A groundbreaking and comprehensive history of the Roman Peace, from the bloody conquests of an aggressive Republic through the age of Caesar and Augustus to the golden age of prosperity under Marcus Aurelius'
Goldsworthy brings a wonderful vitality to his subject; his account possesses an immediacy usually associated with contemporary history. The reader is treated to an enthralling view of a highly complex system of governance. Too often, Rome's brutality has overshadowed the brilliance of her administrators. Goldsworthy gives statecraft its proper emphasis'
'In this thick but entirely compelling account, acclaimed British historian Adrian Goldsworthy, who has written extensively about the Roman Empire, explains how it enforced genuine and long-lasting, if not idyllic peace . . .
An engrossing account of how the Roman Empire grew and operated'
The latest in the line of tomes about the toga wearers on the Tiber is Goldsworthy's
admirably thorough account of how they conquered then controlled their empire
'
The best of his many excellent books on ancient Rome for its range and depth'
'The reign of Augustus - when the Romans learned to stop worrying and love the emperors - is the center of Adrian Goldworthy's
powerful reassessment of Roman imperialism'
Goldsworthy
persuasively describes daily life for ordinary people, both Roman citizens and the indigenous populations who lived under Roman rule as subjects or slaves
'For Goldsworthy, the author of a series of excellent books on the Roman world, the idea of empire gets an unfairly bad press. In this
refreshing and thoughtful book, he argues that military power alone fails to explain why the Romans managed to rule such a huge domain for so long'
Adrian Goldsworthy is on top form with
Pax Romana. Pointing out that war was virtually endemic in the ancient world, he
explains clearly and persuasively how Rome was able to maintain the peace for such a long periodGoldsworthy's
lively and thought-provoking history gives a vivid impression of Roman peace from the point of view of both the conquerors and those conquered
It is a
satisfying and thought-provoking book for anyone determined to dislike the Romans while admiring their imperial achievement
Adrian Goldsworthy has made a reputation for himself as a scholar who writes in an accessible way on Roman history. In
Pax Romana he argues that Roman power did not exclusively rely upon military force and brutality but on a series of complex arrangements with conquered peoples
Two lessons for today stand out in the book: First, it is hard to make and keep a peace. Second, the greatest threat to the Pax Romana came not from foreigners but from the internal power struggles of the Romans themselves.
Adrian Goldsworthy has a doctorate from Oxford University. His first book, THE ROMAN ARMY AT WAR was recognised by John Keegan as an exceptionally impressive work, original in treatment and impressive in style. He has gone on to write several other books, including THE FALL OF THE WEST, CAESAR, IN THE NAME OF ROME, CANNAE and ROMAN WARFARE, which have sold more than a quarter of a million copies and been translated into more than a dozen languages. A full-time author, he regularly contributes to TV documentaries on Roman themes.
Visit www.adriangoldsworthy.com for more information.