Kevin McGeough is Assistant Professor of Archaeology at The University of Lethbridge. He is an editor of the ABC-CLIO Encyclopedia of World History, and is series editor for The Intimate Lives of Ancient People.

Designed as an introduction to Roman culture for the general reader, student, and non-specialist, McGeough's (archaeology & history, Lethbridge U., Canada) text discusses Roman civilization in terms of its location & environmental setting, historical setting, and its origins, growth, and decline. It addresses issues such as economics, social organization, politics, religion, intellectual accomplishments, and concludes with a look at major controversies and future directions in the study of Roman civilization. The book includes a glossary, chronology, and list of sources for further study.

• SERIES EDITOR'S PREFACE ; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ; MAPS ; PART I: INTRODUCTION ; I. - Introduction ; WHY ARE WE FASCINATED BY THE ROMANS? ; A NOTES ABOUT THE DATES USED IN THIS BOOK ; HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE ROMANS? ; SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON THE ROMANS ; UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS ; PART 2: Roman Civilization ; 2. - Location of Roman Civilization and Environmental Setting ; LOCATION OF ROME ; GENERAL NATURAL AND CULTURAL SUBDIVISIONS ; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATIONS ; 3. - Historical and Chronological Setting ; HISTORY OF RESEARCH ; ROMAN CHRONOLOGY ; LITERARY OF FOLKLORIC EVIDENCE OF USE FOR INTERPRETATION OF ROMAN CIVILIZATION ; 4. - Origins, Growth, and Decline of Roman Civilization ; ORIGINS AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF ROME ; THE ROMAN REPUBLIC ; THE ROMAN EMPIRE ; 5. - Economics ; AGRICULTURE AND SUBSISTENCE ACTIVITIES ; CRAFT SPECIALIZATION AND PRODUCTION ; TRADE ; COINS AND MONEY ; BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ; TAXATION ; TRANSPORTATION ; 6. - Social Organization and Social Structure ; INTERNAL ORGANIZATION OF ROMAN CIVILIZATION ; ROMAN POPULATION ; MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY ; SOCIAL STRATIFICATION IN ROME ; SLAVERY ; WOMEN IN ANCIENT ROME ; 7. - Politics ; MONARCHICAL GOVERNMENT ; REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT ; IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT ; THE ADMINISTRATION OF EMPIRE ; MILITARY ORGANIZATION ; ROMAN WARFARE ; 8. - Religion and Ideology ; ORIGINS OF ROMAN RELIGION ; DOMESTIC RELIGION ; THE ROMAN PANTHEON ; THE STATE CULT ; ROMAN RITUALS AND FESTIVALS ; THE CULT OF THE EMPEROR ; ROMAN RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE ; ROMAN DEATH AND BURIAL ; 9. - Material Culture ; ARCHITECTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS ; URBAN PLANNING ; POTTERY ; ROMAN ART ; ARTIFACTS FROM DAILY LIFE ; 10. - Intellectual Accomplishments ; ROMAN SCIENCE ; ROMAN PHILOSOPHY ; ROMAN LAW ; LITERATURE ; EDUCATION ; THE ART OF LEISURE ; LANGUAGES ; 11. - Major Controversies and Future Directions in the Study of Roman Civilization ; CONTROVERSIES IN ROMAN SCHOLARSHIP ; AVENUES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ; GLOSSARY ; CHRONOLOGY ; SOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY ; INDEX ; ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin McGeough is Assistant Professor of Archaeology at The University of Lethbridge. He is an editor of the ABC-CLIO Encyclopedia of World History, and is series editor for The Intimate Lives of Ancient People.

Designed as an introduction to Roman culture for the general reader, student, and non-specialist, McGeough's (archaeology & history, Lethbridge U., Canada) text discusses Roman civilization in terms of its location & environmental setting, historical setting, and its origins, growth, and decline. It addresses issues such as economics, social organization, politics, religion, intellectual accomplishments, and concludes with a look at major controversies and future directions in the study of Roman civilization. The book includes a glossary, chronology, and list of sources for further study.

• SERIES EDITOR'S PREFACE ; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ; MAPS ; PART I: INTRODUCTION ; I. - Introduction ; WHY ARE WE FASCINATED BY THE ROMANS? ; A NOTES ABOUT THE DATES USED IN THIS BOOK ; HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE ROMANS? ; SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON THE ROMANS ; UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS ; PART 2: Roman Civilization ; 2. - Location of Roman Civilization and Environmental Setting ; LOCATION OF ROME ; GENERAL NATURAL AND CULTURAL SUBDIVISIONS ; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATIONS ; 3. - Historical and Chronological Setting ; HISTORY OF RESEARCH ; ROMAN CHRONOLOGY ; LITERARY OF FOLKLORIC EVIDENCE OF USE FOR INTERPRETATION OF ROMAN CIVILIZATION ; 4. - Origins, Growth, and Decline of Roman Civilization ; ORIGINS AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF ROME ; THE ROMAN REPUBLIC ; THE ROMAN EMPIRE ; 5. - Economics ; AGRICULTURE AND SUBSISTENCE ACTIVITIES ; CRAFT SPECIALIZATION AND PRODUCTION ; TRADE ; COINS AND MONEY ; BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ; TAXATION ; TRANSPORTATION ; 6. - Social Organization and Social Structure ; INTERNAL ORGANIZATION OF ROMAN CIVILIZATION ; ROMAN POPULATION ; MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY ; SOCIAL STRATIFICATION IN ROME ; SLAVERY ; WOMEN IN ANCIENT ROME ; 7. - Politics ; MONARCHICAL GOVERNMENT ; REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT ; IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT ; THE ADMINISTRATION OF EMPIRE ; MILITARY ORGANIZATION ; ROMAN WARFARE ; 8. - Religion and Ideology ; ORIGINS OF ROMAN RELIGION ; DOMESTIC RELIGION ; THE ROMAN PANTHEON ; THE STATE CULT ; ROMAN RITUALS AND FESTIVALS ; THE CULT OF THE EMPEROR ; ROMAN RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE ; ROMAN DEATH AND BURIAL ; 9. - Material Culture ; ARCHITECTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS ; URBAN PLANNING ; POTTERY ; ROMAN ART ; ARTIFACTS FROM DAILY LIFE ; 10. - Intellectual Accomplishments ; ROMAN SCIENCE ; ROMAN PHILOSOPHY ; ROMAN LAW ; LITERATURE ; EDUCATION ; THE ART OF LEISURE ; LANGUAGES ; 11. - Major Controversies and Future Directions in the Study of Roman Civilization ; CONTROVERSIES IN ROMAN SCHOLARSHIP ; AVENUES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ; GLOSSARY ; CHRONOLOGY ; SOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY ; INDEX ; ABOUT THE AUTHOR