• 24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There

  • 24 Hours in Ancient History Series, Book 1
  • By: Philip Matyszak
  • Narrated by: Michael Page
  • Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (94 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There  By  cover art

24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There

By: Philip Matyszak
Narrated by: Michael Page
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Walk a day in a Roman's sandals.

What was it like to live in one of the ancient world's most powerful and bustling cities - one that was eight times more densely populated than modern day New York?

In this entertaining and enlightening guide, best-selling historian Philip Matyszak introduces us to the people who lived and worked there. In each hour of the day we meet a new character - from emperor to slave girl, gladiator to astrologer, medicine woman to water-clock maker - and discover the fascinating details of their daily lives.

©2017 Philip Matyszak (P)2020 Tantor
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about 24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    68
  • 4 Stars
    18
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    61
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    58
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderfully educational and dramatic

A fun dramatization of daily life in Rome. I suspect the stories are wholly fictional dramatizations inspired by real people and the very real setting of Rome and Roman culture. The focus of the drama seems to be during the reign of Hadrian, but the narrator interjects to explain the history with a scope that stretches back to the apocryphal stories of King Numa of Rome.

So overall I would say the subject breadth is quite good, the focus on everyday people refreshing, and the dramas intriguing if not moving.

Finally I would like to praise Michael Page for his wonderful reading. He nicely moves between personifying the words and thoughts of dramatized characters; and deftly interjecting with facts and other narration. Given the poor quality of readings by other authors in attempting similar tasks, I can only suspect this is challenging, and a testament to the talent of the reader for succeeding here.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Interesting and fun to listen to the occurrences of a day in Rome. Off the beaten path of history

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Lighthearted view of history

This was great to listen to as i was doing other things.
I'd find myself laughing, and at times would hear myself thinking "ohhhh, that's not going to turn out well...", during some characters escapade.
This wasn't a dry list of dates and names, this is stories of real people making (humorous) real mistakes.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Took me back to Latin class and the origin of word

Transports the reader as if suspended in a Drone observing the characters. Descriptive and engaging.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding!

Absolutely lovely book well written, well researched and well delivered! Highly recommend it to anyone who is a student of Roman history or simply wants to peer under the toga of Roman society.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful!

I loved this book. The stories are entertaining & informative. The narrator does a splendid job. Usually l just search by author for my next book but this time I will also search by narrator. I heartily recommend listening to 24 Hours in Ancient Rome & anything else by Philip Matyszak or narrated by Michael Page.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable account of life in Ancient Rome

Details galore with a broad base of information presented accessibly in just 4 hours. Recommend!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great road trip book.

Super book to pass time on a long trip. Lots of fun facts and well done.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good listen

Fantastic description of daily life and humor of the Roman people. It does a great job of showing the dichotomy of learnedness and barbarity that characterized their society. It also shows how little we really change as humans.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well-researched and entertaining

Well-researched and entertaining -- this is how history should be taught. Somewhat interconnected stories and characters that happen during one day. Pulp Fiction 300 AD.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!