The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic examines many aspects of Roman history and civilizationfrom 509 to 49 B.C. The key development of the republican period was Rome's rise from a small city to a wealthy metropolis and international capital of an extensive Mediterranean empire. These centuries produced the classic republican political system and the growth of a world empire. They also witnessed the ultimate disintergration of this system under the relentless pressure of internal dissension and the boundless ambition of its leading politicians. In this volume, distinguished European and American scholars present a variety of lively current approachers to understanding the political, military, and social aspects of Roman history as well as its literary and visual culture. Designed to be accessible to the general reader and to students, this book will invite further exploration of vital formative period of Roman history and its later influence.
