The Roman empire existed before there were Roman emperors. The imperial Republic began its
expansion in the third century BC. This imperium populi Romani not only expanded but evolved
steadily over five centuries enfranchising more and more of its subjects until from AD 212
there were no freeborn non-Romans left. Some of the most famous names in ancient history either
promoted or opposed Rome's imperial fortunes among them Hannibal Scipio Africanus Boudicca
Vercingetorix Antony and Cleopatra Trajan Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius. In this comprehensive
new survey the first to span the full four and a half centuries of Roman power Dexter Hoyos
traces what drove imperial expansion up to AD 212 what forms it took and what impact it had
on the peoples she subdued. The author shows that while Rome's rule could be harsh it was also
culturally flexible: and therein lay its success. Local communities ran their own affairs
spoke their own languages and maintained their own beliefs and cults. Attractive to general
readers this book will be an ideal entrée for students of Roman history.
