Gibbs Matt, Nikolic Milorad, Ripat Pauline (eds.) Themes in Roman Society and Culture: An Introduction to Ancient Rome

Oxford University Press, 2012. — 496 p.Themes in Roman Society and Culture is a core contributed volume that provides a thematic introduction to fundamental aspects of Roman society-its composition, institutions, structures, and cultural products-with major focus on the period 200 BCE to 200 CE. This engaging introduction challenges students to consider Roman society as a complex web of social relationships, economic dynamics, legal structures, and religious beliefs, informed by the physical environment in which it developed rather than a series of chronological events. Each chapter is written by an active Canadian researcher and teacher in the field, which gives students a sense of the relevant evidence and an assessment of the current state of scholarship, preparing them to pursue more nuanced, thoughtful, and complex research into Roman life or history.Matt Gibbs is an assistant professor at the University of Winnipeg. He has published numerous articles on the history of ancient Rome. Milorad Nikolic is an assistant professor at Memorial University. His research interests include Roman agricultural practices as well as ancient water and aqueducts. Pauline Ripat is an associate professor at the University of Winnipeg. A contributor to several edited volumes in classical studies, including the forthcoming Cheating Women: Curse Tablets and Roman Wives (OUP UK), Ripat commonly teaches introductory Latin and Greek and Roman society courses.