Description
Book Synopsis'Toner again spins a tale that is enjoyable and informative.' The Times Tour the Roman Empire at its height with Marcus Sidonius Falx and his amanuensis, Dr Jerry Toner. Travelling east, Falx explores the great cultural centre of Athens before trekking into rural Asia (or Turkey as we know it), past the already ancient Luxor monuments in Roman Egypt, and by the Great Library of Alexandria. Travelling west across the breadbasket of the Empire, he journeys through Gaul (France) before crossing to Britannia, where he suffers the worst that provincial life has to offer. Falx provides practical advice on surviving all things travel: from pirates and shipwrecks to bedbugs and lousy food. Even the most sedentary reader will feel they have experienced life in the Empire first-hand.
Trade ReviewA quirky, witty jaunt across the Roman world in the 2nd century -- Patrick Kidd * Times *
[Marcus Sidonius Falx is] a fascinating creation ... Here we have a chatty, persuasive, and even likeable voice guiding us through the minutiae of a morally repulsive institution * Times Literary Supplement *
Falx's text, illuminated by Toner's commentary, is by turns charming, haughty, and brutal * New Yorker *
Praise for Jerry Toner and Marcus Sidonius Falx: Thought-provoking and illuminating * FT *
Illuminating and packs a punch * Times Higher Education *
