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Escape from Rome

The Failure of Empire and the Road to Prosperity
By Walter Scheidel
Series: The Princeton Economic History of the Western World
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Escape from Rome by Walter Scheidel is a fascinating historical analysis that delves into the fall of the Roman Empire and argues that its collapse was a catalyst for shaping the modern world. The book explores how Rome's absence enabled various European entities to flourish independently, setting the stage for rapid advancements and innovation, ultimately leading to the modern age. This work provides an intriguing perspective on how history could have unfolded differently and the impact of Rome's dissolution on European development.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$4499
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by the fascinating journey of how the fall of the Roman Empire paved the way for the modern world. It delves into the forces that shaped Europe and explores the economic and cultural transformations that followed Rome's collapse, offering insights into historical patterns and parallels.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

One of the Financial Times' Best Books of 2019: Economics

One of the Evening Standard's Best Books of 2019

Finalist for the PROSE Award in Archaeology and Ancient History, Association of American Publishers

The fall of the Roman Empire has long been considered one of the greatest disasters in history. But in this groundbreaking book, Walter Scheidel argues that Rome's dramatic collapse was actually the best thing that ever happened, clearing the path for Europe's economic rise and the creation of the modern age.

Ranging across the entire premodern world, Escape from Rome offers new answers to some of the biggest questions in history: Why did the Roman Empire appear? Why did nothing like it ever return to Europe? And, above all, why did Europeans come to dominate the world? In an absorbing narrative that begins with ancient Rome but stretches far beyond it, from Byzantium to China and from Genghis Khan to Napoleon, Scheidel shows how the demise of Rome and the enduring failure of empire-building on European soil launched an economic transformation that changed the continent and ultimately the world.

'An outstanding, epic history of the fall of the Roman Empire and rise of the European West.' - Simon Sebag Montefiore, Evening Standard

'A remarkable book.' - Peter Brown, New York Review of Books

'Scheidel marshals his facts with verve and force.' - Robert Colvile, The Times

'Makes a bracing case...What did the Romans do for us? Scheidel does not give the usual answers.' - Peter Stothard, Financial Times

Escape from Rome deserves to be taken very seriously...This is a fiercely intelligent, closely argued book.' - Peter Thonemann, Times Literary Supplement

Series: The Princeton Economic History of the Western World

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    One of the Financial Times' Best Books of 2019: Economics One of the Evening Standard's Best Books of 2019 Finalist for the PROSE Award in Archaeology and Ancient History, Association of American Publishers The fall of the Roman Empire has long been considered one of the greatest disasters in history. But in this groundbreaking book, Walter Scheidel argues that Rome's...
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Escape from Rome by Walter Scheidel has been widely acclaimed, being a finalist for the PROSE Award in Archaeology and Ancient History, and recognised as one of the best books of 2019 by both the Evening Standard and the Financial Times. It has received praise for its insightful exploration of historical developments post the fall of Rome, especially within the context of economics.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780691216737

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 16 March 2021

Country: United States

Imprint: Princeton University Press

Illustration: 29 b/w illus. 5 tables. 36 maps.

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 133.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 704

Collections

Ancient & Classical History Finance & Economics Finance & Investment Global History History & Archaeology History & Military Non-Fiction Series: The Princeton Economic History of the Western World Walter Scheidel

About the Author

Walter Scheidel is the Dickason Professor in the Humanities, Professor of Classics and History, and a Kennedy-Grossman Fellow in Human Biology at Stanford University. His many books include The Great Leveler (Princeton). Twitter @WalterScheidel

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    The gripping story of how the end of the Roman Empire was the beginning of the modern world. The fall of the Roman Empire has long been considered one of the greatest disasters in history. But in this groundbreaking book, Walter Scheidel argues that Rome's dramatic collapse was actually the best thing that ever happened, clearing the path for Europe's...
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