Those born under the rule of the Emperor Claudius in the middle of the first century AD who lived through the reign of Nero, Trajan and Hadrian, witnessed the flowering of a mighty empire at the height of its prosperity and power. In this extraordinarily detailed portrait of life in ancient Rome, Jerome Carcopino begins by painting a vivid backcloth on which the social, political, cultural and religious aspects of the community are drawn. Part two enlarges on the details of everyday life, following the typical routine of a normal day from dawn (with the clatter of slaves and traffic) to dinner and the talk that continued long into the night. This classic study, which includes bibliography and notes by Professor Rowell, describes the streets, houses and multi-storeyed apartments of the city of over a million inhabitants; the social classes from senators to slaves; the Roman family and the position of women, causing The Times Literary Supplement to hail it as a 'thorough, lively and readable book'.