Pagan Holiday
On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists
Random House Publishing Group · Print & ebook · April 8, 2003
The ancient Romans were responsible for many remarkable achievements—Roman numerals, straight roads—but one of their lesser-known contributions was the creation of the tourist industry.
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- Who it’s for
- A recreated Roman Grand Tour pairs historical anecdotes with comic encounters and irreverent ancient voices.
- Themes
- Ancient Roman tourism, Travel through the Roman Empire, Ancient history
- Pacing
- Mixed
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Start with this bookAbout this book
The ancient Romans were responsible for many remarkable achievements—Roman numerals, straight roads—but one of their lesser-known contributions was the creation of the tourist industry. The first people in history to enjoy safe and easy travel, Romans embarked on the original Grand Tour, journeying from the lost city of Troy to the Acropolis, from the Colossus at Rhodes to Egypt, for the obligatory Nile cruise to the very edge of the empire.
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And, as Tony Perrottet discovers, the popularity of this route has only increased with time. Intrigued by the possibility of re-creating the tour, Perrottet, accompanied by his pregnant girlfriend, sets off to discover life as an ancient Roman. The result is this lively blend of fascinating historical anecdotes and hilarious personal encounters, interspersed with irreverent and often eerily prescient quotes from the ancients—a vivid portrait of the Roman Empire in all its complexity and wonder.
Ancient Roads, New Eyes
A recreated Roman Grand Tour pairs historical anecdotes with comic encounters and irreverent ancient voices.
Come here for
- The curious beginnings of tourism across the ancient world
- A present-day retracing of Roman travelers’ routes
Expect
- Historical anecdotes, comic encounters, and irreverent ancient quotations
- A vivid portrait of Rome’s complexity and wonder
Where it sits
| Ancient Rome | 68% |
|---|---|
| Travel Writing | 62% |
| Ancient Greece | 29% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Ancient Rome
- Adventure Travel
- Italy Travel
- Authors
- Tony Perrottet
- Publisher
- Random House Publishing Group
- Published
- April 8, 2003
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Ancient Roman tourism · Travel through the Roman Empire · Ancient history
- Reading lane
- Ancient Rome