Dr David Gwynn is Lecturer in Ancient and Late Antique History at Royal Holloway, University of London. He is the author of several books including The Eusebians: The Polemic of Athanasius of Alexandria and the Construction of the "Arian Controversy" (OUP, 2007).

Here, David Gwynn reflects on the remarkable legacy of the Roman Republic. The rise and fall of the Republic holds a special place in the history of Western civilization; it has been presented as a model, a source of inspiration, but also a warning. Placing the events in their wider context, he provides a fascinating history of culture and society.

• Introduction


• 1: The mists of the past


• 2: The Republic takes shape


• 3: Men, women, and the gods


• 4: Carthage must be destroyed


• 5: Mistress of the Mediterranean


• 6: The cost of Empire


• 7: Word and image


• 8: The last years


• 9: The afterlife of the Republic


• Chronology


• The Roman Constitution


• Further Reading


• Index