This large format (305 x 240mm) volume, superbly designed and illustrated, consists of double-page spreads, each illustrating an artefact from Roman times. The contents are well researched and accurate, and many will be familiar to specialists (e.g. wild beast hunter pp10-11; Medusa’s stare pp14-15; Double Portrait pp24-25; Gladiator’s Helmet pp30-31; Painted Bedroom pp38-39; The Wise Emperor (Marcus Aurelius) pp38-39. My favourite is the Pocket Eating Tool, the nearest thing I’ve seen to an ancient equivalent of a modern Swiss army knife (in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge). Each artefact is put into context and a succinct fact box for each gives, amongst other things, its date and where it can be viewed today: basically, a whole range of European and north American museums. Visually stunning, this is a great book for dipping in to, though I read it through in a single sitting. Accuracy of content – not always to be taken for granted in this sort of publication – and quality of production are sky high. I see that there is a companion volume on Ancient Egypt, and that Weldon Owen publishes a range of similar titles in ‘The Magnificent Book of….’ series. Adults as well as young readers will be captivated by this particular title. Age 9+.
Bob Bass
The Magnificent Book of Treasures Ancient Rome, by Stella Caldwell
Illustrated by Eugenia Nobati
Weldon Owen Children’s Books
ISBN 978195588135
£14.99
