SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

Name: SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
Price: 8.7 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (12089 reviews)
Author: Mary Beard

by Mary Beard

Nonfiction History

4.4 (12,089)

4.4 stars from 12,089 reviews. One of the highest rated Nonfiction books we track.

640 pages~10.7 hr readPublished by LiverightPublished 2016-01-01

$8.7033% off peak

Last checked: Apr 25, 2026

Must ReadHighly rated with thousands of reviews. A proven favourite.

Price history: $2.99 – $12.99

While not the biggest discount we've seen for this book, it's still a great deal and we recommend grabbing it before price returns to its normal range.

Price range: $2.99 – $12.99

Buy on Amazon - $8.70

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Perfect for you if...

You want history that reads like narrative, not a textbook, and care about how ancient Rome actually shaped our world today.
You're interested in how power worked in the ancient world, especially who lost out when empires rose.
You've read popular history before and want something deeper and more intellectually rigorous without the stuffy academic tone.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer stories centred on great men and military campaigns without questioning whose perspective we're hearing.
You need a quick summary: this is 640 pages of densely researched, nuanced argument that rewards close reading.
You want a traditional chronological narrative. Beard jumps between time periods to build thematic arguments instead.

About this book

Mary Beard's SPQR presents a history of the Roman Empire spanning nearly a thousand years. The work traces how Rome developed from an Iron Age village to become the dominant power of the Mediterranean. Beard narrates Rome's history while examining not only how the empire is traditionally understood but also challenging long-established historical perspectives. The book gives attention to class divisions, democratic struggles, and the experiences of groups whose stories have been absent from historical accounts. The work combines broad historical scope with specific details and covers both major events and the lives of ordinary people, offering a comprehensive and readable examination of ancient Rome.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$2.99 – $12.99

Currently on sale at $8.70 — 33% off peak. Price has dropped 4 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 462 days. Typically stays discounted for 10 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #15K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Climbing the charts — 32% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.4★ from 12,089 reviews

Gaining approximately 63 new reviews per month. Steady word of mouth growth. Rating has remained stable at 4.4 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $8.70. It typically returns to around $12.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.