Ancient history · History
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
Mary Beard surveys Rome from its legendary beginnings to the early third century CE, questioning familiar stories and looking at how ordinary Romans, slaves and outsiders fit into the empire's rise.
Facts last checked 2026-10-17
- First published
- 2015
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 607
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a thoughtful, skeptical one-volume account of Rome rather than a list of emperors.
Skip this if you want a battle-focused narrative or a strict year-by-year chronology.
The feel
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Quick answers about SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
- What is SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome about?
- Mary Beard surveys Rome from its legendary beginnings to the early third century CE, questioning familiar stories and looking at how ordinary Romans, slaves and outsiders fit into the empire's rise.
- Who should read SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome?
- Read it if you want a thoughtful, skeptical one-volume account of Rome rather than a list of emperors. Skip it if you want a battle-focused narrative or a strict year-by-year chronology.
- How long and how fast is SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome?
- It is a medium-paced, long read of about 607 pages, first published in 2015.
- Does SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Violence, Slavery.
- Can I borrow SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome; the borrow button above searches it for you.
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