The Grandeur That Was Rome: Roman Art and Archaeology

Written by Jennifer Tobin

Narrated by Jennifer Tobin

Common perceptions of Ancient Rome are plentiful, whether they take the form of crazy emperors hosting lavish feasts, scenes of chariot races and gladiatorial combat, or processions of conquering armies. But that is only half the story. In this enlightening lecture series, Professor Jennifer Tobin presents a sweeping portrait of Rome, including the lofty developments of senatorial government, historical writing, stunning art and architecture-and even the origins of long-lived customs such as the Roman tradition of carrying a bride over the threshold.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 16, 2010
• ISBN: 9781449821265

Reviews for The Grandeur That Was Rome

[jalenv_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've heard the phrase 'The glory that was Greece, the grandeur that was Rome' many times in my life, but until I listened to The Grandeur That was Rome: Roman Art and Archaeology, I didn't know where it came from. These lessons also taught me where we get the word 'palace'. It made sense. We start out by learning about the Villanovans and the Etruscans, the first of which I hadn't even heard about. Then we get Rome from its time as a kingdom before it became a republic, then the emperors. I did enjoy listening about the changes in artistic and architectural styles over the centuries. I know the names of the Julio-Claudian dynasty thanks to both the 'I, Claudius' mini-series and the books it was based on. Lindsey Davis' Marcus Didius Falco and Flavia Albia mystery series have made it easy to keep the Flavian emperors straight. After that, only a few names such as Trajan, Hadrian, and Constantine came to mind.These lessons group the various emperors, such as the military emperors, the Severan dynasty (raise your hand if the name of Septimius Severus made you think of J. K. Rowling's Severus Snape), etc. Constantine is the last emperor mentioned.I also enjoyed looking at the photos in the lesson guide, which gives the web addresses of sites where one may see more. Am I glad I checked this series out? Yes. If you like art history or are interested in ancient Rome, you might want to check it out.