+- RomanArmyTalk (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat)
+-- Forum: Research Arena (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: Roman Military History & Archaeology (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=8)
+--- Thread: Looking for an early roman book... (/showthread.php?tid=4861)
Looking for an early roman book... - Gaius Honorius Felix - 02-26-2006
Hello everyone,
Does anyone know of a good book for the early republican period? Preferably about when they overthrew the Etruscans. Im looking to do some reading and I havent been able to locate much of anything on my end. Help is appreciated, thanks.
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - Praefectusclassis - 02-26-2006
[Amazon]T.J.Cornell, The beginnings of Rome[/amazon] is excellent.
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - pictoria secunda - 02-26-2006
I've got a library book, 'Ancient Rome: Using Evidence" by Pamela Bradley (arnold, Australia 1990) which has a useful chapter on very early Rome. Not sure that its got much more than typical histories, though it does explain the basic family, political and military structures well.
The reading list suggests
Livy, The Early History of Rome, books 1-5
Block, R, The Etruscans
and mentions an unnamed author, 'The Origins of Rome'. That last sounds like its what you're after, if you could find it!
An interesting era - something I've been meaning to read more about, though at the moment I'm fascinated by Roman Spain, and trying to figure out who was who....
Pictoria
Helen South
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - Philhellene - 02-28-2006
Quote:The reading list suggests
Livy, The Early History of Rome, books 1-5
Block, R, The Etruscans
and mentions an unnamed author, 'The Origins of Rome'. That last sounds like its what you're after, if you could find it!
Dio Cassius, Roman history, books 1-8 (before Pyrrhus)
Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities - it`s all about pre-Pyrrhus period.
And "The Origins of Rome" is terminating with the foundation of Rome. So, may be you meant "De Viris Illustribus"? That`s the collection of biographies of the famous romans from Romulus to Caesar.
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - pictoria secunda - 02-28-2006
re 'the origins of Rome' - it was referred to in the pre and early Rome section of the book, so I wasn't sure if it would be relevant or not. Haven't actually seen it myself. You know of it then, Philhellene? Do you have an ISBN or author for it? I'm quite interested in the Etruscans....
There are occasions where I value secondary sources, as the better authors remove that element of the fabulous and heavy bias that sometimes appears in the classical authors (of course, they have their own biases, but you know what I mean). With the added information of archaeological evidence.
Dio Cassius is a wonderful resource, I've just discovered.....
Pictoria
Helen South
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - Praefectusclassis - 02-28-2006
It is, by the way, always interesting to remember that by the time Cassius Dio wrote his books, Rome's Monarchic period was between 980 and 730 years in the past.
(that is not meant as a value statement however!)
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - Philhellene - 02-28-2006
Quote:Do you have an ISBN or author for it? I'm quite interested in the Etruscans....
For what? For 'the origins of Rome' ? Why do you need ISBN at all?
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - Praefectusclassis - 02-28-2006
Amazon has a French translation: [amazon]De viris illustribus urbis romae[/amazon]
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - Philhellene - 02-28-2006
If you did mean "De viris illustribus" you can get it:
in Latin
in Russian
in French
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - pictoria secunda - 02-28-2006
Well I don't know. I assumed the author didn't mean De Viris Illustribus since that is Suetonius, and she gives no author. Perhaps you are right.
I'm sorry if it seemed like an ignorant question, but despite having studied latin for a while, I still have a lot to learn. Remember that what seems obvious to you might not be so to others.
thanks
Pictoria
Helen South
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - Philhellene - 02-28-2006
Quote:Well I don't know. I assumed the author didn't mean De Viris Illustribus since that is Suetonius, and she gives no author. Perhaps you are right.
There are a lot of different works with the same name - not only Suetonius. Pseudo-Aurelius Victor, Jerome...
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - pictoria secunda - 03-01-2006
ah. well there you go. I have no idea.
Pictoria
Helen South
Re: Looking for an early roman book... - drsrob - 03-02-2006
Another book is:
- Gary Forsythe, A Critical History of Early Rome, Berkeley, Los Angelos, London 2005.
There are not much more titles in English on the early history of Rome. Both authors state this as an important reason for writing their essays