Return to Book Page. Preview — From the Gracchi to Nero by H. Scullard's clear and comprehensive narrative covers the period from BC to 69 AD, exploring the decline and fall of the Republic, and the establishment of the Pax Romana under the early Principate. More than forty years after its first publication this masterful survey remains the standard textbook on the central period of Roman history.
Get A Copy. Paperback , pages. Published August 17th by Routledge first published More Details Original Title. Rome Italy. Other Editions Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about From the Gracchi to Nero , please sign up. Be the first to ask a question about From the Gracchi to Nero. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews.
Showing Average rating 4. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Oct 26, Nick rated it really liked it Shelves: history-ancient. High school textbook. Apr 09, Lauren Albert rated it really liked it Shelves: history-ancient.
Well written and fairly engaging history. May 06, Justin Evans rated it it was amazing Shelves: history-etc. Solid prose, great breadth, impeccable footnoting. This should be the first book for anyone interested in Roman history. It covers the entire history from the onset of civil instability in Republican Rome to the end of Julio Claudian dynasty of the Principate. Every note-worthy event happened in that period of time was thoroughly covered in this book.
From Claudius onwards, the book did run a little dry at the end. However, that probably has more to do with the fact court intrigue just isn't that interesting compared to the political dynamics and This should be the first book for anyone interested in Roman history. However, that probably has more to do with the fact court intrigue just isn't that interesting compared to the political dynamics and military and social struggles in the preceding decades.
Overall, a must-read for anyone who isn't satisfied with watching various documentaries and want to gain a real understanding of ancient Rome. It's a much better bang for the buck than buying individual biographies of famous Romans of that time.
Oct 20, Michael Cayley rated it really liked it Shelves: history. This was a standard A Level textbook when I studied ancient history almost 50 years ago. It is still an excellent and very readable overview of the decades which led to the end of the Roman republic, and of the period of the Julio-Claudian emperors.
It covers military, constitutional, political, social, economic, religious and cultural affairs. The emphasis is very much on the male upper classes. Partly this reflects the sources, but a more modern treatment might have given more attention to wom This was a standard A Level textbook when I studied ancient history almost 50 years ago.
Partly this reflects the sources, but a more modern treatment might have given more attention to women and the lives of ordinary people.
Feb 29, Ainsley rated it it was amazing. A magisterial account of this turbulent time in Roman History. The notes keep getting better and better as the editions keep being revised. If you need to quote a heavyweight, Scullard is your man. Feb 26, Nick Wallace rated it it was amazing. Another great overview from Scullard. Jan 03, Michael Anderson rated it it was amazing Shelves: history-rome. Continuation of the previous volume.
Equally valuable. Nov 15, Will Everitt rated it really liked it. Caveat: This nerdish and extremely dry book is only for you if you have a complete fascination with Ancient Rome. View 1 comment.
Dec 12, Larry rated it really liked it. Make sure your latin is up to date or that you have access to a dictionary. He occasionally throws in a quote that you'll want to translate.
Very good history. Nov 11, Bob Taylor rated it it was amazing. This was the text for my Roman History course 35 years ago. Clear, very readable, presents a great mass of material in fewer than pages. Warmly recommended. Sep 19, Robert rated it it was amazing Shelves: history-roman. Covering one of the most exciting and tumultuous periods in the long history of Rome we get a broad history of just about every aspect of Roman life in this period, from the political-military events the two becoming increasing intertwined as the later republic, which Augustus attempted to split apart , to social, economic and the arts.
The novel attempts and general succ From the Gracchi to Nero is a grand history summary of the late Roman Republic to it's transition to the Early Roman Empire. The novel attempts and general succeeds at giving us the complete look at life in the roman world. While this novel is quite old and more work has been done on areas covered in the book, it is still one of the most comprehensive summations of the period..
The text is interesting and easy to read, though the one small gripe I have is there are numerous Latin phrases throughout the work and if you don't have a working knowledge of Latin let's face it, not many of us do then you can struggle at times.
However on the whole this is a very good book and I have not yet found anything that does the period justice like this work does. Oct 06, Dayla rated it it was amazing Shelves: biography , philosophy , history , non-fiction , mythology-included , government.
Cornelia is the mother of two of Rome's most benevolent leaders: the two Gracchi brothers, Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. They took back lands from wealthy members of the senatorial class and then granted those lands to soldiers. They also restored land to peasants and provided subsidized grain for the needy. They also had the Republic pay for the clothing of its poorest soldiers.
An anecdote related by Valerius Maximus demonstrates Cornelia's devotion to and admiration for her sons. When women fri Cornelia is the mother of two of Rome's most benevolent leaders: the two Gracchi brothers, Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. When women friends questioned Cornelia about her dress style and jewelry choices, which were far more simple and understated than was usual for a wealthy Roman woman, Cornelia indicated her two sons and said, "These are my jewels.
Sep 10, Ian Boyd rated it liked it. A great introduction to Roman history. Gives a succinct and interesting introduction and also gives great resources to continue your reading. Although, I could do with a translation of the latin quotes thrown in at random. I mean come on, the book obviously isn't written for experts.
Why not throw in a translation of the damn latin you use! Very epic book, did like the bit where Caligula was assinated and H. Scullard epically owned him by saying "in January 41 Gaius [Caligula] was struck down in his palace and was despatched with thirty wounds. A Livy or Sallust might think so.
Augustus himself is transformed into a model of good-old-fashioned Italian or perhaps English? Modern readers should also be warned that From the Gracchi to Nero is very much a pre-colonial work of scholarship.
Scullard at times betrays a complacency toward imperialism that is unthinkable today. Finally, one of the less obvious characteristics of the work: From the Gracchi to Nero might better be called From the Gracchi to St. The selflessness expected of the Romans suggests a Christian message, and Christian coloring throughout the book seems to confirm it: Ti.
Later, Scullard is explicit:. Few contemporaries…can have realized that the most important event for the future of the Roman empire as well as for the later world…was the life and teaching of Jesus Christ in Palestine under the procuratorship of Pilate who, yielding to the hatred of the Jews, ordered his crucifixion.
The book ends with the evangelism of St. Paul, whose mission to the gentiles is facilitated by the pax Romana and whose life is saved initially anyway by possession of Roman citizenship The teleological urgency of Italian unification and the harmony of the Roman Empire become intelligible, as St. Augustine argued long ago. Every great history eventually becomes a nuisance to contemporary historians. Many things made and make From the Gracchi to Nero a great book: The lengthy chronological table in the front is ideal for study.
The work breathes an air of confident, competent scholarship, and the extensive notes give a veritable snapshot of a great generation of English scholarship on Rome, with a touch of continental learning. Sertorius 76 , Spartacus 80 , Mithridates 86 , Pompey f. The days of the city-state were over, and Rome must recognize her responsibilities to the non-political orders in Italy and the provinces.
As Rathbone notes xxv , even this reprint of the edition still contains untranslated snippets of Vergil and other phrases, e. Skip to content.
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