Select delivery location
See All Buying Options
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic (Cambridge Companions to the Ancient World) by Harriet I. Flower (2014-06-23) Paperback Bunko

by Harriet I. Flower (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 20 ratings
See all formats and editions
Examining all aspects of Roman history and civilization from 509-49 BC., this Companion spans the development of the classic republican political system and the growth of a world empire. It also documents the ultimate disintegration of the system under the relentless pressure of internal dissension and the boundless ambition of leading politicians. Distinguished European and American scholars present a variety of current approaches towards understanding the political, military, and social aspects of Roman history, as well as its literary and visual culture.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Part of series
    Cambridge Companions to the Ancient Athens
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Cambridge University Press; 2 edition (2014-06-23)
  4. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B017PNWDZ4
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 20 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
20 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Edward Myer
5.0 out of 5 stars good history
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2021
Verified Purchase
Bought the whole series ... good reading
Helpful
 Report
Big Game Trapper
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2014
Verified Purchase
Excellent Source for serious scholars
Helpful
 Report
Wyote
4.0 out of 5 stars good for military and politics; not good for culture
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2009
Verified Purchase
This was one of the better Cambridge Companions that I've read. Usually I only find 2-3 interesting submissions in a CC volume, but here more than half of them were very interesting. The articles on political and military history are generally superb; the articles on cultural history are unacceptably weak. I haven't read the social history essays yet, and I probably won't for quite a while, so for now I'm reviewing the articles that I have read.

The binding of the book is excellent - this book took a beating but held together beautifully.

1. "The Early Republic" by Stephen P. Oakley. A very simple and brief introduction to the main issues of the Roman political organization and military conquests, constructed around the history presented by Livy and the uncertainties modern scholars have about it.

2. "Power and Process under the Republican 'Constitution'" by T. Corey Brennan. I only read about 1/3 of it. The essay tries to make sense of the various offices (magistracies) that existed in the republic, what powers they had, and so on. It is fairly technical; obviously some people will find it more interesting than I do.

3. "The Roman Army and Navy" by David Potter. A very nice, short introduction to Roman military techniques, how they evolved, and how modern scholars figure out that history. Military history is particularly interesting to me, and I'd have been happy with a longer essay, but there's nothing wrong with this one.

4. "The Crisis of the Republic" by Jurgen von Ungern-Sternberg. The shortest account you can imagine of the events between the attempted reforms of the Gracchi and Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon. I really enjoyed this as it clarified a few things I'd wondered about or misunderstood previously.

5. "Under Roman Roofs: Family, House, and Household" by Karl-J. Holkeskamp. Haven't read this yet.

6. "Women in the Roman Republic" by Phyllis Culham. Haven't read this yet.

7. "The Republican Economy and Roman Law: Regulation, Promotion or Reflection?" by Jean-Jacques Aubert. Suprisingly much more informative than its title suggests, and I wish it had been longer. After a terribly brief introduction, he explores a few laws and what we can infer from them about the economy. Initially I wasn't looking forward to reading this essay, but I found it wonderfly informative and wouldn't have minded it being twice as long.

8. "Roman Religion" by Jorg Rupke. Surely this is the worst contribution in the book. Of course I haven't read all the others, but it would be a real accomplishment to do worse than this. Rupke excels at writing much and saying little. You'd better already know what the Vestal Virgins were, what the auspices were and how they worked, as well as the other rituals of the civic cult, what happened in Roman temples, who the gods were, and so on - because you won't learn squat about any of that from this essay. Fortunately Mary Beard et. al. have written a book on the subject -  Religions of Rome: Volume 1: A History  - that appears to be very informative.

9. "Italy during the Roman Republic, 338-31 BC" by Kathryn Lomas. Another essay I wasn't really looking forward to, but then learned quite a bit from. The title is a little misleading as the essay tells very little about anything after the Social War (90 BC), and that is really a shame; but she explores the history up to that time very informatively. The interactions between the Romans and other peoples of the peninsula are a more interesting phenomenon than I'd realized. I'd like to learn more about this in the future.

10. "Rome and Carthage" by John F. Lazenby. An excellent but slightly too brief history of the Punic Wars. I learned a bit from it, and if I hadn't already known a bit I'd have learned a lot. Unfortunately very little space was spent on any particular battle or tactics, but the larger themes were well covered: the motivations of Rome and Carthage, the reasons for Rome's victories. There were a few unfortunate comparisons between Carthage and the German Empire, and I'd advise the reader not to take them seriously.

11. "Rome and the Greek World" by Erich S. Gruen. Another excellent essay. I knew a bit about the wars and political development discussed here, but I still learned a lot from this essay and enjoyed reading it. Unlike several of the other essays here, Gruen does not much discuss the sources he uses to tell this history, with the exception of Polybius. Also, the essay sometims seems to be a summary of his book  The Hellenistic World and the Coming of Rome , though I haven't read that book so I can't tell with certainty. Anyway, it is certainly another excellent contribution to this volume.

12. "Literature and the Roman Republic" by Elaine Fantham. Reads like a recommendation to various Roman authors (of the Republican period of course) and a very brief introduction to some of them. It is not a deep essay at all, just a brief history of literature in this period, with very, very little analysis. (I originally bought the book in order to read this article, but I was very disappointed with it.)

13. "Roman Art During the Republic" by Ann L. Kuttner. Hard for me to say anything nice about this one. I learned a little from it, but it was not up to the standard of the rest of the submissions here.

14. "Spectacle and Political Culture in the Roman Republic" by Harriet I. Flower. Haven't read this yet.

15. "The Roman Republic and the French and American Revolutions" by Mortimer N. S. Seller. Not as interesting as it should've been. I learned a little about John Adams from it, and something about the difference between the "republicanism" of the American Revolution and that of the French Revolution.
19 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Acquisitions, UNLV Libraries
4.0 out of 5 stars No Problem!!!
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2014
Verified Purchase
Item arrived in timely manner, no problem!!!
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Amelia A.
5.0 out of 5 stars Way better than expected
Reviewed in Canada on June 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
The book came in OUTSTANDING condition I was really impressed especially since it was so cheap! Amazing buy
Report
Calade
5.0 out of 5 stars Du solide...
Reviewed in France on October 12, 2016
Verified Purchase
Des mises au point par les meilleurs spécialiste anglais. Indispensable pour ouvrir son horizon historiographique en découvrant ces synthèses très commodes et claires.
Report
Cicero
5.0 out of 5 stars study aid
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2010
Verified Purchase
bought this book as it was recommended by the OU to help with A219, it is worth it's weight in gold. Divided into sections, so easy to find what you are looking for, and sections are easy to read and not written in dry professorese. I recommend it highly.
12 people found this helpful
 Report
Bee
5.0 out of 5 stars A*
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 7, 2019
Verified Purchase
A*
Report
Keilah Le Clair
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Canada on November 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
Fantastic book of essays for people learning about the Roman Republic, but please note that there is a newer edition, which includes 2 extra chapters not in this edition.
Report