Beginning with the founding myths of Romulus and Remus and a succession of probably fictitious kings, Anthony Everitt charts the development of Rome from its origins as a small market town in the eighth century BC, through various forms of patrician government, up to Caesar's victory in the Civil War that defeated the Roman Republic and paved the way for Augustus to transform republican oligarchy into imperial autocracy. Using recent archaeological evidence and historical facts, and a wealth of legend and anecdote, Everitt shows how Rome grew - both internally, via ever more ambitious construction projects, and externally, through successful military campaigns. In doing so, he highlights some fascinating parallels between ancient Roman society and the modern world. As readable and accessible as it is authoritative and scholarly, THE RISE OF ROME is the perfect introduction to Roman history and civilization for the general reader.

Anthony Everitt, a sometime visiting professor in the visual and performing arts at Nottingham Trent University, has written extensively on European culture and is the author of Cicero, Augustus, and Hadrian and the Triumph of Rome. He has served as secretary general of the Arts Council of Great Britain. Anthony lives near Colchester, England's first recorded town, founded by the Romans. Clive Chafer is a professional actor, director, and producer, as well as a theater instructor. Originally from England, he has been an Equity member for over twenty years and has performed and directed at many theaters in the San Francisco area, where he makes his home, and in Utah and Wisconsin. In 1993, he founded TheatreFIRST, Oakland's only professional, season-producing theater company, where he served as artistic director until 2008. Clive received his B.A. from Leeds University and his M.F.A. in staging Shakespeare from Exeter University in 2000. He teaches classical dramatic literature and other subjects at the University of San Francisco. He is also a linguist and naming consultant, and has developed several high-profile brands for companies such as Apple Computer, Subaru, and PayPal.