The History of Rome, Volume 1, Books 1 - 5 Audiobook (Unabridged)

" Well. What can I say. This is a colossal book. I learned a lot of new words, like rapine, expiate, and Synod. I've studied history some, but this is really the definitive work on everything roman from the julio-claudians to the extinction of the eastern empire by mohammed the 2nd. If you have a year to give, it's great fun. "

" it got bogged down in The Justinian Law for the middle section. and the general theme of The Decline at this point seems to be How Low Can They Go. it get repetitious. I'm reading a different edition than this, so there are still four volumes to go, but where! "

" An exhaustive look at the decline of the Roman Empire that had once dominated the Mediterranean and beyond. If you want to know how the empire evolved over the years and about the power struggles they faced, and the rampant Emporers who affected the entire world. This is an interesting book, although a bit too much information is provided throughout, so only hardcore historians will really 'enjoy' this narration a lot of the time. "

" A tough read, but worth the effort for perspective gleaned. "

" C'mon - its gibbon.. Comprehensive and the gold standard of roman historical writing..also - very long... "

" Less applicable to America today than I thought it would be...Gibbon drops ancient Roman sovereign names as if everyone's already memorized the chronology of the caesars. Beware of long dry passages recounting enormous spans of time and activity; the gems of language are there, but digging to find them takes some energy and effort. "

" I like facts. I like information. I get sick of cultural mumbo-jumbo quickly. Sure, Gibbon spends his share of time providing context to his events, but he doesn't make it the central point. This book is jammed full of information that I didn't know. Maybe some of it is not exactly accurate, but the lion's share is straight meaty history. I loved it, Decline and Fall was enthralling. "

" I feel like I should give this a 5, but will not give in. "

" the modern library-ny edition was the best abridged edition of the book "

" If you read the Age of Civilization then you must read this. "

" ok, so i've only read selected chapters and it would take a lifetime to really do it rightly, but - brilliant. a good thing to have on the bookshelf for digging into when you want to escape your own lil life and mull over the oddballs, meanies, heroes, perverts and heartbreaks of an empire vanished. "

" A very long book but well worth the time. Amazing amount of detail about the history of Europe. "

" Long, outdated, and compellingly interesting reading. Great to read if you know a lot about the Roman Empire, or nothing at all. "

" Still reading it, about 1500 pages, but really is a poetic treatment of Roman history. Reading this book is a real commitment. "

" Always scribble, scribble, scribble, eh, Mr. Gibbon? "

" This is considered the most comprehensive book on the roman empire for a reason. It reads like an encyclopedia so you need some motivation but it is full of so many facts that it is worth it. At times, Gibbon's historical prejudices become apparent but that reflects the times he lived in. "

" deep but very similar to the USA "

" I only made it through volume 3, because I'm not really interested in what happened after Rome fell in 476, but I did enjoy what I read. "

" Truly grand in scope, in subject matter, in style. Some conclusions/sources are out of date, but it is still a joy to read. "

" One of the funniest history books I've ever read. "

" It took me a year to read this entire set the first time and six months the second, but was worth every minute invested. I still feel my stomach tighten at the thought of the first hand accounts of the fall of Constantinople. "

" This work is justly regarded as a classic. I am tempted to read an unabridged version (more volumes/chapters), in spite of time-constraints. The historical perspective provided here seem well worth the time spent reading. Highly recommended. "

" Am enjoying this. Eventually, all the Loeb Latin classics will be read... "

" Good insight into the political side of early Roman life. Books 1-5 cover from 1200 BC to 386 BC. "

" He's the man for Roman history. Volume 1-5. "

" A great book once you adjust to the writing a do a little research about it. "

" I'm reading the first book of Livy's history. I don't know if there is any real history in the early books. Seems more like mythology. Still, it's turning out to be more interesting from a story perspective than I expected it to be. "

" A good look at how there is nothing new under the sun. "

" Read only if you are a confirmed ancient history nut. If you are, an excellent book. While often just a list of battles and officials, you get a feel for the early events that made Rome what it became. "

" ummm, read machiavelli's discourses. this was written right after the fall of the tarquin kings, i don't really understand it without machiavelli's help....and i still like machiavelli's interpretation of republicanism better:) "

" Livy is wonderful, especially if you have an interest in Roman history. Reading this book as part of a required reading for a Women in Antiquity class really helped me to understand the people and times of Rome "

" Read for my senior thesis in undergrad - it was good to read these classics. "