Roman History

This is a collection of resources to help you learn Roman history, whether for your personal interests, a class research project, a Junior Classical League competition, or for any other reason.

A Primer History of Rome, by Mandell Creighton and John Traupman (May 1, 2001) is a great place for beginners to start learning about Roman history.  It is a short work and can be read in stages.  I have attached it below as a .pdf to be viewed online or downloaded to your own computer.

Reading wikipedia articles on the various periods of Roman history is also a great way to become familiar with the topic before you delve into other sources:

• The Backstory and the Founding of Rome (1200-753 BCE):  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_of_Rome.

• The Roman Kingdom (753-510 BCE):  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Kingdom.

• The Roman Republic (510-31 BCE):  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Republic.

• The Roman Empire (31 BCE - 476 CE):  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Roman_Empire.

Another benefit of wikipedia is that you can immediately link hop if you don't understand something.

The National Junior Classical League recommends the following books, which they use as sources for their Roman History competitions:

• A History of the Roman People, by Heichelman, Yeo and Ward (ISBN 0130384801)

• A History of Rome, by M. Cary and H. H. Scullard (ISBN 0312383959).

  • This is the standard.  However, it is a rather dense college text, not for the feint of heart!

• The Romans: From Village to Empire, by Boatwright, Gargola, and Talbert. (ISBN 0195118758)

• A History of Rome to A.D. 565, by Sinnigen and Boak. (ISBN 0024108006)

• Livy: Stories of Rome, translated by Roger Nichols. (ISBN 0521228166)

For class research projects or individual reading in Roman history, I am trying to develop an outline of Roman history with primary resources (translations of ancient texts) listed for each part. It is a work in progress.

1. The Backstory and the Legendary Founding of Rome (c. 1182-753 BCE).

   • Aeneas: According to legend, Aeneas was a Trojan noble who survived the Trojan War (1182 BCE), wandered around the Mediterranean with a band of Trojans, finally landed in Italy.  There, after he fought and won a great war, he founded the city of Livinium and a line of kings which would one day produce Romulus, the founder and first king of Rome.

     • The Roman historian Livy told the story of Aeneas.  Livy.  History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 1.1-7. Here is a free translation of Livy's story of Aeneas, which I have edited for students.

     • The Aeneid, by Vergil, is the famous Roman epic that tells the story of Aeneas.  

       • Plot Outlines:  https://sites.google.com/site/kruebbelatin/home/latin-4/aeneid-outlines.

       • Recommended translation:  The Aeneid by Virgil, translated by Robert Fitzgerald (Vintage Classics, Paperback, 1990).

   • Ascanius / Iulus and the Kings of Alba Longa.

   • Romulus:  The founder and first king of Rome.

2. The Kingdom:  The 7 Kings of Rome (c. 753-510 BCE)

• 1. Romulus:

     • Livy's story of Romulus: This is a translation which I have edited for students and augmented by adding some passages from other ancient authors. 

     • Plutarch's biography of Romulus.  (Free online translation.)

  2. Numa Pompilius

     • Livy's account of Numa and Ovid's story of the talk with Jupiter and the Shield from Heaven.

     • Plutarch's biography of Numa. (Free online translation.)

  3. Tullus Hostilius

     • Livy's account of Tullus Hostilius (see pp. 19-27 in this translation of Livy's history)

  4. Ancus Marcius

     • Livy's account of Ancus Marcius (see pp. 27-30 in this translation of Livy's history)

  5. Lucius Tarquinius Priscus

     • Livy's account of L. Tarquinius Priscus (see pp. 29-32 in this translation of Livy's history)

  6. Servius Tullius

     • Livy's account of Servius Tullius (see pp. 31-37 in this translation of Livy's history)

  7. Lucius Tarquinius Superbus

     • Livy's account of L. Tarquinius Superbus (see pp. 35-44 in this translation of Livy's history)

3. The Early Republic and the Unification of Italy (510 – 240 BCE)

• 1.  Establishment of the Roman Republic (510-493)   (Notes available here.)

     • The Revolt against King Tarquin (510-509)

     • Lars Porsenna, the Siege of Rome, the 3 Heroes: Horatius, Mucius Scaevola, & Cloelia (509-506)

       • Read Livy, sections 2.9-2.15, at this link (scroll to the right section).

     • Battle of Aricia (506)

     • Publicola, Appius Claudius Sabinus, and War with the Sabines (504)

       • Plutarch's Life of Publicola (free online translation here)

     • War with the Latin League, Battle of Lake Regillus (496, Livy 2.19-21), Latin Treaty (493)

     • The Early Conflict of the Orders, The First Secession of the Plebs (494)

  2. Rome as a Regional Power (493-343) against the Sabines, Volsci, Aequi, Etruscan Veii, Falerii, & Gauls. (Some notes available here.)

     • The First Secession of the Plebs.

       • Livy's story of the First Secession of the Plebs & Menenius Agrippa's Parable of the Body in 494 BCE [scroll to 2.31-2.33 here].

     • Coriolanus and the War with the Volsci.

       • Plutarch's Life of Coriolanus - free online translation.

       • Siege of Corioli in 493 BCE, Exile in 491 BCE, among the Volsci, Attack on Rome abandoned due to his mother's efforts in 491 BCE (Livy 2.40).

     • Titus Quinctius Capitolinus Barbatus and Unrest in Rome in the 470s and 460s (consul 471 BC, 468 BC, 465 BC).

     • Life and Achievements of Cincinnatus (460s-430s)

       • Livy's story of the Dictator L. Quinctius Cincinnatus & the Battle of Mt. Algidus in 458 BCE  (scroll to 3.25-3.29 here)

     • The Decemviri, the 2nd Secessions of the Plebs, and the 12 Tables (454-449)

     • Life, Times, and Achievements of Camillus (incl. fall of Veii in 396, of Falerii in 394)

       • Plutarch's Life of Camillus - free online translation.

     • Gauls invade Italy and sack Rome (390-386) 

     • Rome Rebuilt

     • The 'Licinian Rogations' (360s)

     • Camillus and the Defeat of the Gauls

     • Roman Treaty with Carthage (348)

  3. Roman Expansion: The 3 Samnite Wars (343-290) (Some notes available here. Scroll through.)

     • Including: The Devotio of Decius Mus, The Battle of Caudine Forks, the Via Appia, the Via Flaminia. 

  4. Rome Dominates Italy:  The Pyrrhic War (280–275 BC) (Some notes available here. Scroll through.)

4. Conquests: The Punic Wars (264-241; 218-202; -146 BCE)

5. Conquests: The Eastern Mediterranean and Gaul (168 – 50 BCE).  Includes Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Caesar; Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, Judea, Gaul)

6. Julius Caesar, the 1st Triumvirate, and the Civil War (emphasize 61-44 BCE)

7. Augustus Caesar, the 2nd Triumvirate, Civil Wars, Empire (44 BCE – 14 CE)

8. CE 14-54 : Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius (incl. invasion of Britain)

9. CE 54-69 : Nero and the Civil Wars of 69 CE

10. CE 69-96 : Vespasian, Titus, Domitian  (Flavian Dynasty)

11. Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian

12. Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, Commodus

13. CE 193-211 : Civil Wars and Septimius Severus

14. CE 211-235 : esp. Caracalla and Elagabalus

15. CE 235-268 + 268-284

16. CE 284-307 From Diocletian and the Tetrarchy to Constantine

17. Constantine and Christianity (307 -     )

18. CE 337-379 : esp. Julian “the Apostate” and Valentinian

19. CE 379-476 : esp. Theodosius, Romulus Augustus, and what happened to the Eastern Roman Empire through the rest of history