Chapter 1: Roman History in Brief
Chapter 2: Administration and Law
Chapter 3: Engineering and Architecture
Chapter 4: Epic and Lyric Poetry
Chapter 5: Speeches, Letters, and Agricultural Manuals
Chapter 6: Philosophy
Chapter 7: Historical Writing
Chapter 8: Comedy and Satire
Chapter 9: Greek and Jewish Contributions in the Roman Era
Chapter 10: The Rise and Romanization of Christianity
Epilogue
Suggestions for Further Reading
Carl J. Richard is professor of history at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Richard (history, Univ. of Louisiana, Lafayette; Greeks & Romans
Bearing Gifts: How the Ancients Inspired the Founding Fathers)
gives us another work on classical influences, aimed at educated
but nonexpert readers. Taking a broader focus than in his previous
titles, he does not limit his study only to influences on early
America but seeks to demonstrate how Roman culture influenced later
Western culture in nearly all disciplines, including law,
engineering, literature, and philosophy. Working on this monumental
scale over such well-trod ground requires some deftness, and . . .
Richard’s prose is clear and engaging (he cites excerpts from his
previous Twelve Greeks and Romans Who Changed the World). . . . An
entertaining and informative book for readers interested in a broad
view of Western reception of Roman culture.
*Library Journal*
Richard (Univ. of Louisiana at Lafayette) has written a readable,
accessible overview of ancient Roman society and history. Organized
thematically, the book examines a wide variety of topics, including
Roman engineering, philosophy, and literature. Each chapter
provides a succinct summary of Roman contributions in these fields,
along with a description of how these contributions have affected
later periods in Western history. Richard's overall argument is
that the Romans deserve credit for helping to transmit both Greek
and Jewish ideas into Western civilization, as well as for their
own unique contributions, especially in the fields of architecture,
engineering, and law. The book includes a one-chapter account of
Roman political and military history, beginning with the founding
of the city of Rome and stretching through the fall of the Roman
Empire. . . . This book is a useful basic overview of Roman
history. Summing Up: Recommended. General and undergraduate
collections
*CHOICE*
Lively account of Ancient Rome.
*Italian American Magazine*
The author makes his case in an engaging and entertaining way. . .
. He writes with remarkable clarity. His description of the Latin
language as 'vigorous and precise' could well apply to his own
prose, and the text is enlivened by his wry humor. Richard has a
particular knack for selecting anecdotes that are telling and often
amusing. . . . His historical assessments . . . are consistently
balanced and perceptive. . . . This book will serve as a very good
introduction to the ancient Romans and their achievements, and
readers with a prior knowledge of the topic will profit from the
author’s insights.
*Renaissance Magazine*
At this critical moment in our history, Carl Richard recovers for
us the deepest roots of American order. In clear and lively prose,
he guides us through Roman civilization and its influence on the
West, artfully melding entertaining anecdotes with spot-on
analysis. Why We're All Romans is a superb summary of Roman
history, one that will both delight and instruct the reader.
*Bruce Thornton, Campbell National Fellow at the Hoover
Institution*
In Why We're All Romans, America’s premier intellectual historian
surveys the culture of the ancient Mediterranean with scholarly
acumen and humane wit. Whether discussing Roman law, architecture,
history or 'the Romanization of Christianity,' Carl Richard’s
well-written and informed account is an excellent introduction to
the ancient culture that shaped the United States and is still
important for American freedom and creativity.
*E. Christian Kopff, University of Colorado, Boulder*
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