There is some writing preserved in wall paintings and less formal graffiti in rare places, like Pompeii. In earlier years these inscriptions were limited to the most important but in the first century CE there was a huge expansion of tomb inscriptions from what appear to be relatively ordinary people.

In terms of contemporary texts, the inscriptions on tombs and monuments provide a second source of material. In neither case are they published and promoted in the way we see modern publishing. Some of this writing sounds like it is in the form of what we would understand as contemporary books but other parts are the selected, edited letters of important people. As I read through I discover that the earliest copies of Roman writings date from about 500 AD, anything written before then has been transcribed perhaps several times. Rome prior to this was seen in fragments.īeard returns to this theme of what the evidence is and how much we can trust it throughout the book. Even then what survives should not necessarily be read as gospel truth. It is presented as the first events where there was significant documentary evidence from multiple sources. The book starts with the story of Cicero and Catiline in 63 BCE, Cicero revealed Catiline’s plot to overthrow the Roman government. SPQR Senātus Populus que Rōmānus is the motto of the city, meaning “The Senate and People of Rome”, it has been used since antiquity and is still in use now. I’ve read SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard. With its nuanced attention to class, democratic struggles, and the lives of entire groups of people omitted from the historical narrative for centuries, SPQR will to shape our view of Roman history for decades to come.A little diversion for me next: straightforward classical history. Hailed by critics as animating 'the grand sweep and the intimate details that bring the distant past vividly to life' (Economist) in a way that makes 'your hair stand on end' (Christian Science Monitor) and spanning nearly a thousand years of history, this 'highly informative, highly readable' (Dallas Morning News) work examines not just how we think of ancient Rome but challenges the comfortable historical perspectives that have existed for centuries. In SPQR, an instant classic, Mary Beard narrates the history of Rome 'with passion and without technical jargon' and demonstrates how 'a slightly shabby Iron Age village' rose to become the 'undisputed hegemon of the Mediterranean' (Wall Street Journal). New York Times Bestseller - National Book Critics Circle Finalist - Wall Street Journal Best Books of 2015 - Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2015 - Economist Books of the Year 2015 - New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books of 2015 A sweeping, 'magisterial' history of the Roman Empire from one of our foremost classicists shows why Rome remains 'relevant to people many centuries later' (Atlantic).

Spqr book review