The Romans For Dummies

"A must for anyone interested in the Roman Empire and its impact on world history." —Tony Robinson star of Blackadder and Time Team.
This entertaining and informative guide introduces readers to the amazing world of ancient Rome and its emperors, epic wars, awesome architecture, heroes, and villains. With a complete rundown of Roman history alongside fascinating insights into the lives of everyday Romans, readers will discover the amazing people and events involved in the rise and fall of one of the greatest of all ancient civilisations and how its influence can still be felt around the world today.
Guy de la Bedoyere is a historian, archaeologist, and Roman expert, he is well known for his numerous books and appearances on TV, especially Channel 4's Time Team.

Guy de la Bedoyere is a freelance writer and broadcaster who took a history and archaeology degree at Durham University, followed by a history degree at the University of London specialising in Roman history, with papers in US history. Next came an MA in Roman Empire archaeology at University College, London. He has written many books on his specialist field of Roman Britain and is well-known for his numerous appearances on television, especially Channel 4's Time Team in Britain. He has also written books on a variety of other historical subjects, including the papers of Samuel Pepys, and is a Fellow of the Royal Numismatic Society. His other interests include playing the piano, travelling in the United States, and studying genealogy. He lives in Lincolnshire, England.

Introduction.
Part I: Romans � The Big Boys of the Ancient World.
Chapter 1: The Romans: Shaping Their World and Ours.
Chapter 2: It� ™s the Cash That Counts: Roman Social Classes.
Chapter 3: Stairway to the Stars: The Greasy Path to Power.
Chapter 4: Rural Bliss � Roman Dreamland.
Chapter 5: When We Were Soldiers.
Part II: Living the Good Life.
Chapter 6: The Urban Jungle.
Chapter 7: Making the Roman Machine Work.
Chapter 8: Entertainments: Epic and Domestic.
Chapter 9: Divine Intervention.
Part III: The Rise of Rome.
Chapter 10: Kings? No, Maybe Not � Republicans.
Chapter 11: This Town Isn� ™t Big Enough for All of Us � Seizing Italy.
Chapter 12: Carthage and the First Two Punic Wars.
Chapter 13: While We� ™re at It � Let� ™s Conquer Everywhere Else, Too.
Part IV: When Romans Ruled the World.
Chapter 14: Reform and Civil War.
Chapter 15: Daggers Drawn � The Fall of the Republic.
Chapter 16: Augustus and the Caesars � Plots, Perverts, and Paranoia.
Chapter 17: The Five Good Emperors.
Part V: Throwing the Empire Away.
Chapter 18: More Civil War, Auctioning the Empire, and Paranoid Lunatics.
Chapter 19: The Age of the Thug � The Third Century� ™s Soldier Emperors.
Chapter 20: East Is East and West Is West: Diocletian and Constantine.
Chapter 21: The Barbarians Are Coming! The End of Rome.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 22: Ten Turning Points in Roman History.
Chapter 23: Ten Interesting and Occasionally Good Romans.
Chapter 24: Ten (Mostly) Bad Romans.
Chapter 25: Ten of Rome� ™s Greatest Enemies.
Chapter 26: Ten (or So) Great Roman Places to Visit.
Index.