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It's a testament to the fact that even two thousand years later, the "Senate and People of Rome" are still shaping our ideas about politics, power, and what it means to live in a society.

The "history" we know is often a hazy collection of possibilities, not set-in-stone facts. Beard encourages us to look at Rome not as a monolithic, orderly empire, but as a place that, like today, was trying to understand its own past through propaganda. 2. The Power Players and the People SPQR.SPQRAlive.33.var

Beard doesn't start with facts, but with myths. She tackles the classic tale of Romulus and Remus and the wolf, explaining that this story was written centuries after it supposedly happened. It was, in essence, an early form of marketing. It's a testament to the fact that even

While many histories focus solely on the scandalous lives of emperors like Nero, SPQR brings in the "small people" of history. Beard shines a spotlight on the marginalized—enslaved individuals, women, and the poor—whose lives were essential to the functioning of the city. It was, in essence, an early form of marketing

Instead of a neat narrative, she presents a story that was constantly being rewritten, reflecting on how Roman identity was reshaped over centuries. It's a journey through the evolution of civic identity, from the Republic to the Empire. Why It Still Matters