A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve C..., Gareth Harney
A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve C..., Gareth Harney
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A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins

Author: Gareth Harney

Narrator: Piers Hampton

Unabridged: 12 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/14/2025

Synopsis

Hold the glory—and infamy—of ancient Rome in the palm of your hand with this “brilliant combination of history and storytelling” (Conn Iggulden, author of the Emperor series) as it explores history’s greatest superpower, as told through humanity’s most universal object: the coin.

When Gareth Harney was first given a Roman coin as a child, he became entranced by its beauty, and its unique ability to connect us with the past. He soon learned that the Romans saw coins as far more than just currency—these were metal canvases on which they immortalized their sacred gods, mighty emperors, towering monuments, and brutal battles of conquest. Revealed in those intricate designs struck in gold, silver, and bronze was the epic story of the Roman Empire.

Now, with his “novel and highly readable” (Philip Matyszak, author of The Blood-Red Sunset) voice and engaging research, Harney traces ancient Rome’s rise, from a few huts on an Italian hilltop to an all-conquering empire spanning three continents, through the fascinating lives of twelve remarkable coins. A unique and enthralling “combination of history and expert storytelling” (Emma Southon, author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women) for all history buffs.

About Gareth Harney

Gareth Harney is a Roman historian and coin collector driven by the goal of bringing the wonders of the ancient world to a modern audience. He has worked on excavations of Roman villas in the southwest of England and written about Roman sites in the publications of the Association for Roman Archaeology. As a collector of Roman coinage, he has built his own extensive collection over two decades and pioneered new ways to bring the joys of this esoteric field to a popular audience. He can be found on X at @OptimoPrincipi and through his website HarneyCoins.com. 

Reviews

Goodreads review by Brendan on December 03, 2024

I have finally found it. I have found a book with the title, "A History of (blank) in 12 (blanks)." There seems to be a lot of them and up until now, I always felt they were very forced and bounced around so much that it made my head spin. Not so with Gareth Harney's A History of Ancient Rome in Twel......more

Goodreads review by M.J. on January 28, 2025

A excellent overview of the Roman Empire from literal cradle to grave through the lens of its coinage throughout the ages. I can't say that the Roman Empire has ever even remotely been my "Roman Empire". That title belongs solely to ancient Greece. But I'm never one to shy away from learning more an......more

Goodreads review by Michelle on December 23, 2024

First of all, I would recommend this book to any history buff, especially those with a passion for Ancient Rome. Although the book is quite engaging, I think it’s best appreciated if you have a good background in Roman history. I’ve only had a decent intro to Rome through studying Latin in high scho......more

Goodreads review by Gemma on June 22, 2024

Brilliant, fascinating and very accessible history of the ancient Roman empire, told with reference to some of the beautiful and meaningful coins. I've read a lot of books about ancient Rome and this one is excellent. Very readable with some interesting facts that I was unaware of. It provides a com......more

Goodreads review by Lauren on April 17, 2025

4.5 stars rounded up! A very entertaining and thorough look at a large swath of history. My only complaint is that occasionally Harney leans into some of the more sensationalist records of events, presenting them as fact instead of possibilities- while usually these are given an endnote, I did catch......more

Quotes

"Deep-voiced Piers Hampton fluidly recounts the history of Rome from its earliest days to its collapse through beautiful handcrafted coins of the realm...Hampton’s voice lovingly caresses the coins and coils around age-old stories that range from Aeneas and his family escaping from Troy to the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, Hannibal crossing the Alps, Julius Caesar’s murder, and the ascent of Constantine and Christianity followed by their ignoble fall under the Visigoths. Hampton imbues the vividly carved coinage, echoes of which are seen in today’s coins, with life and context."

"Deep-voiced Piers Hampton fluidly recounts the history of Rome from its earliest days to its collapse through beautiful handcrafted coins of the realm...Hampton’s voice lovingly caresses the coins and coils around age-old stories that range from Aeneas and his family escaping from Troy to the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, Hannibal crossing the Alps, Julius Caesar’s murder, and the ascent of Constantine and Christianity followed by their ignoble fall under the Visigoths. Hampton imbues the vividly carved coinage, echoes of which are seen in today’s coins, with life and context."

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