History of Rome

History of Rome

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Title: History of Rome
Author: William C. Taylor
Release Date: July 29, 2005 [EBook #16387]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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PINNOCK'S
IMPROVED EDITION OF

DR. GOLDSMITH'S
HISTORY OF ROME:

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED AN
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF ROMAN HISTORY,
AND
A GREAT VARIETY OF VALUABLE INFORMATION ADDED
THROUGHOUT THE WORK, ON THE
MANNERS, INSTITUTIONS, AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE
ROMANS;
WITH
NUMEROUS BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTES;
AND
QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION
AT THE END OF EACH SECTION.
ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS.
[Illustration: Coliseum.]
BY
WM. C. TAYLOR, LL.D.,
OF TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN.
AUTHOR OF MANUAL OF ANCIENT AND MODERN HISTORY,
ETC. ETC.

THIRTY-FIFTH AMERICAN, FROM THE TWENTY-THIRD

ENGLISH EDITION
PHILADELPHIA:
THOMAS, COWPERTHWAIT & CO.
1851.

Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1848, by
THOMAS, COWPERTHWAIT & CO.
In the clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the
Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
PRINTED BY SMITH & PETERS,
Franklin Buildings, Sixth Street below Arch, Philadelphia.

PREFACE.
The researches of Niebuhr and several other distinguished German
scholars have thrown a new light on Roman History, and enabled us to
discover the true constitution of that republic which once ruled the
destinies of the known world, and the influence of whose literature and
laws is still powerful in every civilized state, and will probably
continue to be felt to the remotest posterity. These discoveries have,
however, been hitherto useless to junior students in this country; the
works of the German critics being unsuited to the purposes of schools,
not only from their price, but also from the extensive learning requisite
to follow them through their laborious disquisitions. The editor has,
therefore, thought that it would be no unacceptable service, to prefix a
few Introductory Chapters, detailing such results from their inquiries as
best elucidate the character and condition of the Roman people, and
explain the most important portion of the history. The struggles
between the patricians and plebeians, respecting the agrarian laws have

been so strangely misrepresented, even by some of the best historians,
that the nature of the contest may, with truth, be said to have been
wholly misunderstood before the publication of Niebuhr's work: a
perfect explanation of these important matters cannot be expected in a
work of this kind; the Editors trust that the brief account given here of
the Roman tenure of land, and the nature of the agrarian laws, will be
found sufficient for all practical purposes. After all the researches that
have been made, the true origin of the Latin people, and even of the
Roman city, is involved in impenetrable obscurity; the legendary
traditions collected by the historians are, however, the best guides that
we can now follow; but it would be absurd to bestow implicit credit on
all the accounts they have given, and the editor has, therefore, pointed
out the uncertain nature of the early history, not to encourage
scepticism, but to accustom students to consider the nature of historical
evidence, and thus early form the useful habit of criticising and
weighing testimony.
The authorities followed in the geographical chapters, are principally
Heeren and Cramer; the treatise of the latter on ancient Italy is one of
the most valuable aids acquired by historical students within the present
century. Much important information respecting the peculiar character
of the Roman religion has been derived from Mr. Keightley's excellent
Treatise on Mythology; the only writer who has, in our language,
hitherto, explained the difference between the religious systems of
Greece and Rome. The account of the barbarians in the conclusion of
the volume, is, for the most part, extracted from "Koch's Revolutions of
Europe;" the sources of the notes, scattered through the volume, are too
varied for a distinct acknowledgment of each.
* * * * *

CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
CHAPTER

I.
Geographical Outline of Italy
II. The Latin Language and People--Credibility of the Early History
III. Topography of Rome
IV. The Roman Constitution
V. The Roman Tenure of Land--Colonial Government
VI. The Roman Religion
VII. The Roman Army and Navy
VIII. Roman Law.--Finance
IX. The public Amusements and private Life of the Romans
X. Geography of the empire at the time of its greatest extent
HISTORY.
I. Of the Origin of the Romans
II. From the building of Rome to the