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Pax War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age by Tom Holland (2023, Hardcover)
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Holland, who co-hosts the podcast The Rest Is History, is at his best when having fun with Rome's bloody history. He has a novelist's vibrant writing style and turns a good phrase. Familiar elements of this period, such as the destruction of Pompeii, still feel fresh in his retelling and he avoids the temptation of so many joyless modern classicists to moralise about what rotters these Romans were with their slavery and their bloodshed and their lack of a proper safeguarding mission statement. He judges them purely by their own values -- Patrick Kidd The Times This is not an underexamined period of history, but Holland handles his material (his sources are primarily Roman: Pliny, Tacitus, Suetonius, Cassius Dio) with rigour and elan. He has a compelling narrative style and an eye for diverting detail.
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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherABACUS
EAN9781408706985
eBay Product ID (ePID)13061537168
Product Key Features
Book TitlePax War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age
Narrative TypeNon-Fiction
EditionFirst Edition
AuthorTom Holland
Original LanguageEnglish
VintageNo
FormatHardcover
LanguageEnglish
TopicNew Age, War
Ex LibrisNo
Intended AudienceYoung Adults, Adults
Publication Year2023
TypeTextbook
GenreHistory
Number of Pages448 Pages
Dimensions
Item Length16.4 cm
Item Height23.4 cm
Item Width4 cm
Depth4 cm
Additional Product Features
Unit TypeUnit
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item 1 Pax War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age by Tom Holland (2023, Hardcover)
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- 11 Aug, 2024
An interesting and exciting account of Roman history from the death of Nero to the end of the reign of Hadrian
Tom Holland’s “Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age” is a sequel to his earlier books, “Rubicon” which covers the fall of the Roman republic and “Dynasty” which recounts the period of the Julio-Claudian emperors. This third volume traces Roman history from the death of Nero, last of the successors of Augustus, to the close of the reign of Hadrian. For people who have read “Rubicon” and “Dynasty” the first section is highly repetitive, but for students unfamiliar with the events contained within them the account of the later republic and the establishment of the principate is essential in setting the overall context. Holland’s treatment of the period from A.D. 68 certainly makes exciting reading as the result of his vivid descriptions of such spectacular events as the great fire of Rome (A.D. 64), the death of Nero four years later, the grisly fate of the fallen emperor Vitellius (A.D. 69), the eruption of Vesuvius and the fate of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae (A.D. 79), the quashing of the revolt in Judaea by the general and future emperor Titus and the grim punishment of the lapsed Vestal Virgin, Cornelia. The drama of the year of the four emperors (A.D. 69) and its enormous significance in Rome history are brilliantly highlighted: the work of Augustus and the Julio-Claudian rulers in restoring peace after the cataclysmic chaos of the late republic had been completely in vain as, to quote Tacitus, “an emperor could be made elsewhere than at Rome”. I was slightly disappointed that the reign of Vespasian was somewhat glossed over. In chapter 3 he has just emerged as victor in the civil war of A.D. 69, but at the start of chapter 4 he is already dead. Although important aspects of his ten year reign are contained within the general discussion of the Flavian dynasty, there was little on his reorganisation of the legions or the opposition he faced from the Cynics and Stoics. It is true that Helvidius Piscus is mentioned, but we hear nothing of Demetrius or C. Tutilius Hostilianus or their philosophy. The treatment of Titus’s short reign and the eventful years of Domitian’s rule are more fully explored and we learn much about Trajan, the “optimus princeps”, though the new province of Arabia Petraea is not named as such; nor is there any detailed account of the codification of the law under Hadrian’s supervision. Everyday life among the plebeians as well as the wealthier citizens offers an important perspective on this period, and Holland examines provincial administration and the financial policies adopted by the emperors. Use is made of such key sources as the writings of Suetonius, Tacitus, Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, Josephus and Juvenal. Wisely, the author informs us of their backgrounds and biases. The book also has very helpful dramatis personae for the various topics, fourteen excellent maps and thirty-three coloured illustrations (e.g. busts of the emperors). There are notes consisting mainly of references to primary sources, a timeline from the establishment of Rome to the death of Hadrian and an up-to-date bibliography. On a point of detail, there is some controversy about the date for the foundation of the city of Rome. According to Simon Price and Peter Thonemann in “The Birth of Classical Europe: A History from Troy to Augustine” (Allen Lane, 2010) different scholars have opted for 753, 751 or 748 B.C. and current thinking dates the revolution against the last king and the institution of the republic at 507 rather than 509 B.C. Putting these minor quibbles to one side, this is a tremendously enjoyable book which I strongly commend.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
- 10 Nov, 2023
Excellent
Excellent bookVerified purchase: YesCondition: New
