Ancient Rome: A Military and Political History

by Christopher S. Mackay

Overview

Ancient Rome is a concise, comprehensive political and military history of the Roman Republic and Empire, from the origins of the city in the Italian Iron Age, until the deposition of the last emperor in 476 AD. Christopher Mackay describes how military events undermined the political institutions of the Republic, how the Empire was administered and controlled, why Christianity was adopted as the state religion under Constantine, and how military and economic pressures of the third and fourth centuries eventually led to the downfall of the Western empire. Illustrated with relevant art works from Rome's long history, this volume serves as an up-to-date overview of one of the most extraordinary civilizations in human history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521711494
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	08/13/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	412
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.29(h) x 1.02(d)

About the Author

Christopher Mackay is Associate Professor in the department of History and Classics at the University of Alberta. Associate Editor of the American Journal of Ancient History, he has published extensively on all periods of Roman history.

Table of Contents

Part I. Obscure Beginnings, to 264 B.C.: 1. Foundations and kingdoms, to ca. 507 B.C.; 2. Domestic history of the Early Republic, ca. 507 B.C.–ca. 287 B.C.; 3. Conquest of Latium and Italy, ca. 507 B.C.–264 B.C.; Part II. Conquest of the Mediterranean, 264 B.C.–146 B.C.: 4. Struggle with Carthage, 264 B.C.–146 B.C.; 5. Wars in the East, 215 B.C.–146 B.C.; 6. Conquest of Spain 218 B.C.–134 B.C.; 7. Effects of the conquests on Rome; Part III. Collapse of the Republic, 133 B.C.–27 B.C.: 8. Assault on the oligarchy, 133 B.C.–81 B.C.; 9. Restored oligarchy, 81 B.C.–59 B.C.; 10. Caesar and the end of republican government, 59 B.C.–44 B.C.; 11. Conflict of the warlords, 44 B.C.–27 B.C.; 12. Politics in the Late Republic; Part IV. The Principate, 27 B.C.–A.D. 235: 13. Augustus and establishment of the Principate, 31 B.C.–A.D. 14; 14. Julio-Claudian Dynasty, A.D. 14–A.D. 68; 15. Civil war and the Flavian Dynasty, A.D. 68–A.D. 96; 16. Pinnacle of the Principate, A.D. 96–A.D. 192; 17. Civil war and the Severan Dynasty, A.D. 193–A.D. 235; 18. Institutions of the Principate; Part V. The Late Empire, A.D. 235–A.D. 476: 19. Military and dynastic crisis, A.D. 235–A.D. 284; 20. Rise of Christianity; 21. Diocletian and the restoration of imperial authority, A.D. 284–A.D. 305; 22. Civil war and the triumph of Constantine and Christianity, A.D. 305–A.D. 337; 23. Heyday of the Christian Empire, A.D. 337–A.D. 395; 24. Demise of the Empire in the West, A.D. 395–A.D. 476; Epilogue: Survival and transformation of the Empire in the East after A.D. 476.

Editorial Reviews

"Mackay has provided a valuable service by presenting an updated text focused on Rome's military and political history. For the general reader, the work as a whole provides a solid introduction. Mackay reminds us all of the value in focusing on military conflicts and governmental affairs, particularly for understanding the breakdown of the Republican system and the collapse of the western empire." Darryl A. Phillips, College of Charleston, South Carolina, BMCR

"Those interested in Roman history, especially of the empire, may wish to pick up the book. They will be rewarded by Mackay's chapteres on the later empire." - John D. Muccigrosso, Drew University

"Given both the enormous accidental loss of evidence and the obvious deliberate distortion in much that does survive, it is a welcome feature of Mackay's book that he prefaces each of its five chronological sections with a brief introduction of about three pages on the main sources for the period and the central problems in understanding it...he writes clearly and avoids rhetorical elaboration while the substance of his book is for the most part, sound, judicious, and accurate." - T.D. Barnes

From the Publisher