This book offers a comprehensive and authoritative history of ancient Rome, from its legendary origins to its fall in the 5th century CE. Drawing on the latest scholarship and archaeological discoveries, Niebuhr, Thirlwall, Hare, Schmitz, and Smith provide a detailed account of Rome's political, social, cultural, and economic development, as well as its relationships with other ancient civilizations. With its rigorous scholarship, depth of analysis, and engaging style, this book is an essential reference for anyone interested in the history of Rome and the ancient world. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.