WANTED: Good book on Rome

[falkor]

I'm looking for a good, possibly achaeology based, book on the ancient city of Rome--highly illustrated--describing and showing how Rome rose from the hills, to when it contained Nero's Palace and the giant lake, followed by the era that is represented by Google Earth etc. I expect the book to contain information on the many ancient monuments in Rome--surviving and demolished--with building dates. Does such a book exist?

[Maty]

I'm looking for a good, possibly achaeology based, book on the ancient city of Rome--highly illustrated--describing and showing how Rome rose from the hills, to when it contained Nero's Palace and the giant lake, followed by the era that is represented by Google Earth etc. I expect the book to contain information on the many ancient monuments in Rome--surviving and demolished--with building dates. Does such a book exist?

 

I suspect that if such a book existed, I'd have come across it by now. The nearest I know of is called simply 'Rome' and is produced by A. Bell. However, it goes well beyond the AD 60s and is in any case both rare and outdated - my copy is 1898. You might do better with several books - and in my opinion there are few better places to start than the (illustration-free) Platner's topographical dictionary of Rome. However, be warned that this is not a book for beginners or even the casually competent. The pictorial dictionary of Rome - by Nash is more approachable. I believe someone called Richardson has produced an updated and illustrated edition of Platner so you might consider that . Also consider Heffner and Kerr's Atlas for seeing things in place, and if your French is up to the challenge, Coarelli's archaeological guide is meant to be pretty good (my French is not up to it, so I can't say).

 

If you do find anything else along the same lines or better, I'll be eager to hear of it.

[Ludovicus]

I'm looking for a good, possibly achaeology based, book on the ancient city of Rome--highly illustrated--describing and showing how Rome rose from the hills, to when it contained Nero's Palace and the giant lake, followed by the era that is represented by Google Earth etc. I expect the book to contain information on the many ancient monuments in Rome--surviving and demolished--with building dates. Does such a book exist?

 

I think so.

"The Oxford Archaeological Guide: Rome" is not a history of the city so much as a history of each neighborhood and its ancient structures, preclassical through Renaisannce. Nonetheless, there's no better source on the Eternal City for an archaeological history. There are many illustrations, photos, and excellent neighborhood maps. You can find more info. here:

http://www.amazon.com/Rome-Oxford-Archaeol...s/dp/0192880039

[Maladict]

Maty, Coarelli's book has been translated to English.

[Maty]

Maty, Coarelli's book has been translated to English.

Thanks Maladict!

I think you have just sorted out my Christmas present to me.

 

[M. Porcius Cato]

I'd second Ludovicus' recommendation of the Oxford guide. I took it with me on my first trip to Rome, and it was simply invaluable in sussing out what's what.

[falkor]

Thanks for your recommendations, guys! I'll be following this up pretty quickly...

[falkor]

I checked both those books today. They look comprehensive and well illustrated (although they never had the Temple Of Isis), but they are presented in, like, a dictionary fashion. In other words, they are like a tourist's guide to Rome aimed at the historian. I am after a book with the same info, albeit presented in chronological order with a series of changing plans of the entire city (not plans of specific areas with different period buildings overlaid). Let me try and explain it logically based on what I would expect for different chapters:

 

Recommended Books - format

Chapter 1 - intro

Here's a map of all the buildings covered in the book.

 

Chapter 2 - Palatine Hill area

How the Forum area changed throughout the ages

 

Chapter 6 - Colosseum Valley

Colosseum with Nero's Palace and Trajan's baths overlaid.

 

Wanted book format

Chapter 1 - Rome origins

As you can see from the first map, settlement is mainly apparent in the Palatine Hill area, where Rome originated. There was no masonry buildings at this time, and no boundaries.

 

Chapter 6 - after Nero's fire

Nero's Palace built with lake + new buildings added to forum.

 

Chapter 7 - after Nero's reign

Colosseum replaced Nero's Palace. Some buildings of the forum were demolished; others rebuilt.

 

 

Obviously, I just made most of that up, but you can now get a better idea of what I am looking for--not a tourist guide but a proper evolutionary history.

Edited December 18, 2008 by falkor

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

I checked both those books today. They look comprehensive and well illustrated (although they never had the Temple Of Isis), but they are presented in, like, a dictionary fashion. In other words, they are like a tourist's guide to Rome aimed at the historian. I am after a book with the same info, albeit presented in chronological order with a series of changing plans of the entire city (not plans of specific areas with different period buildings overlaid). Let me try and explain it logically based on what I would expect for different chapters:

 

Recommended Books - format

Chapter 1 - intro

Here's a map of all the buildings covered in the book.

 

Chapter 2 - Palatine Hill area

How the Forum area changed throughout the ages

 

Chapter 6 - Colosseum Valley

Colosseum with Nero's Palace and Trajan's baths overlaid.

 

Wanted book format

Chapter 1 - Rome origins

As you can see from the first map, settlement is mainly apparent in the Palatine Hill area, where Rome originated. There was no masonry buildings at this time, and no boundaries.

 

Chapter 6 - after Nero's fire

Nero's Palace built with lake + new buildings added to forum.

 

Chapter 7 - after Nero's reign

Colosseum replaced Nero's Palace. Some buildings of the forum were demolished; others rebuilt.

 

 

Obviously, I just made most of that up, but you can now get a better idea of what I am looking for--not a tourist guide but a proper evolutionary history.

 

If you happen to come across that book, falkor, then please point me in the right direction. If a book like that does exist then it would be worth it's weight in gold!

[falkor]

Sure, but it is the most logical way of writing a history book. I mean, we have books on Roman London written just like my desired format outlined above. I gaurantee there must also be a similar book on Rome, even if it has less site plans with, instead, emphasis on smaller scale plans of the evolving city. Perhaps Maladict will know of such a book?

Edited December 18, 2008 by falkor

[Maladict]

I'm not sure it exists, at least not in a guide book format. But I'm really not up to speed on guide books, I already have my favourites and you'll never get them away from me. I usually take my blue guide and red TCI guide with me, but those cover the entire history of the city. TCI has recently put out an ancient period version though, it has pictures and more maps. But don't expect a chronological approach in either of them, they're place-by-place like the others.

[Maladict]

Btw, that Isis temple is not in any guide book because nobody is sure what it really is.