Book Reviews

“Policing the Roman Empire: Soldiers, Administration and Public Order” Book Review

In “Policing the Roman Empire,” UNT history Prof Christopher Fuhrmann enlightens us on how the ancient Romans tackled crime

Fuhrmann, Christopher J. 2012. Policing the Roman Empire: Soldiers, Administration and Public Order. New York: Oxford University Press

Have you ever wanted to study the history of the Roman Empire? Many people, Dr Christopher Fuhrmann amongst them, have devoted years of their lives to researching the trials and tribulations of what was the Roman Empire.

The painstaking research Dr Fuhrmann applied to his book, Policing the Roman Empire: Soldiers, Administration and Public Order (2012), is really quite extraordinary. The opening lines to Policing the Roman Empire is gripping stuff.

Picture it: You’re not in Kansas anymore Dorothy. You’ve just been pulled back in time 2,000 years. You’re living in the Roman Empire. You’re sitting in a temple when suddenly the quiet is broken. “The Jews from Asia, who had seen [Paul] in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd. They seized him, shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place; more than that, he has actually brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place” (Fuhrmann, 2012).