Customer Reviews:
 A good introduction to ordinary life under the Ceasers. September 15, 2008
Bruno
A very short introduction to life under the Roman Empire would be a more accurate title, though to say this isn't really a criticism of this solidly written primer. It more than succeeds in giving a flavour of what it meant for the ordinary citizen to live under Roman rule, though perhaps those wanting to learn about the Empire for the first time would probably like a few more chronological narratives.
I did found the book to be a little patchy. It seems to get bogged down a little early in over detailed comparisons of how this obscure town in Asia Minor paid homage to the Emperor compared to another obscure town in Asia Minor down the Roman road. However, it more than comes to life when discussing matters such as the Christian conversion of the empire, a subject particularly illuminated by the author's approach of looking at the man on the street - here giving us the mindset of both the early persecuted Christians and the sense of bewilderment, mixed with sadism and fear, of the Amphitheatre crowds who watched them being tortured, burnt and thrown to the Lions.
The final chapter, the inevitable look at Rome through the eyes of later ages (itself interpreted through the subjective lens of 21st century fashionable post-modernist academia) isn't quite as revealing as it could have been. But, all in all, the book serves its purpose ; to convey a sense of the ordinary and mundane that is often obscured by the magnificence of the most legendary of empires.
 Slim but powerful Introduction January 17, 2008
Jon Chambers (Birmingham, England)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This excellent introduction to the Roman Empire is succinct and selective rather than superficial. Its compass ranges from the iconography of the Imperial cult to contemporary perceptions of Rome in the cinema.
Far from being a conventional, political history centred on the Roman elite, Kelly is most impressive when trying to recreate the ordinary lives of the silent and all but invisible majority, who have left no historical trace and only the faintest of impressions in the archaeological record. He is especially interesting and perceptive when writing about elusive topics like population studies within the Empire. Hard evidence on such matters is, naturally, very scant. Kelly uses statistical models and contemporary demographic studies of the developing world to reach his conclusions, some of which are startling - for example, the life expectancy at birth for emperors who died from natural causes between the 1st and 7th centuries: 26.3 years (no greater, therefore, than the life expectancy of people in much poorer and less privileged social groups).
This slim volume manages to be authoritative, concise and thought-provoking. Anyone wanting to follow up some of the issues raised, meanwhile, can make good use of its extensive bibliography.
Excursions through Imperial Rome June 25, 2007
Peter Reeve (Thousand Oaks, CA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This Very Short Introduction is blessedly free of the typos that usually infect this otherwise excellent series, and for once, the illustrations are relevant, indeed central, to the text. There is a timeline and a very useful map at the end of the book, but the text itself is not a conventional, chronological narrative of the rise of Empire. It is rather a series of essays on a selection of topics, covering the period from Augustus to Commodus, that is, from around 30 BC to about AD 190. These excursions through aspects of the subject are concerned almost as much with how history is rewritten and reinterpreted as it is with the actual facts of history. There is an emphasis on architecture, particularly as an expression of social status and political ideology, an emphasis that will suit the taste of some readers more than others. The prose is clear and very readable, with the occasional topical, colloquial flourish ("The Empire writes back", "Through the keyhole") which can seem somewhat forced. Authoritative and illuminating, this little book is an essential addition to the reading list of anyone interested in ancient history.
Roman empire November 5, 2006
Spider Monkey (UK)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
This is a brilliant introduction to this topic. It is no way dry or dull to read and gives great insight into Roman life and how they administered their empire. It looks at symbols in Roman architecture and how they are used to increase the legend of the empire and emperor, as well as link into local tradition to prevent dissent. It also looks at local life and households, as well as Christians and their martyrdom in the Colosseum. You can find out what aspects of the empire intrigue you most before going on to the massive range of books out there that are more specific. Simply superb.
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