The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic examines all aspects of Roman history and civilization from 509–49 BC. 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 disintegration of this system under the pressure of internal dissension and boundless ambition of its leading politicians. In this Companion volume, distinguished European and American scholars present a variety of lively approaches 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, The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic will invite further exploration to a vital, formative period of Roman history and its later influence.

'… this excellent and remarkably wide-ranging handbook has a potential significance for scholars and students of much more than ancient Roman history and society. Students coming to it from sociology, politics, literature, philosophy or other disciplines will find an authoritative well-documented and clearly presented series of chapters on just about every aspect of the Roman Republic, whether they need a detailed introduction to a particular topic, or background information to their own specialist studies … There is a lot of fascinating and useful material in this surprisingly comprehensive and full survey of such a vital topic … will be worth having in your library to support and inform a whole range of subjects beyond the intrinsic study of roman history and society.'

Stuart James Source: Reference Reviews

'This is a most important and useful book …'

Source: The London Association of Teachers Newsletter

'This handbook is a useful addition to the secondary literature dealing with the Roman republic. … this book provides a thorough introduction to the Roman Repulic, covering a wide range of topics. … a welcome addition to introductory literature on the period.'

Source: Scripta Classica Israelica

'This … is a helpful textbook for students, providing a general survey of, and clear introduction to, many of the central issues of this period. I feel sure that many students and their teachers will find individual chapters in this volume a good starting point for the study of specific topics.'

Source: Scripta Classica Israelica

'Designed to be accessible to students and the general reader alike this book is warmly recommended to anyone interested in a vital, formative period of Roman history.'

Source: Arctos

'This is a first rate and across the board introduction to the Roman Republic. All articles are written in a clear and easy to read language, and all authors are mindful of the fact that they should be addressing a reading public that may be non-expert but is genuinely interested in Roman things.'

Source: Ordia Prima

'This is a dynamic, well-written book which contains a considerable amount of information, but remains easy to read.'

Source: Classics Ireland