Aldrete, Gregory S. Daily Life in the Roman City. 2004. Reveals the significance of ordinary Roman life in the city of Rome, its port Ostia, and Pompeii.

Canfora, Luciano. Julius Caesar: The Life and Times of the People’s Dictator. 2007. Provides a new interpretation of Caesar that puts him fully in the context of his times.

Clark, Gillian. Christianity and Roman Society. 2004. Surveys the evolution of Christian life among Christians and with their pagan neighbors.

Evans, J. K. War, Women, and Children in Ancient Rome. 2000. Provides a concise survey of how war affected the home front in wartime.

Everitt, Anthony. Augustus: The Life of Rome’s First Emperor. 2007. A lively biography that traces Augustus’s rise to power.

Forsythe, Gary A. A Critical History of Early Rome from Prehistory to the First Punic War. 2005. Uses archaeological findings as well as written sources to examine the political, social, and religious developments of early Rome.

Freeman, Charles. A New History of Early Christianity. 2010. A survey of the first four centuries of Christianity, written for a general audience.

Goldsworthy, Adrian. Roman Warfare. 2000. A concise treatment of warfare from republican to imperial times.

Haynes, Sybille. Etruscan Civilization: A Cultural History. 2005. Deals with cultural history, with special emphasis on Etruscan women.

Holland, Tom. Rubicon, the Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic. 2003. Gives a lively account of the disintegration of the republic from the Gracchi to Caesar’s death.

Joshel, Sandra R. Slavery in the Roman World. 2010. An overview of Roman slavery, designed for students.

Knapp, Robert. Invisible Romans. 2011. A view of Roman life that focuses on ordinary men and women: soldiers, slaves, laborers, housewives, gladiators, and outlaws.

Kyle, Donald G. Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World. 2007. Deals in grim detail with the ritualized violence of the gladiatorial games.

Warrior, Valerie. Roman Religion. 2006. A relatively brief study that examines the actual practices of Roman religion in their social contexts.