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A History of Rome
by Ferdinand Addis
The magnificent and definitive history of the Eternal City, narrated by a master historian.
Why does Rome continue to exert a hold on our imagination? How did the "Caput mundi" come to play such a critical role in the development of Western civilization?
Ferdinand Addis addresses these questions by tracing the history of the "Eternal City" told through the dramatic key moments in its history: from the mythic founding of Rome in 753 BC, via such landmarks as the murder of Caesar in 44 BC, the coronation of Charlemagne in AD 800 and the reinvention of the imperial ideal, the painting of the Sistine chapel, the trial of Galileo, Mussolini's March on Rome of 1922, the release of Fellini's La Dolce Vita in 1960, and the Occupy riots of 2011.
City of the Seven Hills, spiritual home of Catholic Christianity, city of the artistic imagination, enduring symbol of our common European heritage - Rome has inspired, charmed, and tempted empire-builders, dreamers, writers, and travelers across the twenty-seven centuries of its existence. Ferdinand Addis tells this rich story in a grand narrative style for a new generation of readers. 24 pages of color photos and illustrations.
"Starred Review. Addis breathes new life into nearly 3,000 years of tumultuous Roman history, citing the elusive nature of Rome's historical meaning as the impetus for this sweeping chronicle." - Publishers Weekly
"Those enthralled by Rome will find this a worthy companion, if one that might prompt nostalgia for golden ages of yore." - Kirkus
"This book reminds us about past greatness. It is impossible not to be moved, inspired, incensed and outraged by some of the messages." - Tribune Magazine (U.K.)
"Entertaining and informative, this book provides a fascinating and useful introduction to classical mythology, history, and culture." - The Oldie (U.K.)
This information about The Eternal City was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Ferdinand Addis has been fascinated by Rome since reading Livy as a teenager. He studied Classics at Oxford, then worked in film and journalism before giving it up to write history. He lives in East London with his wife and daughter.
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