“The History and Conquests of Ancient Rome”, by Nigel Rodgers

256 pages, Hermes House, ISBN-13: 978-0681103849

The story of Rome is still one of the great tales of human history. This superbly illustrated book offers a fascinating insight into the rise of Rome, which was for six centuries the world's greatest superpower. The people, places and events of this military and political empire comes to life 1500 years after its final decline and fall. The first section of the book shows how Rome grew from a small Iron Age settlement on the hills above the Tiber to the supreme ruler of the known world, a story that fascinated contemporaries as much as it has later generations. Find out about the lives of great Romans from the generals, the emperors and the powerful women behind the throne, to the enemies of Rome and the great military and social historians who recorded scandals and stories of ancient Rome. The second section of the book focuses on the Roman army - how its men were trained and organized, and the legionary infrastructure that permitted the power of Rome to develop. Detailed accounts of all the major wars from Augustus and Trajan to Hadrian and Constantine are interspersed with battle plans and maps showing how Rome extended and maintained her power. Over 470 magnificent photographs, specially commissioned illustrations, family trees, maps, battle plans and time charts build up a colorful panoramic picture of the political strength of Ancient Rome and its ruthless military conquest of the ancient known world.