A Financial Times Book of the Year A Sunday Times and Mail on Sunday Summer Read HOLD THE POWER AND GLORY OF ANCIENT ROME IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND. ''Fantastic ... expert storytelling'' CONN IGGULDEN ''Excellent'' SUNDAY TIMES ''Riveting and utterly original'' MAIL ON SUNDAY A wild she-wolf tenderly nurses infant twins Romulus and Remus. Marcus Junius Brutus looks out over chaos and conflict, flaunting the bloodied daggers with which he murdered Julius Caesar. Trumpets blare, crowds roar, gladiators enter the grand Colosseum. Let the games begin. Told through the lives of twelve remarkable coins, this is ancient Rome as you''ve never seen it before. Frescoes fade and books vanish, but the story of Rome''s epic rise and fall survives in scenes struck in gold, silver and bronze. ''Extremely enjoyable'' EMMA SOUTHON ''Wonderful ... there are riches aplenty in these pages'' CHRISTOPHER HADLEY ''Ingenious - filled with illuminating details'' MATTHEW KNEALE ''Fascinating, original and fun'' FINANCIAL TIMES

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Gareth Harney is a historian and coin collector striving to bring the wonders of the ancient world to a wider audience. For two decades he has explored the ruins of the Roman Empire, from the rugged landscapes of Hadrian's Wall to the desert sands of the Sahara, all the while celebrating every aspect of ancient Rome with his large online following. Tweeting @OptimoPrincipi he combines rigorous historical research with thrilling storytelling to make classical history vital and relatable. Having built his own ancient coin collection since childhood, he now uses his website, blog, and high-definition coin photography to promote the joys of the hobby to a whole new generation.