Introduction to Roman Historiography Published in Russian

Ancient historiography offers the most direct insight into the everyday life and history of Rome. For almost two millennia, Sallust, Livy and Cassius Dio have served as sources for our understanding of Rome and the Roman Empire. The introduction presented here examines the persuasive power of these historical narratives and describes the forms and development of historical documentation and representation. Through vivid illustrations and memorable examples, the book examines both the techniques and strategies employed in the texts and the cultural and historical contexts of their authors. The German original was published in its third edition in 2024 by Nomos-Verlag. 

Rüpke’s introduction is not his first book to be translated into Russian. ‘Religion and its History’ was published by Academic Press as early as 2025. Russian is a language spoken worldwide and reaches numerous academics and students in Eastern Europe and beyond. The Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies is committed to freedom and independence in research and teaching and stands in solidarity with academics around the world who do not enjoy this freedom. “Particularly in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its isolationist policies, it is important to us to reach out directly to Russian-speaking researchers, lecturers and students. As this history is also useful for schoolteachers, we did not want to hide the book behind a ‘paywall’,” said Jörg Rüpke, co-director of the Max-Weber-Kolleg.