The Oxford history of the classical world" aims to present the general reader with a view of the Graeco-Roman world, its history and achievements. This volume covers early Rome and Italy, the expansion of the Roman Republic, the foundation of the Roman Empire by Augustus and its consolidation in the first 2 centuries AD. The later Empire and its influence on western civilization is also discussed. Chapters, written by established historians, consider the political and social history and are interspersed with sections on literature, philosophy and the arts. The historical framework is reinforced by maps and chronological charts. The companion text is "The Oxford history of the classical world - Greece and the Hellenistic world".