The Eternal City: A History of Rome in Maps
Product ID: 192593197
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One of the most visited places in the world, Rome attracts millions of tourists each year to walk its storied streets and see famous sites like the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Trevi Fountain. Yet this ancient city’s allure is due as much to its rich, unbroken history as to its extraordinary array of landmarks. Countless incarnations and eras merge in the Roman cityscape. With a history spanning nearly three millennia, no other place can quite match the resilience and reinventions of the aptly nicknamed Eternal City. In this unique and visually engaging book, Jessica Maier considers Rome through the eyes of mapmakers and artists who have managed to capture something of its essence over the centuries. Viewing the city as not one but ten “Romes,” she explores how the varying maps and art reflect each era’s key themes. Ranging from modest to magnificent, the images comprise singular aesthetic monuments like paintings and grand prints as well as more popular and practical items like mass-produced tourist plans, archaeological surveys, and digitizations. The most iconic and important images of the city appear alongside relatively obscure, unassuming items that have just as much to teach us about Rome’s past. Through 140 full-color images and thoughtful overviews of each era, Maier provides an accessible, comprehensive look at Rome’s many overlapping layers of history in this landmark volume. The first English-language book to tell Rome’s rich story through its maps, The Eternal City beautifully captures the past, present, and future of one of the most famous and enduring places on the planet. Review: A History In Maps - it's exactly what it says it is - I bought this book ahead of a recent trip to Rome and am happy with my purchase. It's exactly what it says it is - a history of the city in maps. Yes, some of the maps are small. If you are trying to return a rental car in 6th Century AD Rome, you will not be able to use the maps to do it. However, if you are interested in learning how the city has changed through the centuries, and how maps of the city have changed as a way of displaying information, this is a very satisfactory book. Review: Walking in time - Like walking thru time with eagle eyes of precision observation
| Best Sellers Rank | #422,509 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #57 in Cartography #421 in Italian History (Books) #693 in Ancient Roman History (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 91 Reviews |
J**L
A History In Maps - it's exactly what it says it is
I bought this book ahead of a recent trip to Rome and am happy with my purchase. It's exactly what it says it is - a history of the city in maps. Yes, some of the maps are small. If you are trying to return a rental car in 6th Century AD Rome, you will not be able to use the maps to do it. However, if you are interested in learning how the city has changed through the centuries, and how maps of the city have changed as a way of displaying information, this is a very satisfactory book.
D**S
Walking in time
Like walking thru time with eagle eyes of precision observation
J**E
Terrific Historical Resource on the City of Rome
This book is great, but only if you (1) already have a relatively extensive knowledge of the city of Rome, and (2) love maps. The book is everything it promises to be, and more. You learn about Rome and you learn about the many ways maps were created and used over the centuries. I'm still working my way through it, joyfully, with magnifying glass in hand. (I highly recommend the use of the latter.)
T**.
Fantastic book mapping Rome's history
I enjoyed this book immensely. I agree with some reviewers who complained that the maps could be larger. Yet I'm still able to read them with my naked eye, and I learned a lot about prehistoric and early Rome that I hadn't learned before.
J**O
Roma
Fascinating boook.
N**M
Excellent book
Jessica Maier is a terrific writer and historian who knows how to convey her material in a captivating and compelling way. This book is superb!
B**N
A beautiful blend of history, art history, and cartography!
What a fantastic book! This is a beautiful blend of history, art history, and cartography. I was particularly impressed with the variety of maps chosen for this book. The maps come from all different time periods and artistic styles. It was interesting to see how maps have developed over the centuries, both in looks and functionality. The ebb and flow of Rome’s borders - and power - can clearly be seen through the maps and the corresponding discussions. At the end of each chapter is a “Further Reading” list, which I appreciated. I wish more history books were organized this way! Thanks to NetGalley and University of Chicago Press for sending me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
J**S
An excellent book for anyone who loves Rome
This is an absolutely fantastic reference book to have on hand! The maps and images are stunningly beautiful and the descriptions of how/why a certain map was done in a certain way were really wonderful to read. The Eternal City: A History of Rome in Maps includes a great deal of information and conveys it in extremely interesting ways. This is a great follow-up to other Roman-themed reading and helps you understand the changing layout of Rome. To be the Eternal City, things have certainly evolved and changed across the centuries and Jessica Maier's book helps contextualize that. Thank you to University of Chicago Press for sending me a review copy!
B**D
Geat book arrived well on time.
Excellent service and and the book wonderful - many thanks. Brian hammond
S**A
Nieodpowiednio zabezpieczona książka została uszkodzona podczas transportu (?)
A**V
Not quite as good as I'd hoped.
Don't get me wrong, this is a lovely book, but the illustrations, particularly the maps, are so small there's no real value in them other than as space fillers.
Trustpilot
2 weeks ago
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