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While it falls somewhat short of an atlas, I use it as a quick supplement to other references -- but now I'll be careful to verify what I find here.What I'm really looking for is a book of large-scale maps of the city and environs of Rome itself from say, 400 BC to 400 AD -- now that would be useful. Perhaps it should be called, "Penguin's Lavishly Illustrated but Brief History of Ancient Rome With a Bunch of Maps." As some reviewers have mentioned, it's really too small -- both in map quantity and size -- to earn the name of an atlas.Despite that, and the errors mentioned above, there is a lot of info in this book that can be useful -- and some of it is hard to find in other places. The map of sailing times across the Mediterranean, for example, presents information I've only found in Lionel Casson's excellent books -- and presents it in a form much easier to use.As others have mentioned, the pictures are nice, and the captions are informative.
A good introduction for high school students or early undergrads with little prior knowledge of classical history. A quick and reasonable overview of Roman history. This short book provides the basic narrative, historical geography, and some highlighting of specific topics like art, funerary customs, and religions.
This short book is an excellent introduction to Roman history. It is divided into easy to digest chapters which deal with a single theme.
The atlas is not that large. No maps of Parthia or the neo Persian empires. The first map at page 22 and by page 32 the Republic is over.The book has only a few maps of the expansion of Rome within Italy (hardly a mention of the Samnites, or Sabines; and one small blip on the map for Sparticus) It has a few maps of Asia Minor at this time. Shows Constantine's Empire and then quickly shows the Germanic kingdoms and the new Byzantine Empire.
So this is a great companion atlas to that other book. No maps of the distribution of Germanic tribes outside of Roman areas.I would have liked to have a bigger book with larger maps. A good dozen examples of city maps and a legion camp are shown.On the whole a good reference and a good read on the history of Rome. I also got Penguin's Ancient & Medieval Histories (2xMcEvedy) and Ancient Civilizations (Haywood). But of course a real book with 1000+ pages is required to cover all aspects of the Roman empire. I bought four similar atlases all from Penguin and they are all thin books (< 150 pages) and small in size (10" x 7").Atlases are supposed to be hugh.However this (and the other 3 books) do contain loads of information.The book skims over the Republican era.
Too many maps cover two pages, so the book binding obscures some information and making a scan of a map is very hard.On the plus it has many other types of information (unfortunately sometimes repeated by the author in the start of a chapter and later in some specific article).The types of info include the economy, currency (25 silver Denarius = 1 gold Aureus), the legions (names and numbers at different times), how mines work, the olive oil industry, and of course articles on emperors, politics and religion. Together all four give you the info to cover Rome very well. With Carthage and the Punic wars taking up most of these few pre-Empire maps.Maybe 10 maps to cover 600 years.We then have many maps to cover the next three hundred years.Then the book ends abruptly. And it is over.
I bought this book expecting an atlas, that is a book of maps. It reminds me of that Time-Life series, that is aimed at young people, although this book is not as good as any in that series.
They should not have put the word "Atlas" on this confused mess. The publishers must have changed their mind about what they wanted to do with this book.
I would like to second the comments of Jacques P. The book is mostly pictures and text.
It might be OK as an introduction for people about 14-16 years old, but if you want an atlas with useful maps in it, don't buy this. Talbot.
There are some maps in this book, but they are small and cluttered and I don't really find them useful.
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