The classical historian Theodor Mommsen (1817-1903) published his History of Rome between 1854 and 1856. His work was received with widespread acclaim by the scholarly community and the reading public. In 1902, in recognition of this monumental work, Mommsen was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature and acclaimed as 'the greatest living master of the art of historical writing'. Mommsen rejected traditional Enlightenment accounts, which glorified ancient Rome; instead, guided by a new and rigorous criticism of sources, he began the demythologisation of Roman history. In a vivacious and engaging style, using modern terms to express classical ideas, Mommsen drew bold parallels between the nineteenth century and classical Rome. Volume 1 begins with Rome's earliest origins and ends with the unification of Italy; it contains separate chapters on religion, law and justice, art, and writing. This 1862 translation is based on the German third edition (1861).

特奧多爾·濛森（Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen），德國著名曆史學傢、法學傢。早年在基爾大學攻讀法律和語言學，1842年獲哲學博士學位。後長期在大學教授曆史，對古代史，特彆是羅馬史有精湛的研究。他也是一個突齣的政治傢，曾是普魯士和德國的國會議員。他對羅馬法的研究對德國民法典有著重大的影響。撰有《羅馬公法》和《羅馬史》等多部重要著作。1902年因《羅馬史》獲得諾貝爾文學奬，成為世界上迄今第一位，也是唯一一位獲此殊榮的曆史學傢。