Government of the Roman Empire: A Sourcebook

Description

How an empire that stretched at one time from Glasgow to Aswan was governed from a single city, and survived for more than a thousand years, needs explaining. Barbara Levick's sourcebook is the only such work to concentrate wholly on how the Roman Empire was administered, using the evidence of contemporary writers and historians. Public and private inscriptions, papyri and coins, and literary and legal sources demonstrate the workings of empire, documenting failings and merits alike. Care is taken to balance material from all parts of the Roman world, with the focus on evidence which has often been accessible to students. Each item is introduced, explained and cross-referenced to related material within the book and elsewhere, with helpful bibliographies to guide the student to further reading. Now revised and updated by the author, The Government of the Roman Empire is the most up-to-date, user-friendly and cohesive collective of sources available on its subject. It will be an essential resource for all students of Roman history.