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Pax: War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age
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About This Book
The definitive history of Rome's golden age—an ultimate superpower at the pinnacle of its greatness The Pax Romana has long been shorthand for the empire's golden age. Stretching from Caledonia to Arabia, Rome ruled over a quarter of the world's population. It was the wealthiest and most formidable state in the history of humankind. Pax is a captivating narrative history of Rome at the height of its power. From the gilded capital to realms beyond the frontier, historian Tom Holland shows ancient Rome in all its glory: Nero's downfall, the destruction of Jerusalem and Pompeii, the building of the Colosseum and Hadrian's Wall, the conquests of Trajan. Vividly sketching the lives of Romans both ordinary and spectacular, from slaves to emperors, Holland shows that Roman peace was the fruit of unprecedented military violence. A stunning portrait of Rome's glory days, this is the epic history of the Pax Romana.
Reviews
"Holland sets moral questions aside and turns his hand to what he does best: sure-footed, tight-wound historical narrative, enlivened with keen insights."
"It's a tale with no shortage of bloodshed, but it was largely confined to the frontiers except for the stubborn Judean uprising."
"There are descriptions of the army, the origins of the gladiator and the invention of concrete."
"Holland's feel for the lived experience of antiquity is one of the best features of this book ..."
"We hear much more about what the Roman elite thought than we do about those they ruled."
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