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Children of Mars: The Origins of Rome's Empire

By: Jeremy Armstrong Published: 2025 288 Pages

Briefly, what is this book about?

The deep history of Rome. What we actually know about its legendary founding, its early rise to prominence, and the shape of its military. Additionally, the development of Roman identity and how that identity interacted with the other elements.

What's the author's angle?

This belongs to that genre of book which takes recent scholarship and archaeological evidence and uses it to puncture the previous, more simplistic historical view.

Who should read this book?

Military history buffs, or anyone who's interested in Rome, particularly the period from roughly 8th–3rd centuries BC.

Specific thoughts: How video games get Rome wrong