Books about Rome


Adkins, Lesley, and Roy A. Adkins. Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. Oxford University Press, 1994.
This book is a handy reference guide to the various facets of ancient Roman culture: history, geography, urban planning, the military, writing, religion/mythology, daily life, and the economy. The text is composed of written discussions, as well as encyclopedic entries of names, places, etc. Numerous photographs, drawings, diagrams, maps, plans, and timelines supplement and enhance the text.


D'Ambra, Eve. Roman Art. Cambridge University Press, 1998.
This recently-published book serves as an introductory text on ancient Roman art. The book is arranged by themes in ancient Roman art and society, not by chronology. The discussions focus in detail on a few major works , and the text is enhanced by numerous color photographs.


Etienne, Robert. Pompeii: The Day a City Died. Harry N. Abrams, 1987.
This small book recounts the discovery and excavation of Pompeii and recreates the life of the ancient city. Numerous color photographs, drawings, and diagrams supplement the text.


Gardner, Jane. Roman Myths. The Trustees of the British Museum, 1993.
This book gives a short, concise, and well-illustrated introduction to myths of ancient Rome. Summaries and excerpts are given of the myths of Aeneas, Romulus, and the kings of Rome, as well as legendary heroes and heroic women. The myths are put in their cultural context through discussions of ancient Roman literary sources and religious cults and festivals.


LeGlay, Marcel, et al. A History of Rome. Trans. Antonia Nevill. Blackwell Publishers, 1996.
This book provides a comprehensive discussion of the history of Rome from the seventh century B.C. through 400 A.D. The text is supplemented by maps, tables, timelines, genealogical tables, plans, and photographs, as well as a generous amount of primary source material. Although the text is long (543 pages), it is easy to read and understand, in part because the text is often organized into bullet points.


Shelton, Jo-ann. As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History. Oxford University Press, 1998.
This book is a wonderful introduction to the Roman people and their culture. In the book, all aspects of Roman life and society are covered, including: family life, housing, education, entertainment, and religion. Excerpts from primary source material enhance the text.


Zanker, Paul. Pompeii: Public and Private Life. Trans. Deborah Lucas Schneider. Harvard University Press, 1998.
This book looks at everyday life in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. The book is divided into the usage of urban space and the usage of domestic space. The text is supplemented by diagrams, plans, maps, and both color and black and white photographs.
© Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University,
Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester and Dallas Museum of Art
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