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Product Description
Book Description
With stylistic brilliance and historical imagination, the first five books of Livy's monumental history of Rome record events from the foundation of Rome through the history of the seven kings, the establishment of the Republic and its internal struggles, up to Rome's recovery after the fierce Gallic invasion of the fourth century bc. Livy vividly depicts the great characters, legends, and tales, including the story of Romulus and Remus. Reprinting Robert Ogilvie's lucid 1971 introduction, this highly regarded edition now boasts a new preface, examining the text in light of recent Livy scholarship, informative maps, bibliography, and an index.
Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt with an introduction by Robert Ogilvie.
Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt with an introduction by Robert Ogilvie.
About the Author
Titus Livius (59 B.C.-17 A.D.) began working on his history of Rome at the age of thirty and continued for more than forty years until his death. The history comprised 142 books, of which thirty-five survive.
Aubrey de Sélincourt (1896-1962) translated Livy, Heroditus, and Arrian for Penguin Classics.
Robert Ogilvie (1932-1981) taught classics and published widely on Roman writers, religion and history.
Stephen Oakley teaches classics at the University of Reading.
Aubrey de Sélincourt (1896-1962) translated Livy, Heroditus, and Arrian for Penguin Classics.
Robert Ogilvie (1932-1981) taught classics and published widely on Roman writers, religion and history.
Stephen Oakley teaches classics at the University of Reading.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
The task of writing a history of our nation from Rome's earliest days fills me, I confess, with some misgiving, and even were I confident in the value of my work, I should hesitate to say so. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The task of writing a history of our nation from Rome's earliest days fills me, I confess, with some misgiving, and even were I confident in the value of my work, I should hesitate to say so. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Phenomenal History,
By
This review is from: Penguin Classics Early History Of Rome (Paperback)
I was expecting this book to be a little on the dry side. Well I have to say that Livy turned out to be very entertaining. He details the almost constant warfare of early Rome. He also describes the civic politics that take place between the ruling Patricians, and the Plebeian masses. Livy seems to be at his best, depicting the characteristics of the people involved in early Roman history. The various aspects of human nature, as seen through the people involved, can be applied to any place or time.Thomas Jefferson, Machiavelli, and the great Emperor Augustus, loved to read the historic material written by Titus Livius. Well just to throw in my two cents worth; I have to say this was a very impressive history of early Rome.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Roman historians at their best,
By Joseph Spirito (NJ) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Penguin Classics Early History Of Rome (Paperback)
In the past there has been a scholarly tendency to criticize Livy and prefer other sources over him. Of late however more and more historians are realizing the true value of his work. He gives a useful view of Roman history as well as a good view of Roman mores in the Augustan period. Livy remains a valuable tool for teaching Roman history as he is interesting as well as informative. Along with Polybius and Tacitus one of the must read ancient historians.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still fresh after 2,000 years!,
By
This review is from: Penguin Classics Early History Of Rome (Paperback)
Titus Livius, better known as Livy, lived and wrote his famous history about 2,000 years ago, and even then the early history of Rome was ancient history. But the Romans were a people much taken with themselves and their perception of their destiny, and they were a highly literate people as well, so Livy was not without resources on which he could draw for research. Thanks to him and a handful of other Roman historians, we have a fairly detailed knowledge of this remote period, a knowledge that is constantly being expanded and refined through archaeology.Livy's history, which scholars believe was intended as a series of 120 or so volumes (of which 35 have come down to us), stands as a remarkable achievement, both literary and historical. The first five volumes, translated in the present book, cover the period from the founding of the city (traditionally dated to 753 BCE) by Romulus to the defeat of the Gauls by Marcus Furius Camillus in c. 396 BCE. It is a fascinating time in Roman history, witnessing the age of the kings, their ouster by Junius Brutus and the subsequent establishment of the Republic, ongoing class struggle between the aristocratic "Patricians" and their fellow citizens, the "Plebeians," and naturally, almost unending warfare between Rome, the new kid on the block, and its neighbors. At times the narrative can seem repetitive, what with the endless skirmishing against the Volscians, Hernici, and Latins, but Livy himself is aware of this and even makes a joke or two about it. Actually, Livy does an admirable job of holding his readers' interest in spite of the repetitive nature of his material. His highly accessible, round style of writing keeps the narrative moving along, and the characters that inhabit the text are themselves so dramatic and intriguing that they easily overcome any sluggish patches in the plot. Anyone interested in ancient Rome does themself an enormous disservice if they rely solely on modern authors for their explorations. The ancient Roman historians in general, and Livy in particular, offer us vivid accounts of this truly extraordinary place and time, artistic and historical contributions that are as exciting, interesting, surprising, suspenseful, and valuable as anything penned since.
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