Political Life in the City of Rome [Paperback]

Politicians of the Roman Republic employed techniques ranging from persuasive oratory through extravagant entertainment and bribery to lethal violence to get their way. Rivalries were fought out on the streets of Rome and in the popular assemblies as much as in the Senate House. This book looks at the Roman political system of 200-50 BC: how it worked, the influence of the ordinary Romans, the voter and political persuasion. A central theme is the topography of the city of Rome - how did political rivalries transform the appearance of the city?

John R. Patterson studied at Magdalen college, Oxford and the British School at Rome, where he held a Rome Scholarship. He is now a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Classics and Fellow and Director of Studies in Classics at Magdalene College, Cambridge.

This text looks at the Roman political system of 200-50 BC: how it worked, the influence of the ordinary Romans, the voter and political persuasion.