From a leading scholar of the ancient world, this stunning illustrated guide to the Roman Empire explores every aspect of its rise to power, its dominion over the world, and its eventual fall. At its peak, the Roman Empire stretched from the borders of Scotland to the shores of the Persian Gulf and boasted a population of 100 million. Founded by Augustus in 31 BCE, and enduring for over four centuries, the empire was helmed by some of the most famous--and notorious--figures in history: Caligula, Nero, Commodus, and a rogue's gallery of ruthless generals who brought the so-called Pax Romana to much of the known world. In the Atlas of the Roman Empire, David Potter provides a comprehensive look at the empire from rise to fall. Featuring stunning photographs of weapons, fortifications, portraits, and monuments, the book illuminates the ancient arms race between Rome and its imperial rivals. Comprehensive political maps show the dynamic ebb and flow of conquest and resistance, with battle maps elucidating the tactics that made Rome so successful. Social history is also woven throughout with intimate portraits of people across the empire, from the emperor himself to subjects in far-flung provinces. Packed with detail and lavishly illustrated with specially commissioned maps and images, this is the ultimate guide to the world's most formidable empire.