Rome

For sale in CIS only!

Rome, the "Eternal City", has provided endless inspiration for religious thinkers, poets, artists and philosophers. As the first urban space to boast over a million inhabitants, its ancient glories endure, reflecting the Roman Empire's power and prestige. A religious village set among the ruins of a dead civilization in the Middle Ages, Rome rose from the ashes to become the arbiter of Renaissance taste and thought. A second population and political explosion during the twentieth century has placed new strains upon the city's infrastructure and identity. In the last decade, the capital has witnessed the destruction of a discredited political establishment and the emergence of new forces, pledged to stamp out corruption.In this new, revised edition of his acclaimed history of the city, Jonathan Boardman uncovers Rome's multifaceted experience, where each layer of development rests upon the foundation of a pre-existing tradition. In a place where political and religious ideologies have always expressed themselves through art, he also highlights a vibrant popular culture: from gladiatorial shows to the local Roma-Lazio soccer derby.

ANCIENT AND PAPAL ROME: home of the Caesars, city of amphitheatres, temples, aqueducts and fountains; nursery of Christianity, scene of martyrdom, piety and scandal.

ARTISTIC ROME: workplace of Michelangelo, Raphael and Canova; the inspiration for Byron, Shelley and Goethe; the setting for Julius Caesar and La Dolce Vita.

ROME PAST AND PRESENT: city of pasta and football, capital of shopping and sex; headquarters of monarchy, dictatorship and republic, the Green dream of "Roma per Roma" in the new millennium.