The Romans For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book and the Complete Idiot's Guide to the Roman Empire as well because I wanted a good overview of the history of the Roman Empire. I've always been fascinated with the Roman Empire due to its significance in ancient history and its profound influence over Western history, culture, and society. The author Guy de la Bedoyere does an excellent job of explaining the persons, events, and lessons in a very understandable and informative way.
The book is organized this way:
Part I "Romans -- The Big Boys of the Ancient World"
A brief overview of Rome and how it has influenced us both in Western history and in the modern world now. There is an excellent explanation of ancient civilizations (e.g. Egypt, Mespotamia, Phoenicians, Greeks, Etruscans, Macedonians, etc). The author explains the Roman social classes, the Senate, the position of Emperor, how life was in the city of Rome, and the building up of the Roman army
Part II "Living the Good Life"
The author explains how Rome was the model city, its building projects, the building of good roads, the establishment of trade & commerce, the entertainment, an overview of Roman gods & religion, and the conflict with Christianity

Part III"The Rise of Rome"
Explanation of how Rome was established, the magnificent 8 kings (753-509 BC), the birth of the Roman Republic, overview of the Punic Wars and Macedonian Wars, and the conquering of Spain and Carthage
Part IV"When Romans Ruled the World"
Explanation of the rise of the equestrians, the Gracchi rulers, the age of the generals, the Triumvirate, the fall of the Republic, and the ascension of Augustus (Octavian), the period of chaos after Augustus, and the rise of the 5 Good Emperors
Part V "Throwing the Empire Away"
Explanation of the demise of the Empire under the poor rulership of the latter Emperors, the problems in the 3rd century, the rise of Constantine, the split of the Empire into the East and the West, and the Barbarian invasions.
Part VI "The Part of Tens"
Ten Turning Points in Roman History
Ten Interesting and Occasionally Good Romans
Ten (Mostly) Bad Romans
Ten of Rome's Greatest Enemies
Ten or so Great Roman Places to Visit
I preferred this "Dummies" overview of Rome over the Complete Idiot's Guide because the author explains the events, persons, and historical significance in a very straightforward and clear way. The author of the Complete Idiot's Guide (Eric Nelson) liked to insert anecdotes and quotations along the way, but I found that to be rather distracting.
I was most interested in the overview of the achievements of the good emperors (why they were good and what were their accomplishments in helping to build or stabilize the empire) and the description of the bad emperors (why they were so bad and what did they do to de-stabilize the empire). The author was able to describe the accomplishments of the great emperors in a very concise and clear way. One of my favorite sections in this book is the last portion ("The Part of Tens").
I really enjoyed reading this book and I applaud the author for his clear and insightful explanations. I agree with the endorsement of one of the readers, "A must for anyone interested in the Roman Empire and its impact on world history." If you read this book, you will certainly not be a "dummy" as far as understanding the significance & influence of the Roman Empire. I highly recommend this book!

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