rom the first settlers of Italy through the end of the Empire of the West in AD 476, The Story of the Romans retells as an engaging narrative the history of Ancient Rome and the stories of its famous leaders and citizens. In 102 lessons, we learn of the legend of Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, the seven kings of Rome, the rise of the Roman Republic, the Punic Wars, Caesar’s conquests, the Roman Empire, the Christianization of the Empire, and much more. We meet the good and the just; the wicked and proud: Tarquinius Superbus, Horatius, Coriolanus, Cincinnatus, Tiberius and Caius Gracchus, Archimedes, Cicero, Nero, and Constantine, to name just a few.

Miss Guerber relates in her preface her intention for The Story of the Romans. She writes, “The aim is not only to instruct, but to interest, school children, and to enable them, as it were in play, to gain a fair idea of the people and city of which they will hear so much. This book is also planned to serve as a general introduction to the study of Latin, which most pupils begin before they have had time to study history. With little, if any, knowledge of the people who spoke the language they are learning, children cannot be expected to take so lively an interest in the study as they would if they knew more.”

Please visit the pages at right for more detailed information about The Story of the Romans by H. A. Guerber. There you may view 2-page spreads, read the publisher’s and author’s prefaces, browse the table of contents, and read several chapters from the book.

Story of the Romans Erratum

In a past limited printing of The Story of the Romans, it has come to our attention that there was a printer’s error on page 68. The first paragraph of Chapter XXXII: The New Laws, has a line where two lines of text are printed on top of each other, making both impossible to read. The first paragraph should read:

“It is much to be regretted that all the Romans were not as good and simple and unselfish as Cincinnatus; but, the fact remains that there were many among them who thought only of themselves, and did not care what happened to the rest. The patricians, in particular, were much inclined to pride themselves upon their position and wealth, and to show themselves both haughty and cruel.”

We apologize for this error. The current printing of The Story of the Romans contains the correction, as will all future editions.

New!
Recommended Reading Keyed to the Chapters!

The Story of the Romans now comes with a Recommended Reading supplement keyed to the chapters of the history. The Recommended Reading supplement lists additional books: non-fiction, biography, historical fiction, literature, and poetry, which enrich and elaborate on the topics introduced or discussed in the chapters. Usually these resources are readily available at the local library or through inter-library loan, or commonly available in homeschool catalogs.

When children are learning about the early history of Rome beginning in Chapter VI: Romulus Builds Rome, they can also read Thomas Babington Macaulay’s Lays of Ancient Rome at the proper place in the history. When children are studying the fall of Syracuse to the Romans, and Archimedes’ defense of the city in Chapter XLVI: The Inventor Archimedes, they can also read Jeanne Bendick’s fascinating biography and science book, Archimedes and the Door of Science, at the proper place in the history. When children are studying the Jewish revolt against the Romans beginning in Chapter LXXXI: The Siege of Jerusalem, they can also read G. A. Henty’s exciting tale of historical fiction, For the Temple: A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem, at the same time.

To all who have an older edition of The Story of the Romans which did not include the Recommended Reading supplement: Please write to us, and we will be happy to e-mail you a .pdf file (open with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader) containing the Recommended Reading supplement.

View a larger picture of the cover

View a two-page spread
(in pdf format)

Browse the table of contents

Read the author’s preface

Read the publisher’s preface

Read chapter L:
The Jewels of Cornelia

Read chapter LXII:
Caesar’s Conquests

Read chapter LXXVIII:
The Christians Persecuted

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f you have purchased The Story of the Romans, please send us any comments, suggestions, or questions you may have. We gratefully and humbly welcome your feedback as we strive to improve future editions of this book. Thank you for taking the time to let us know how you feel.