cultural, political, civic, social and religious.

JULIUS CESAR, the triumvir and the founder of the Roman Empire, was the grandnephew of C. Julius Caesar, the dictator, his adoptive father. Originally named, like his true father, C. Octavius, he entered the Julian family after the dictator's death, and, according to the usual practice of adopted sons, called himself C. Julius Caesar Octavianus. But the name Octavianus soon fell into disuse, and by his contemporaries he was commonly spoken of as Caesar, just as Scipio Emilianus was commonly called Scipio.

The Eternal Decline and Fall of Rome tells the story of 2200 years of the use and misuse of the idea of Roman decline by ambitious politicians, authors, and autocrats as well as the people scapegoated and victimized in the name of Roman renewal. It focuses on the long history of a way of describing change that might seem innocuous, but which has cost countless people their lives, liberty, or property across two millennia.

The book covers the period of more than 200 years from the time of Julius Caesar until the end of Marcus Aurelius' reign. Through the 30 chapters of this book, readers will gain a complete insight into the political history of the golden age of the Roman Empire. Contents: From the Battle of Actium to the Foundation of the Principate The Principate The Joint Government of the Princeps and Senate The Family of Augustus and His Plans to Found a Dynasty Administration of Augustus in Rome and Italy — Organisation of the Army Provincial Administration Under Augustus — the Western Provinces Provincial Administration Under Augustus — the Eastern Provinces and Egypt Rome and Parthia — Expeditions to Arabia and Ethiopia The Winning and Losing of Germany — Death of Augustus Rome Under Augustus — His Buildings Literature of the Augustan Age The Principate of Tiberius (14-37 A.D.) The Principate of Gaius (Caligula) (37-41 A.D.) The Principate of Claudius (41-54 A.D.) The Conquest of Britain The Principate of Nero (54-68 A.D.) The Wars for Armenia, Under Claudius and Nero The Principate of Galba, and the Year of the Four Emperors (68-69 A.D.) Rebellions in Germany and Judea The Flavian Emperors — Vespasian, Titus and Domitian (69-96 A.D.) Britain and Germany Under the Flavians — Dacian War Nerva and Trajan — the Conquest of Dacia Literature From the Death of Tiberius to Trajan The Principate of Hadrian (117-138 A.D.) The Principate of Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.) The Principate of Marcus Aurelius (161-180 A.D.) Literature Under Hadrian and the Antonines The Roman World Under the Empire — Politics, Philosophy, Religion and Art Roman Life and Manners

How devastating viruses, pandemics, and other natural catastrophes swept through the far-flung Roman Empire and helped to bring down one of the mightiest civilizations of the ancient world Here is the monumental retelling of one of the most consequential chapters of human history: the fall of the Roman Empire. The Fate of Rome is the first book to examine the catastrophic role that climate change and infectious diseases played in the collapse of Rome’s power—a story of nature’s triumph over human ambition. Interweaving a grand historical narrative with cutting-edge climate science and genetic discoveries, Kyle Harper traces how the fate of Rome was decided not just by emperors, soldiers, and barbarians but also by volcanic eruptions, solar cycles, climate instability, and devastating viruses and bacteria. He takes readers from Rome’s pinnacle in the second century, when the empire seemed an invincible superpower, to its unraveling by the seventh century, when Rome was politically fragmented and materially depleted. Harper describes how the Romans were resilient in the face of enormous environmental stress, until the besieged empire could no longer withstand the combined challenges of a “little ice age” and recurrent outbreaks of bubonic plague. A poignant reflection on humanity’s intimate relationship with the environment, The Fate of Rome provides a sweeping account of how one of history’s greatest civilizations encountered and endured, yet ultimately succumbed to the cumulative burden of nature’s violence. The example of Rome is a timely reminder that climate change and germ evolution have shaped the world we inhabit—in ways that are surprising and profound.

A complete introduction to the rich cultural legacy of Rome through the study of Roman art ... It includes a discussion of the relevance of Rome to the modern world, a short historical overview, and descriptions of forty-five works of art in the Roman collection organized in three thematic sections: Power and Authority in Roman Portraiture; Myth, Religion, and the Afterlife; and Daily Life in Ancient Rome. This resource also provides lesson plans and classroom activities."--Publisher website.