“Though tracing a coin is a rather unconventional way to outline the history of an empire, author Alberto Angela had good reason to do so. Admired in his native Italy for his ability to bring history to life through narrative, Alberto Angela opens up the ancient world to readers who have felt intimidated by the category or put off by ... Read moredry historical tomes. By focusing on aspects of daily life so often overlooked in more academic treatments, The Reach of Rome travels back in time and shows us a world that was perhaps not very different from our own.” -Italian Tribune "Using a coin to map the reach and power of the Roman Empire, Alberto Angela introduces readers to the ancient world, offering new insights into its people and territories, and deciphering what it really meant to live in the empire. The author examines aspects of daily life through the lens of a single coin...bringing us face-to-face with the real people of that era." -i-ItalyNY “This lovely rendering of history is a hearty companion across the ancient empire “from Scotland to Kuwait, from Portugal to Armenia.” Our excursion follows a coin across the Empire for a few years as it passes through many hands, generating a payload of priceless information about day-to-day life in a world long gone. Be sure to join this glorious expedition by an author who shows us the money on the march!” –Celtic Connection   Show Less