Why read Invisible Romans?

Book cover of Invisible Romans: Prostitutes, Outlaws, Slaves, Gladiators, Ordinary Men and Women ... The Romans That History Forgot

Book description

Robert Knapp brings invisible inhabitants of Rome and its vast empire to life. He seeks out the ordinary men, housewives, prostitutes, freedmen, slaves, soldiers, and gladiators, who formed the fabric of everyday life in the ancient Roman world, and the outlaws and pirates who lay beyond it. He finds their…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Invisible Romans as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Guy D. Middleton

Author

This is one of the best books on life in the ancient Roman world – about life for the 99% rather than kings, queens and aristocrats.

In it, Robert Knapp seeks to rescue the invisible majority of ‘ordinary people’, their activities, beliefs, and dreams, from relative obscurity. The book draws on a huge range of sources and every page reveals something interesting. Women form a large proportion of the Roman invisible, and Knapp explores the lives of all kinds of subaltern women, free and enslaved.

Sometimes, as with prostitutes or the poor, the stories are grim – but they are…

From Guy's list on The best books on real women in the ancient Mediterranean.

Melissa Addey

Author

This book, for a writer of historical fiction, was a goldmine of potential characters. Bored of emperors and senators? Dive into this book instead, full of ordinary people living ordinary (and extraordinary) lives. Really brings Ancient Rome to life and makes you think about what an ordinary day would be like for the majority of its citizens.

From Melissa's list on The best non-fiction books to immerse yourself in Ancient Rome.