James Renshaw, "In Search of the Romans" (Bloomsbury, 2019)

James Renshaw modestly describes his interactive textbook, In Search of the Romans (Bloomsbury, 2019) as an attempt to bring his high school readers to a “base camp on Mount Everest and then hand them off to the Sherpas.” Renshaw explains that the “Sherpas” are historians who delve into a particular aspect of Roman history in greater detail. But what a delightful base camp In Search of Romans is! Following on the success of the book’s companion piece, In Search of the Greeks (both published in their second edition by Bloomsbury Academic), Renshaw has created an engaging and thoroughly enjoyable introduction to the history, politics, culture and everyday life of the Romans from their mythical beginnings to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476. In clear and cogent prose, Renshaw leads us masterfully from the era of the Roman kings through the foundation of the Res Publica, Rome’s brutal civil wars, and the dictatorship of Julius Caesar. The reign of Emperor Augustus with its sweeping reforms of religion and politics is discussed in detail, as are the reigns of the "good,” and “bad” emperors who follow Augustus, including the infamous Nero, and Constantine, who gifted Christianity to Europe. Finally, Renshaw unpacks the role of the barbarian tribes who brought the Western Empire to its end in the 5th century. James Renshaw approaches his subject with zeal and infectious enthusiasm, which no doubt resonates with his students at London’s Godolphin and Latymer secondary school. “In Search of the Romans” provides a broad overview of Rome’s history with plenty of recommendations for further reading by authors as diverse as Mary Beard and Tacitus. The book is filled with clear maps and photos, which bring the ancient world to life in vivid color and detail. In Search of the Romans goes beyond the “I came, I saw, I conquered,” Tick-Tock of Roman history. With detailed chapters on everyday life, culture, and religion, and individual chapters on Pompeii and Herculaneum, the reader emerges with a well-rounded sense of