Ancient Rome

In the sheer scope, the Roman epoch is unsurpassed in history. What has endured to our own time is its great legacy to Western civilization? in law, language, architecture, and the art of government?and the fascination of its story.

Ancient Rome presents the history and heritage of that remarkable era. In this richly illustrated volume, the reader can enjoy an all-around introduction to the politics, people, culture, and everyday life of the world ruled by Rome. Unlike most general histories of the subject, it enables the reader to know the Romans not only from reading about them, but by hearing directly from them, through the words of orators, philosophers, historians, poets, playwrights, and satirists.

Here is an intelligent and remarkably handsome survey of ancient Rome, designed for anyone who would welcome the chance to learn more about that 1,200-year epic with ease, clarity, and accuracy.

Robert Payne (1911-l983) was born in Cornwall, U.K. His father was English, his mother French. He was educated at St. Paul's School in London and at the universities of Liverpool, Capetown in South Africa, Munich and The Sorbonne. During his lifetime he had over a hundred books published on a wide range of subjects, the widest range of any known author. He was known chiefly for his biographies and history books, among them Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, Gandhi, Leonardo, Chaplin, the Christian Centuries, The World of Art. He also wrote novels and poetry. Librarians loved him; critics raved about him. Orville Prescott of The New York Times referred to him as "a literary phenomenon of astounding versatility and industry."