This book is less about history itself and more about historical analysis. Too often the analysis begins simultaneously with the narration of the events and even overtakes it. Readers who don't specialize on the subject will find it difficult to follow the meandering thoughts of the author. Mary Beard is much better and far more charming when she's on screen. In her documentaries, her ability to dig out relatable parallels between Roman and modern history seems endless and profoundly inspiring. But for whatever reason, here she seems to have adopted the role of an erudite but detached teacher, with all its typical cliches like the expression "We shall now look at..."

As a series of lectures, this book is undeniably valuable. It packs an impressive amount of knowledge, but the dryness makes its assimilation problematic. Fortunately, as the chapters progress from the Republican to the Imperial period, the overly analytic approach is toned down, although the balance is never fully restored and the structure remains confusing.