Rome Vast Quote by Mary Beard
““In 63 BCE the city of Rome was a vast metropolis of more than a million inhabitants, larger than any other in Europe before the nineteenth century;””
About This Quote
Source Book: SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, 2015
Rome’s population in 63 BCE was unprecedented, making it the largest European city until the 1800s.
In simple terms: Ancient Rome was huge for its time.
Recognize Rome’s historic urban scale.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- historical lecture
- urban planning study
- comparative analysis
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How did Rome’s size affect its politics?
- What parallels exist with modern megacities?
Ancient population estimates can be uncertain.