Any Roman or classics scholars here?
I need books about the Roman Kingdom and the Roman Republic. (Basically the periods before the Emperors.)
Couldn't find anything in the bookshop today (all of their Roman stuff was about the Roman Empire/Emperors or Britain under the Romans).
I have read Tacitus (Annals, Histories) and Seutonius (Twelve Caesars) and done the whole Robert Graves/Claudius thing.
I am going to get Penguin Classics copies of Livy (Early History of Rome Books I - V and carry on if I can get on with him) but I really want something to go with it from a more modern historians.
All I have found so far (scimming through Amazon) is Michael Grant's History of Rome. It covers the periods I want to know more about but I am sure there must be more.
Basically, the 650 - 700 years from the foundation of Rome until Julius Caesar is a complete void for me.
So anyone out there who has book recommendations, please post. (I know we have science and law graduates on the forum. Is there a chance we have any Roman history/Classics graduates too?)
Thanks.
I'm no Roman scholar, but I studied this book at A level (in case it covers some of what you're looking for): http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/From_the_Gracchi_to_Nero.html?id=v...
If it is, and I can still find it, you can have it!
Thanks I really appreciate the offer, but I don't want to deprive you of your school/college keepsakes. (I still keep a few of my old school & college books.)
I have just reserved it online from my local library. I'll pick it up tomorrow and give it a go.
This is great. I wasn't expecting any responses, let alone one so soon!
From what I remember, it's not exactly a "fun read", but it is comprehensive.
I've just found that Scullard also covered the period before this as well: http://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Roman-World-753-146-BC/dp/0415305047
or this might be more up to date:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Beginnings-Rome-c-1000-264-Routledge/dp/0415...
I know I'll get slaughtered but...
Now that looks good! I have read some of the introduction on 'look inside' and checked the amazon.com (USA) site where it gets 8 more 5/5 review ratings.
'Scholarly' but a good read for the interested amateur apparently.
Thanks Cno. You're a star. (And all i've done is eat dinner, watch another episode of 'Case Histories' and hit 'refresh' here occasionally!)
Brian was contemporaneous with Jesus. So (sadly) the Python's account of Roman rule in Judea is between 750 and 100 years too late for what I need. (And mostly in the wrong place as the Romans didn't make Judea a province until 6 AD.)
But thanks anyway.
Love to seriously help, but my knowledge of history only really starts at the Crimean.
contemporaneous
Had to check to make sure that was a real word 
Now that looks good! I have read some of the introduction on 'look inside' and checked the amazon.com (USA) site where it gets 8 more 5/5 review ratings.
'Scholarly' but a good read for the interested amateur apparently.
Thanks Cno. You're a star. (And all i've done is eat dinner, watch another episode of 'Case Histories' and hit 'refresh' here occasionally!)
Glad I could be of use......and it just shows that a classical education is never wasted and can come in handy in the most unlikely of places!
Cno
Have you tried here? Link: http://www.gutenberg.org/
contemporaneous
Had to check to make sure that was a real word
See also: concomitant.
No pre-empire books here I'm afraid. Six volume set of Decline and Fall... by Gibbon and O-level Latin is all I can offer 
Rome by Robert Hughes
I have just reserved it online from my local library. I'll pick it up tomorrow and give it a go.
Did you end up getting it out, and was it of use?
Apologies to Suetonius for the spelling error
He could 'sue' you, you know! 
Apologies to Suetonius for the spelling error
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