Early Rome

With commanding skill, Thomas R. Martin tells the remarkable and dramatic story of how a tiny, poor, and threatened settlement grew to become, during its height, the dominant power in the Mediterranean world for 500 years. Encompassing the period from Rome's founding in the eighth century BC through Justinian's rule in the sixth century AD, he offers a distinctive perspective on the Romans and their civilization by employing fundamental Roman values as a lens through which to view both their rise and spectacular fall.

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. 

This book retraces the origins of Rome by closely following the path laid down by the great ancient sources. It is neither a work of narrative fiction nor a product of modern speculation: it presents the story of the founder as it was transmitted by Livy, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and Plutarch. From the Trojan roots of Aeneas to the dynastic crisis of Alba Longa, from the fate of Rhea Silvia to the tracing of the sacred furrow on the Palatine, the author reconstructs each decisive stage in the formation of Rome. The work examines the emergence of the earliest institutions, the role of the...

The Foundations of Faith series features important writings from the early Christian Church, with modernized language to make these influential works more accessible to today's reader. Included in Volume 1 are the following works: The Didache (The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) The First and Second Epistles of Clement The Epistle of Barnabas The Odes of Solomon The Epistle of Polycarp The Martyrdom of Polycarp The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus The Seven Prison Epistles of Ignatius Ignatius to the Ephesians Ignatius to the Magnesians Ignatius to the Trallians Ignatius to the Romans ...

This is the story of the greatest empire the world has ever known. Simon Baker charts the rise and fall of the world's first superpower, focusing on six momentous turning points that shaped Roman history. Welcome to Rome as you've never seen it before—awesome and splendid, gritty and squalid. From the conquest of the Mediterranean beginning in the third century BC to the destruction of the Roman Empire at the hands of barbarian invaders some seven centuries later, we discover the most critical episodes in Roman history.

Discover the secrets of our past and unlock a deeper understanding of human development. Immerse yourself in the legacies of ancient civilizations and uncover the interconnectedness and impact they still hold today. Gain a comprehensive overview of the most pivotal societies that have shaped human history. Experience the achievements, beliefs, and complexities of ancient cultures through captivating narratives. Delve into the advancements of ancient China, the diverse culture of the Persian Empire, and the enduring legacies of the Maurya and Byzantine Empires. Learn about the foundational ...

The extraordinary history of the epic rivalry between the ancient world’s two great superpowers. “Magnificent.” —Spectator The Roman Empire was like no other. Stretching from the north of Britain to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic coast to the Euphrates, it imposed peace and prosperity...

Clement of Rome for Beginners brings you face-to-face with one of the earliest Christian leaders—a man who stepped into a divided community and restored harmony with nothing more than conviction, wisdom, and the courage to speak truth. His voice echoes across centuries because the problems he addressed are the same ones we wrestle with today: division, pride, fractured relationships, and a longing for genuine unity. This book gives you a front-row seat to the moment Christianity learned how to repair itself. Clement wasn’t a philosopher tucked away in an ivory tower. He was a steady ...

Rome, 609 AD. Empire is a fading memory. Repeatedly fought over and plundered, the City is falling into ruins. Filth and rubble block the streets. Killers prowl by night. Far off, in Constantinople, the Emperor has other concerns. The Church is the one institution left intact, and is now flexing its own imperial muscle. Enter Aelric of England: young and beautiful, sexually uninhibited, heroic, if ruthlessly violent He’s only here by accident. Without getting that girl pregnant, and the resulting near-miss from King Ethelbert’s gelding knife, he might never have left Kent. But here ...

Rome whispers about a poison that looks like holy water. They call it Aqua Tofana—a saint-faced bottle passed hand to hand, a rumour with a price, a promise made to desperate wives behind shuttered windows. Men call it evil. Priests call it temptation. The streets call it justice. But Giulia knows what it really is: a brand built in the cracks of a city that leaves women no safe exits. When a quiet network of laundresses, servants and midwives begins to fray under pressure—boots on stone, coins offered for silence, and the Church leaning close—Giulia must protect the one person she ...

A FADING MEMORY. A DEADLY HERESY. A DESPERATE QUEST FOR THE WRITTEN WORD. Rome, 36 AD. Five years after the fires of Pentecost, the early Christian house churches are in crisis. The oral traditions and memories of the apostles' teachings are beginning to blur, leaving the vulnerable flock exposed to a brilliant and deadly new threat. Dositheus, a smooth-talking disciple of Simon Magus, has infiltrated the Roman believers. Preaching a "spiritual" Christ who only appeared to be human—a Savior who never bled and never suffered—he offers a cowardly but seductive escape for Christians ...

This compelling historical thriller is set in the 3rd century A.D., against the backdrop of Christian persecution Fabius, a respected Roman magistrate, is a committed stoic who governs his life according to the principles of that philosophy. But devastating news upends his world: his ten-year-old niece has fallen gravely ill, and her death seems inevitable. Her parents—devout Christians—believe only a miracle can save her, and for that, they need an ancient relic whose whereabouts are unknown. Despite his natural skepticism, Fabius takes on the challenge of finding the sacred item. When...

Ever wondered if there were more writings from the first few centuries by Christians? Well the answer is - yes! There is much that the early Christians left us and they are available in this day and time. The New Testament is our rock to stand upon, but there are other works that we can glean from that are filled with godly wisdom and virtue. The 1st Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians is just that kind of work that can further your walk with Christ in this present day.

After Paul is forced to flee Thessalonica in the wake of the raid on Jason’s house, a small church learns to breathe without him. Markets still shout, ships still groan in the harbor, but behind ordinary doors a quieter work begins. Bread is shared. Psalms are sung. A name is spoken that Rome cannot rule. Worn Sandals follows the believers who remain in Paul’s shadow: a stonemason who never meant to lead, a sandal maker with a past he cannot undo, a widowed mother and her laughing child, a foreign woman of ill repute and a longing heart, a skeptic who keeps showing up, and the ...

In this extensive sequel to Science Education in the Early Roman Empire, Dr. Richard Carrier explores the social history of scientists in the Roman era. Was science in decline or experiencing a revival under the Romans? What was an ancient scientist thought to be and do? Who were they, and who funded their research? And how did pagans differ from their Christian peers in their views toward science and scientists?

Clovis was not born to rule a nation. He forged one. At the collapse of Roman authority in Gaul, power lay scattered among warlords, fading imperial officials, and rival kings. From this fractured world emerged Clovis, a Frankish ruler whose ruthless ambition, calculated conversion to Christianity, and mastery of violence reshaped Western Europe. This biography traces Clovis’s rise from tribal king to founder of the Frankish Kingdom. It examines his destruction of rival rulers, his defeat of Roman and Visigothic powers, and his decisive adoption of Catholic Christianity as a weapon of ...

Jerusalem is full of pilgrims. Rome rules with iron. And fifty days after the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, something impossible is about to tear through the city. The Pentecost Pilgrims is a sweeping historical novel set during the explosive days surrounding Pentecost in Jerusalem between 33-36 AD. Through the eyes of pilgrims, scholars, tradesmen, widows, zealots, and seekers from across the ancient world, the story plunges readers into the fear, tension, and spiritual hunger of first-century Judea. Lucius Vettius, a weary Roman leatherworker searching for truth. Caius Septimius, a ...

THE GREATEST BATTLE FOR THE EARLY CHURCH WAS NOT FOUGHT WITH SWORDS, BUT WITH IDEAS. It is c. 52 AD. The Apostle Paul has left the familiarity of the synagogues to march directly into the intellectual and carnal strongholds of the pagan world. From the towering philosophies of Mars' Hill in Athens to the bustling, vice-ridden streets of Corinth, Paul wages a relentless spiritual war to plant the banner of a crucified King. Back in Rome, the leaders of the hidden house churches—Caius the scholar, Andronicus the wealthy merchant, Lucius the tentmaker, and Rufus the son of the cross-bearer...

“When it came right down to it, our dream trip felt like falling off a cliff.” After early retirement, in 2017 Pam and her husband Dave packed four suitcases and one beer cooler full of insulin and boarded a one-way flight to Italy for a year-long dream trip. The dream was to live like locals, find out-of-the-way restaurants, and watch the seasons change. But behind every dream, there is the reality. What happens when two people retire from their full-time jobs and realize they have developed separate lives? Is it possible to reconnect, despite the stress of traveling, while living ...

The chains of Rome can bind a man, but they cannot bind the truth. In the late summer of 59 AD, the Apostle Paul boards an Alexandrian grain ship bound for the heart of the Roman Empire. He is a prisoner, marching toward the executioner’s block or a divine acquittal. But the journey to Caesar is not just a battle against the unforgiving Mediterranean Sea—it is the crucible in which the future of the Christian faith will be forged. Surviving the terrifying wrath of the Euroclydon shipwreck and the deadly viper of Malta, Paul and his companions finally arrive in Rome. Placed under house ...