The Roman Empire: A Very Short Introduction

"The Roman empire at its peak was a remarkable achievement, a vast super-state encircling the Mediterranean, unifying and dominating the lands as far apart as Britain, North Africa, and the Middle East." "This Very Short Introduction explores that achievement. Revealing the Romans' own sense of their power, history and imperial mission, it looks at the workings and structures of the empire, from the violent process of conquest to the lives of ordinary citizens in the provinces. Christopher Kelly also brings the empire right up to date, showing how modern attitudes such as fascist ideas and depictions in Hollywood films continue to colour our own understanding of Rome."--BOOK JACKET.

Christopher Kelly is a University Lecturer in Classics and a Fellow and Senior Tutor of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He is a major contributor to Harvard University Press' Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World and The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine.