Ancient Rome matters. Its history of empire, conquest, cruelty & excess is something against which we still judge ourselves. Its myths & stories from Romulus & Remus to the Rape of Lucretia still strike a chord with us. Its debates about citizenship, security & the rights of the individual still influence our own debates on civil liberty today. SPQR is a new look at Roman history from one of the world`s foremost classicists. It explores not only how Rome grew from an insignificant village in central Italy to a power that controlled territory from Spain to Syria, but also how the Romans thought about themselves & their achievements, & why they are still important to us. Covering 1, 000 years of history, & casting fresh light on the basics of Roman culture from slavery to running water, as well as exploring democracy, migration, religious controversy, social mobility & exploitation in the larger context of the empire, this is a definitive history of ancient Rome. SPQR is the Romans` own abbreviation for their state: Senatus Populusque Romanus, `the Senate & People of Rome`.