Here, David Gwynn reflects on the remarkable legacy of the Roman Republic. The rise and fall of the Republic holds a special place in the history of Western civilization; it has been presented as a model, a source of inspiration, but also a warning. Placing the events in their wider context, he provides a fascinating history of culture and society.
- Explores the social and cultural aspects of the Republic, as well as its modern-day resonance and legacy in literature and in film
- Looks at the origins of Rome and the vivid Roman legends that surround the foundations of the city
- Considers the political structure of the Republic, including its unique constitution
- Reflects on the Roman values and beliefs of the time, in order to better understand the Republic’s dramatic rise and fall
- Traces the legacy of the Republic through the Empire and the early Christian Church to the Renaissance and the eighteenth-century Revolutions in the United States and France
- Part of the best-selling Very Short Introductions series – over five million copies sold worldwide
About the Series:
Oxford’s Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects–from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative–yet always balanced and complete–discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.
