A excellent overview of the Roman Empire from literal cradle to grave through the lens of its coinage throughout the ages.

I can't say that the Roman Empire has ever even remotely been my "Roman Empire". That title belongs solely to ancient Greece. But I'm never one to shy away from learning more ancient history, especially when it's presented in novel and interesting ways.

The title of this book caught my attention and I was not in the least disappointed. I was immediately riveted by the author's easy prose, passion for the subject (Rome and Roman coins), and intelligent discourse surrounding each image and the history it signified. I could not put this down.

I've come away from reading this book not only more knowledgeable about Rome, but with a newfound respect and admiration for coin collecting and a strong desire to read Marcus Aurelius' Meditations.

This would be a fantastic book to include in any highschool curriculum. Harney presents Rome's timeline in manageable, readable chunks, highlighting the most influential emperors, conflicts, decisive battles, politics, and economic challenges faced throughout its long tenure. There are loads of opportunities in every chapter to dive deeper into discussion to enrich and challenge younger audiences to think critically and ponder lessons the ancient world can teach us in our modern era.

I will be acquiring this book for my personal library. It's absolutely fantastic.

A great history of ancient Rome using specific coins to help break up and highlight chapters. While readers familiar with general history of ancient Rome aren't going to find anything new in the history parts, I really liked how the author connected the coins to the history. He explained the changing economics of the age, the new coins that were minted, and why certain images were put on the coins. What were emperors using coins to tell their subjects at a time when coins were a source of mass media as well as money? I'd read about one or two images used before, but it was really interesting to see how money was used over the centuries as carefully thought out messages as well as money. And how the economics and values changes as the borders of the Empire expanded and retracted. People who aren't too familiar with the history of ancient Rome will get a great overvew of it with this book.

The one thing that I didn't really like, although I know it is popular at the moment, is how Harny started each chapter with a fictional imagining of a moment, based on historical sources. His writing on purely nonfiction accounts is so lively and well done that I don't think these imaginings are necessary to help draw in the reader, but are rather a distraction.

I book I would recommend to anyone interested in ancient Roman history. Clearly well researched and very well written, with something in it for everyone to enjoy.

I received a DRC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Explore the Roman Empire’s rise and fall through the lens of its coins. This book uses twelve remarkable coins to tell the epic story of Rome’s power, from humble beginnings to a vast empire. This is a fascinating, informative, and easy to read history of Rome, told from a unique perspective. It’s astounding how well preserved some of the coins are.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins is a fascinating and accessible monograph told through the lens of 12 particular/significant coins as relayed by Gareth Harney. Released in the UK in 2024, this US release is due out 14th Jan 2025 from Simon & Schuster on their Atria imprint. It's 368 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

Artifacts from history or prehistoric times have their own presence. It's compelling to hold a coin or flint knapped arrowhead or knife in our hands and impossible not to feel connected to the long ago ancestor who lived with and used these items in their daily lives. Indeed, the author's own decades long entanglement with coin collecting was started by holding an ancient Roman coin in the palm of his hand.

This is an eminently readable and engaging book, told informally but with accuracy. The author does a good job of setting each coin in its historical context, describing both the physical characteristics and a snapshot of the world of the time. It's not written in academically rigorous language, but it is well annotated throughout, and the chapter notes and recommended reading list will provide keen readers with many hours of further learning.

Five stars. Fascinating book. It's well illustrated throughout, mostly in black and white, but there are a number of color photos and illustrations of historical sites, coins, and artifacts in the back of the book.

It would make a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, for readers who enjoy ancient history, numismatists, etc.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

When Gareth Harney was first handed a Roman coin by his father as a child, he became entranced by its beauty, and its unique ability to connect us with the distant past. He soon learned that the Romans saw coins as far more than just currency—these were metal canvases on which they immortalized their sacred gods, mighty emperors, towering monuments, and brutal battles of conquest. Revealed in those intricate designs struck in gold, silver, and bronze was the epic story of the Roman Empire.

This was a fascinating look at history through a new and unique perspective. I collected coins and stamps when I was a kid (although never anything like the coins in the book), and history has always fascinated me, so this book was right up my alley. I really enjoyed it. 5⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Those interested in ancient civilizations and that of Rome, especially, will want to take a look at this interesting take on exploring a (long) historical period.

Harney teaches readers just how significant each of these coins was/is. He knew this from childhood when his father placed a two thousand year old coin with Trajan’s likeness in his hand. He notes that coins transmit more than monetary value as they reflect the ethos of their culture.

Harney offers the reader a well-researched and entertaining take on history. Definitely one for anybody interested in ancient cultures.

Note that I enjoyed the map and illustrations that were included. They bring the text to life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins by Gareth Harney offers a unique and engaging way to explore the history of Rome through twelve key coins, each representing a pivotal moment or figure in the empire's vast history. Harney expertly combines numismatic insight with storytelling, using the coins as windows into Rome's political, social, and cultural evolution. The book is accessible yet informative, blending historical analysis with personal anecdotes and a deep dive into the significance of each coin. It’s a captivating read for both history enthusiasts and those interested in the material culture of the ancient world.

First of all, I would recommend this book to any history buff, especially those with a passion for Ancient Rome. Although the book is quite engaging, I think it’s best appreciated if you have a good background in Roman history. I’ve only had a decent intro to Rome through studying Latin in high school; unfortunately, I’ve retained very little from those days. While reading, I often found myself wishing I could connect more deeply with the material by recalling information I felt I should have known. Having said that, if you or someone you know loves history and Ancient Rome, this book will absolutely fascinate them.

I loved the heart and soul that went into this book! The author has been a coin collector since he was a young boy. It was interesting to see the role coins play in understanding history, and I almost wanted to start collecting coins myself after a few chapters!

I also really enjoyed how the author would tie in the history of the coin makers, whether they were free or enslaved people, what wars and land disputes were happening at the time, and how the coins represented people’s faiths and rulers.

Favorite quote: “[Coins] are the only handcrafted pieces of ancient art freely collected by enthusiasts of all backgrounds across the world.”

Overall, this book is a testament to how something as small as a coin can carry the weight of history. Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins by Historian Gareth Harney exceeded my high expectations by educating me so much more not only about ancient Roman coins but what life was like in the era from emperors and their personalities and policies to social classes to monuments to the sack of Rome by the Goths. As a regular visitor to Rome, my knowledge just grew dramatically and my eyes have opened to new-to-me details. But the far-reaching empire included so much more than "just" Rome and other areas are discussed as well such as Romania, Brittania and the Balkans. I like that the author stressed the importance of coins connecting us to our past and the invention of coins for financial exchange. I could imagine myself handling each coin in wonder, imagining the hundreds of people who may have done the same many centuries ago. The detail in the coins is incredible such as elephants, Trajan's column (one of the most mind-boggling feats in my view), slicked-back hair of the anonymous Gaul, daggers, the Colosseum and praetorian fortress. Amongst the hundreds of things which increased my knowledge base include striking and "brockage", the first coin struck under the name "of the Romans", the first denarius of Julius Caesar, ambitious families, dictators using their portrait on coins while still living, the times of Pax Romana and of war, "Little Boots" Caligula as a child, attempts to erase Sejanus from history, the poignant elephant story and the "Boudiccan Destruction Horizon". I also thought more about numismatics more than ever before. A dream of mine is to find a Roman coin cache in my garden in the Balkans! The author explains the accessibility of ancient coins, coins as an art form, the stories they tell us about what was important, their durability and massive war bounty. It is impossible to fathom what 225 tons of gold and 450 tons of silver must look like!

Written in twelve chapters, one detailing each coin on both sides (plus more!), this book is a treasure chock full of fascinating facts, photographs of lesser-known coins and monuments I hadn't heard of before (as well as many better-known ones). I live part time in the Balkans and one of my favourite pastimes is immersing myself in archaeological museums and Roman sites. The author brought fresh life to the people and events through coins and I am grateful to him for sharing his passion for history and coins from his collection his father introduced him to when he was a child. What a legacy!

Whether you are keen to learn more as a beginner or as an expert, this books is unmissable. It filled in many gaps in my mind, gave me goosebumps, increased my thirst to learn more, and caused many lightbulb moments. I absolutely loved this book!

My sincere thank you to Atria Books for providing me with an early digital review copy via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this wonderful book!

Let me start by saying that my knowledge of coins and coin collecting begins and ends with shows like “Pawn Stars” and “American Pickers”, and other random television shows. I have no real prior knowledge of the ancient Roman Empire either. This book had me hooked from the beginning. I’ve never given much thought to how important coins were. Nowadays, we mostly find them annoying, but as Harney points out in this book, coins were how people were able to see what their rulers looked like, and also what had been going on hundreds, or even thousands of miles from where they lived.

There’s 12 chapters in this book. Each chapter focuses on a specific coin, and the history of that time period is told based around that specific coin. Harney has a background in both history, and coin collecting, so he is perfect for writing this book. I can’t recommend this enough! Check it out as soon as you can!

Coins, Ancient Rome, and history.

It was a smooth read and knowledgeable. It gave me another insight into Ancient Rome.

Besides, I love coins.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for this #ARC to review. The opinions expressed are my own. Publication date is January 14, 2025.

Interesting. It was engaging enough to keep me reading and wasn't dry and stuffy. I liked it and will be getting a copy for my shelf.

This was a fantastic nonfiction book, it had that historical element that I was looking for. It was well researched and enjoyed learning about these coins and Ancient Rome. Gareth Harney wrote this perfectly and was glad I got to read this.

Fascinating! I will probably never look at money in the same way again. As a fan of ancient Rome, I loved this book and recommend it highly.