A Romanophile's Christmas

[DecimusCaesar]

Considering it will be Christmas soon what Roman (or Greek, Egyptian, Celtic) books, tv shows, films, games, items etc would you like to recieve this holiday? Is there anything you really enjoyed that you'd like to recommend to others on this site? What Roman themed items have you already bought or asked for?

 

There might have been a few excellent books out there that have slipped us by - that haven't been reviewed on this site - or games or films not already mentioned on a 'Colosseum' thread.

Edited December 15, 2009 by DecimusCaesar

[Honorius]

Ahh DC you beat me to making this thread

 

but for this christmas i've decided to splurge on myself and bought 3 books, all regarding the late Byzantine Empire

 

The Late Byzantine Army: Arms and Society, 1204-1453 By Mark C Bartusis

 

http://www.amazon.com/Late-Byzantine-Army-...6220&sr=8-1

 

I wasn't sure if i should by this book by Bartusis as my interest in Byzantium is moving away from military aspects to points more cultural and religious, but i decided to get it anyway

 

The Last Centuries of Byzantium, 1261-1453 By Donald M Nicol -

 

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Centuries-Byzan...360&sr=1-16

 

I've been waiting to buy this book for a year or two now, and havent heard a bad thing about Nicol, so finally decided to buy it seeing as it concerns my favourite period and ruling family the Paleologi

 

The Lost Capital of Byzantium: The History of Mistra and the Peloponnese - Steven Runciman

 

http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Capital-Byzanti...6506&sr=8-1

 

This book i only recently discovered in a local bookstore and concerns the last flourishing of byzantine culture in the city of Mistra, written by Runciman we know that it can be both finely written and gripping, eventually hope to get a review of this book done for unrv

[Ludovicus]

I would love to find Mary Beard's "the Fires of Vesuvius"

under my Christmas tree.

[Ursus]

For a very special Roman Christmas, give a gift that keeps on giving: the immortal poetry of Ron Price.

Edited December 16, 2009 by Ursus

[Ludovicus]

Treat yourself or another to the Oxford Archaeological Guide to Rome:

http://www.amazon.com/Rome-Oxford-Archaeol...2429&sr=1-1

 

It's everything you've wanted to know about the Eternal City's Roman era buildings. Some of the commentary continues the buildings' stories into medieval and later times.

[Brutus]

Imperium - Robert Harris (Life and times of cicero and tiro) really good, he also just released a sequel and is planning a third book

[Fulvia]

I just received a late present: a "Graphic Non Fiction Novel: Julius Caesar- The Life of a Roman General". It amuses me greatly!

http://www.amazon.com/Julius-Caesar-Genera...491&sr=1-13

 

A Latin phrase-a-day calendar also makes my day very happy every morning.

[caesar novus]

Treat yourself or another to the Oxford Archaeological Guide to Rome:

http://www.amazon.com/Rome-Oxford-Archaeol...2429&sr=1-1

Since this thread is living on, I can vouch for that Oxford book except for it's exclusion of sites of greater Rome, which are mandatory daytrips today. To include Tivoli, Ostia, etc you can also get "Rome and Environs: An Archaeological Guide" translated from famous scholar Filippo Coarelli http://www.amazon.com/Rome-Environs-Archae...i/dp/0520079612

 

At first glance it appears even drier with a wall of words and fewer diagrams. But the narrative is quite engaging and makes you feel like on a private tour with a personable expert. Not the typical omnicient pronouncements, but full of "must have been" and "probably" on the one hand and witty Latin quotes for the better known stuff. The archeo diagrams seem very well done except they seem to omit any recent landmarks, so in some cases you can't reference where the old stuff is in todays town (like downtown Tivoli as opposed to the Villa). Caveat: havent gotten past first glances yet.