$15.99 with 57 percent savings
List Price: $37.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
FREE delivery May 13 - 21. Details
Or fastest delivery May 8 - 13. Details
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$15.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$15.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Prime Goods Outlet
Ships from
Prime Goods Outlet
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. You may receive a partial or no refund on used, damaged or materially different returns.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

The Roman Republic: Second Edition Paperback – October 15, 1993

by Michael Crawford (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 89 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$15.99","priceAmount":15.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"wv2Fmi%2FFOh2%2FbLZEiryraqu3yCdIvVzqoqrtsVgX2lY6VhtxTKLvHwmPJl4dYjxtEWUhNxWd8WjldtZi2LXTmNohTuh36YDuQnvIOKsj7ZDEeJ97O%2BeGwfiwHa1Eg8w4OPIAIJeCB38EBK9V2uXuMc%2By%2B2H6ncnGN%2FYykeduOMmijoBMo4UHpg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Michael Crawford’s highly praised history is now expanded and revised to accommodate recent discoveries and current thinking.
  Report an issue with this product or seller
Previous page
  1. Print length
    264 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harvard University Press
  4. Publication date
    October 15, 1993
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0674779274
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0674779273
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

The Roman Republic: Second Edition
$15.99
Get it May 13 - 21
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by Prime Goods Outlet.
+
The Civil Wars (Penguin Classics)
$14.37
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Fall of the Roman Republic (Penguin Classics)
$16.99
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“During the centuries of its history the republic burst its city-state shell… Wars, rural impoverishment, the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few families, civil discord, the increase in number of slaves and robbery of overseas provinces caused irreversible changes… This is the material of Crawford’s study. He handles its complexities with acuteness and balance. He is sophisticated about political motives and economic causes… Crawford’s readable book is a fine contribution to the understanding of this important period.”―Times Higher Education Supplement

“Well-informed, lively… The work conveys a remarkable quantity of information… Students will benefit greatly from Crawford’s obvious enthusiasm for historical research and for finding explanations of complex phenomena.”―Journal of Roman Studies

“Together these five compact volumes [Early Greece by Oswyn Murray, Democracy and Classical Greece by J. K. Davies, The Hellenistic World by F. W. Walbank, The Roman Republic by Michael Crawford, and The Roman Empire by Colin Wells, in addition to the newly published The Later Roman Empire by Averil Cameron] cover much of the history of the classical world, and do so with both ease and authority… For this new series they have been revised or otherwise brought up to date.”―Washington Post Book World

About the Author

Michael Crawford is Emeritus Professor of History, University College London.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harvard University Press; 2nd edition (October 15, 1993)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 264 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0674779274
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0674779273
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 89 ratings

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
89 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Finally! A readable explanation of the fall of the Roman Republic
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2021
Verified Purchase
I've read too many biographies of the personalities of the Civil Wars without ever understanding the cultural and political milieu that shaped the ambitions of Caesar and Pompey and the rest. It's well written with pertinent detail. If I was disappointed about anything, it was the absence of a treatment of the Gracchi. It placed them in the context of the times, but I would have liked their stories told.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2016
Verified Purchase
Good overview
Helpful
 Report
moises nadal
5.0 out of 5 stars I recommend this book
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2014
Verified Purchase
The topic is too important to be ignored. I recommend this book. I liked the quick service and fast delivery by this store. Thanks.
Helpful
 Report
Petra Longobardi
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2016
Verified Purchase
Excellent condition!
Helpful
 Report
Triumphal Reads
4.0 out of 5 stars Probably the worst is that the book does not detail anything at ...
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2017
The Roman Republic by Michael Crawford (second edition) is something of an enigma for me to review. While not labelled an as an introduction to the Republic, it seems to be trying to fulfill that role due to its somewhat short length. However, some things are indeed an introduction, some topics you can almost feel that the author wants and could go on for another several chapters. Still other aspects of the era are essentially omitted.
Let’s start with a couple of the flaws of the book and then work to its redeeming qualities. The former are in large part omissions. It really isn’t explained at all how the Roman Republic governed its territory until late into the provincial era. Even some magistracies aren’t really described. When Julius Caesar came to power in Rome, none of his reforms are really even mentioned. While some things, perhaps such as these, almost have to be glossed over in a short book, some just don’t make sense. Probably the worst is that the book does not detail anything at all regarding the Roman military. I can understand not bothering with tactics or even strategy, but the book sort of just goes along with Roman wars and conquests as an afterthought. As if, well, it just happened. There is no sense of the struggle, innovation, or challenge in regards to Rome’s expansion. A good example is when Spartacus in Italy, Sertorius in Spain, the Cilician pirates, Mithridates, and the conquest of Gaul are all taken care of in about a page’s worth of material. An appendix totaling one page on the structure of the Roman army is added to the end and is almost an afterthought. It just seems strange when some things are given quite a bit of detail, such as pages 66 and 67’s detailed discussion of the division of Anatolia.
Still, despite these faults, the book has some really good points. Crawford seems to shine best when discussing and connecting interrelated aspects of society such as agricultural reform, the economy, and legality. Because of this, probably the largest portion of the book is devoted to the era and figures from the Gracchi brothers (each essentially has his own chapter) to Sulla and Pompey (one of the other figures the author does spend quite a bit of time on. This is dealt with quite nicely. The author also has some good insights on early Rome and traditional Roman values, such as the concept of client-ship, consilium (page 26, “the obligation to take advice was absolute”), and does a great job stressing the importance of Rome’s unique and complex alliance system. In my opinion, the author does his best work when describing the many different reasons of the Republic’s growing disarray, but especially in regards to the problems regarding the economy of the landless that began to grow towards the turn of the 1st century BCE. “A part-time peasant army conquered the Mediterranean; that conquest then facilitated its destitution.” (page 104) There are also many tidbits that are enjoyable to learn as well throughout the book. Some are in the text and some are in the footnotes. One such interesting comparison was that only one of Sulla’s officers remained with him when he marched on Rome, but when Caesar did likewise only one of Caesar’s officers did not march with him. Lastly, while I feel the appendices were not all that helpful, most of the charts and tables in the text were well done. These included census figures and coin hoards by era and can help one visualize certain points.
All in all, I found the book pretty good. This probably isn’t the best book either for someone new to the topic of the Roman Republic as some familiarity is expected throughout the text. Also, if you are looking for a political/military narrative you will have to look elsewhere.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Larry Rice
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2014
Verified Purchase
Fast and as advertised. Thanks!
Helpful
 Report
John F
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2015
Verified Purchase
Great Buy!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Alexandra Kimball
1.0 out of 5 stars Left wing garbage, alas.
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
A socialist wades into the Roman Republic with predictable results. The book is anachronistic, moralistic, and tendentious. I found it very disappointing.
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

mark gibson
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
Purchased to help with my degree, and descovered how interesting and complex the Roman Republic was. Crawford captivates the reader through in-depth analysis and descriptive nature of his writing. Over-all a very good read and would very much recommend.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars very mine
Reviewed in India on May 5, 2018
Verified Purchase
very nice
Report
Kuma
4.0 out of 5 stars A great entry point for serious historians
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2008
Verified Purchase
Michael Crawford is an exceptional historian who has never shied away from the difficult parts of history, nor from difficult methodology. His work on Roman Coins still sets the standard, and his management of epigraphical (inscriptions) evidence is excellent. I bring this up because it is important to understand that Crawford writes a style of history that tries to really assess the evidence for a period, this may make the work less palatable to non-academics as he focuses less on the personalities of the period (Caesar, Crassus, Pompey et al.) and more on the structural factors affecting the period and giving the reader access to some longer term themes of Roman History. Equally he does unbalance his history by only examining the fall of the republic, he allows an insight into earlier less well discussed periods.

The Fontana series made a real effort to create good entry points to the themes of ancient history rather than the narrative of Ancient History and Crawford makes good use of this premise.

Ideologically the book may be less comfortable to modern readers as Crawford does lean toward some Marxist ideas and Socialism in general. Though he does not try to let this influence the work too much, ultimately he does look at the system from a perspective of exploitation by a military elite against an agrarian proletariat, equally and appropriately he is keen to remove the veneer of respectability that has been attached to the likes of Caesar, Pompey, Crassus etc, by viewing them as Warlords with selfish motivations whose actions hurt their fellow citizens. Ultimately there is not too much wrong with trying to make historians aware that history of elites should not ignore the plight of ancient history's silent majority. Equally academics must be prepared to accept ideological stances other than their own if they are to develop their own ideas.

This work is a great introduction to the themes of Roman Republican history, though a reader may also wish to support it with works that provide a more narrative history of the period.
18 people found this helpful
 Report
Simon
5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant introduction with some fantastic appendices
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 21, 2017
Verified Purchase
A brilliant introduction with some fantastic appendices. If you are studying the Republic or teaching it for the first time it ought to be in your library
2 people found this helpful
 Report
D. Coplowe
3.0 out of 5 stars Annoying use of Abbreviations - not really for the lay reader
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2008
Verified Purchase
This book jumps about a lot and uses abbreviations for first names (eg Ti for Tiberius) which while standard are not explained anywhere and unless you are familiar with them is extremely irritating. Not the best written or easiest to read compared to other books in the series which is supposedly aimed at the general public. Having said that it is excellent starting point for a detailed study of the era.
Why do academics, who should know better, insist on using conjunctions to start sentences that add nothing to the impact or meaning and could so easily be omitted?
4 people found this helpful
 Report