The Rise of Rome - Gregory Aldrete

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⭐7.5/10

Becoming a Rome guy! I can't say I loved much of this book, especially to start. This is a look at the pre-imperial, Republic days, so essentially the formation of Rome until Julius Caesar. Not a lot of names I recognized, and not a lot of interesting stuff going on for a lot of this. 

It really looks into the formation of Roman culture, the beliefs and traditions that eventually allowed them to take over the world. And what do you know! It's all awful! Based on slavery, subjegation of women, celebration of violence, all the ingredients on making the evil empire. Definitely a story about Rome where you are cheering against the main characters. 

That said, I think it's still a good history course. I learned a ton, and the professor is pretty great.  You can kinda trace the progression, all these lucky, micro factors that eventually lead to what it led to. 

I also thought the final few chapters were absolutely electric, with incredible drama that leads to the fall of the Republic. I would say that most of the book felt like a 6/10, but by the end I was thinking I needed the sequel! I know this is nothing new, but it was also interesting to draw the parallels to today, seeing a flimsy democracy dissolve around us. 

So that's it, a good history course on content I wasn't in love with but still found interesting. A worthwhile listen, but not the first history I'd recommend. 

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