TIMELINE

Entries in [square brackets] refer to events in classical Greek history.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book has been fun and poignant in the making. It was the brainchild of my friend and editor, the much-missed Peter Carson, who sadly died before seeing a word of it. I can only hope that he would not be disappointed in the result.

SPQR is the work of about fifty years, and there are more people to thank than can be recognised here. I have recently called for help from friends and colleagues in Cambridge and elsewhere: Cliff Ando, Emma Dench, Chris Hallett, William Harris, Geoff Hawthorn, Myles Lavan, Matthew Leigh, Angus Mackinnon, Neville Morley, John North, Robin Osborne, Jonathan Prag, Joyce Reynolds, James Romm, Brian Rose, Malcolm Schofield, Ruth Scurr, Bert Smith, Peter Thonemann, Jerry Toner and Carrie Vout. Other friends, including Manolo Blahnik, Corrie Corfield, Gary Ingham and Sean Spence, Roger Michel and our holiday companions in July 2015 (Frank Darbell and Jay Weissberg, Celina Fox, Fionnuala and Simon Jervis, Anna Somers-Cocks, Jonathan and Teresa Sumption) have cheered me up in different ways. The commenters on my blog (A Don’s Life) have as usual been forthright with constructive criticism as the book progressed. Hannah Price gave expert advice on the bibliography in the final stages; Debbie Whittaker’s organising genius was indispensable all along, as was her eagle eye in spotting errors of typing, fact and logic.

Many institutions have done more than I could ever have hoped to push this project forward: the Classics Faculty in Cambridge (and its library) has always supported me; Newnham College has tolerated my single-mindedness; the American Academy in Rome generously hosted me for a few weeks’ solid work (my thanks, especially, to Kim Bowes); the Times Literary Supplement has put up with my absences. Steve Kimberley saved the data on my laptop at a crucial moment. I have seen, and learned, a lot by working with the rigorous academic professionals at Lion Television for a series that is related to, though not based on, this book. My thanks go in particular to Richard Bradley, Johnny Crockett, Ben Finney, Craig Hastings, Tim Hodge, Chris Mitchell, Marco Rossi and Caterina Turroni. With them I have had the pleasure of exploring parts of the Roman Empire I would never have dreamt of experiencing firsthand. They have opened my eyes.

My publishers have been, as ever, good to work with – and tolerant of my slowness to deliver. Thanks in the UK must go to Penny Daniel, Frances Ford, Andrew Franklin, Valentina Zanca and all the others at Profile and elsewhere who make these books possible; and that includes Emily Hayward-Whitlock on the media side, Juliana Froggatt, who copy-edited with skill and humour, and Lesley Hodgson who tracked down the pictures. Thanks too to Jonathan Harley and James Alexander for meticulous typesetting and page design. In the US, Bob Weil at Liveright was an editor in the grand old tradition. I am more grateful to him than I can say, and to Peter Miller and Will Menaker. George Lucas at Inkwell has looked after me splendidly in New York.

My family have been incredibly tolerant throughout the writing of SPQR: Robin Cormack, Zoe and Raphael. Love and thanks go to them, with the hope of calmer waters – and more time off – to come. And thanks go especially to Peter Stothard, who has read and advised, fed and watered me, throughout the process of gestation and writing. If this book were dedicated to anyone, it would be to him. From one Peter to another, thank you both.