All Roads Lead to Rome cover art

All Roads Lead to Rome

Why we think of the Roman Empire daily

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All Roads Lead to Rome

By: Rhiannon Garth Jones
Narrated by: Sarah Durham
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About this listen

Rhiannon Garth-Jones explores Rome's enduring legacy through three core themes: religion, empire, and culture. Each chapter examines how Rome’s history, governance, and mythology have been reimagined throughout centuries, and how these interpretations continue to shape our modern world.

Rome is not merely a city—it’s an enduring idea, a symbol of identity, power, and legitimacy that has shaped the course of history for over 1,500 years. This book embarks on an exploration of how the concept of Rome has been invoked by emperors, modern governments, religious leaders, and even pop culture icons, all using it to assert authority and influence society. Each chapter explores how Rome’s history, governance, and mythology have been reimagined throughout centuries, and how these interpretations continue to shape our modern world. By delving into Rome’s influence, readers gain a deeper understanding of the forces shaping today's global landscape.

For readers of all things Roman, e.g. Emperors of Rome by Mary Beard, Rubicon, Dynasty and Pax by Tom Holland as well as The West: A New History of Old Idea by Naoise MacSweeney and The Map of Knowledge by Violet Moller.

Ancient Rome Mythology

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Critic reviews

'Brilliant. A fresh and highly engaging look at how Rome still shapes the world today, including bits of it the Romans had no idea even existed.'

Jonn Elledge

'Rhiannon Garth Jones's stunning new history takes us on a deeply-researched journey through the overlooked legacies of Rome. She shows us that Romans were so much more than just swords and sandals; wherever there is empire – Ottoman, Russian, British, American – the spectre of Rome is never far away. This book will change the way you think about world history.'

Raphael Cormack, author of Midnight in Cairo: the divas of Egypt's roaring '20s

'A fascinating and entertaining analysis of how Rome’s propaganda has colonized our collective imaginations, and what it says about us and them. All Roads Lead to Rome is an un-putdownable must-read for everyone who says they think about the Roman Empire daily, when they are actually thinking about myths and catchy PR.'

Eleanor Janega, author of The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society

"Authoritative and engaging. An enlightening, candid and pleasingly irreverent antidote to all those people who insist on harping on about the Roman Empire."

Subhadra Das, author of Uncivilised: Ten Lies That Made The West

'All roads lead to Rome, but the fight is over which Rome? Whose Rome? This eloquent, well-researched, and witty book shows us that not only are the flat black and white memories of Rome the product of cynical political exploitation, but that the real thing was a riot of color and complexity that was so much more interesting!'

David M. Perry, co-author of The Bright Ages and Oathbreakers
All stars
Most relevant
A very well researched, and almost as importantly, engaging discussion on how Rome or the idea of Rome still resonates with us today. Rhiannon Garth Jones does an excellent job of breaking down why Rome is held in such high esteem in a way that will keep both academics and readers who are just interested in history engaged with her writing and delivery.

Interesting and insightful!

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A history of Rome that’s actually a history of all of us, it simultaneously unpicks our own myths of Rome and how they impact modern society but also tells the story of ‘Rome’ as both a city, concept and empire. Fascinating, challenging and with a beautiful turn of phrase. Engaging without being simplistic, and challenging without being opaque. Genuinely superb

History as it should be

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Doesn’t really bring the subject to life and I just found it quite a dull listen. Got two thirds through and lost interest.

Quite dull

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