Ancient Rome was more than emperors, legions and marble monuments. It was also crowded apartment blocks, handwritten birthday invitations, noisy chariot factions, household gods, fish sauce, political graffiti and people negotiating an empire of extraordinary variety. In 101 lively, carefully qualified facts, Murat Smith explores Rome from its legendary foundation to the survival of the eastern empire. Each entry explains not only what happened, but how historians know, where the evidence is incomplete and why the detail matters. Twenty rights-verified historical illustrations, a chronology, glossary and further reading make this an accessible illustrated guide for curious readers who want memorable stories without sacrificing historical honesty.