Rome

Fowler, W. Warde (William Warde), 1847-1921Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 281K words
Chapters: 29

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Rome by W. Warde FowlerAuthor: Fowler, W. Warde (William Warde), 1847-1921,Language: English, Class: DG: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Italy, Vatican City, Malta, Release Date: Feb 23, 2018

Editor's review

This is a popular history of Rome written by the British classical scholar W. Warde Fowler and released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook. Fowler devoted years to the study of ancient Roman religion and social life, and his writing emphasizes institutions, customs, and everyday experience rather than merely cataloguing wars and emperors. Moderate in length and clear in narrative thread, the book serves well as an introductory read for understanding Rome's overall shape from its origins through the imperial period. Readers can use it to build a basic framework of Rome's constitutional evolution, social structure, and cultural features, then deepen into specialized study as interest dictates. As a public-domain ebook, it is easy to obtain and search, making it especially suited to fragmented reading on a commute or between classes, and convenient for teachers selecting chapters as classroom supplements. Note that the book was written in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, so some historical views and formulations bear the marks of their time; read with a critical eye and use it alongside modern works on Roman history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginning readers interested in ancient Roman history who want an overall thread
Secondary and university history teachers needing English primary sources as classroom supplements
Self-learners who want low-cost access to classical studies through public-domain ebooks
Students preparing for English-language history reading and building academic vocabulary

Not a good fit for

Specialist researchers seeking the latest archaeological findings and contemporary conclusions
Readers who want a Chinese translation or a bilingual edition
Casual readers who prefer novelistic narrative and strong plot momentum

Reading tips

Start with the table of contents and introduction to grasp the timeline and thematic divisions, then proceed chapter by chapter.
After each chapter, restate the key points in three to five sentences to test your understanding of institutions and events.
Mark unfamiliar names and places as you go, then look them up together after finishing the section to avoid breaking the rhythm.
Read alongside a modern general history of Rome and note the period limitations in the author's views.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in Chinese or English?

The original is in English, released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain electronic edition. The book involves many Roman names, places, and institutional terms, so it is advisable to have at least intermediate English reading ability before starting, or to read with a dictionary and a Chinese-language Roman history for reference.

Can I understand it without any background in Roman history?

Yes. The book is positioned as a general narrative for ordinary readers, with a relatively clear thread and no prerequisites. It is still advisable to first learn the rough periodization of the Republic and the Empire, and to note the relationships between people and events as you read for smoother comprehension.

Are the facts and views in the book still credible today?

The book was written early, and its basic factual framework still has reference value, but some interpretations and formulations carry the historiographical tendencies of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Treat it as an introductory thread, and verify key conclusions against modern scholarship before accepting them.

Is it suitable as classroom teaching material?

It is suitable as supplementary reading. Teachers can excerpt chapters by theme and use them with maps and timelines. Because it is a public-domain ebook, copying and distribution are convenient, but be mindful of differences between proofread versions and supplement contemporary research to balance the author's period limitations.

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About the author

Fowler, W. Warde (William Warde), 1847-1921 Author

William Warde Fowler (1847–1921) was an English classical scholar and nature writer; public information about his life is limited. Seven of his works are held here, falling roughly into two groups. The first comprises studies of Roman religion, festivals and social life, including The Religious Experience of the Roman People, The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic and Social Life at Rome in the Age of Cicero, which reconstruct institutions, rituals and everyday customs in plain, careful prose. The second consists of birdwatching and nature essays, such as A Year with the Birds and Tales of the Birds, written in an elegant style for general readers. Both kinds of writing show his habit of building knowledge from documents and field observation, and are still consulted by students of classics and natural history.