Review by Choice Review
Although there is no shortage of books on everyday life in the ancient world, Dupont's study bears little resemblance to the majority of them, including the identically titled (in translation) classic by her compatriot, Jerome Carcopino (1940). Dupont's book is filled with fascinating minutiae of the material aspects and customs of Roman life, as are the others, but she relates this information in a context of sociological and psychological analysis. Her goal is not merely to describe Roman habits and attitudes, but also to explain them. Dupont's views may not win universal approval from specialists, e.g., her explanation of the Roman attitude toward slavery, but they are consistently thoughtful and benefit from her mastery of the recent scholarly literature. This book is a bit more demanding of the reader and perhaps a bit less fun that Carcopino's or J. P.V.D. Balsdon's Life and Leisure in Ancient Rome (CH, Feb'70), but it updates their approach in some valuable ways. General; advanced undergraduate; graduate. R. P. Legon; University of Baltiomre
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Dupont has written a fascinating study of Roman society during the Republic (509-27 B.C.). She examines the political, legal, and economic divisions in society and Roman ideas of space and time, religion, family relations, and philosophy of self. The Roman citizen's concept of honor and self depended totally on externals--how he carried out his civic duties and how others viewed him (not unlike the Japanese). While histories of Rome abound, nothing quite like Dupont's study exists in most public library systems. She has based her findings almost solely on primary sources and quotes liberally from them, especially Livy, Plutarch, Cato, Horace, and Cicero. The tone is scholarly, but this translation from the French is lively and enjoyable for a more general audience. Recommended for academic and large public libraries and wherever ancient history is still considered important.--Katharine L. Kan, Aiea P.L., Hawaii (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Library Journal Review
