Pax

Tom Holland’s vivid history charts the Roman Empire at its dazzling height – from the death of Nero to the rise of Hadrian. Pax brings the golden age of Rome to life in all its splendour, ambition and brutality. Pax by Tom Holland is a vivid and compelling exploration of the Roman Empire at its height – a time of unprecedented peace, prosperity and power, secured through military might and political cunning. Focusing on the years between the rise of Emperor Hadrian and the death of Marcus Aurelius, Holland charts the Roman world’s complex blend of order and brutality, civilisation and conquest. With his trademark flair for narrative history, he brings to life the characters, cities and conflicts that shaped the empire’s golden age – from emperors and senators to soldiers and enslaved people. Pax is as much about ideology as empire, showing how Rome justified its dominance and how its peace was built upon relentless expansion and suppression. Richly detailed, sharply observed and often wryly humorous, Pax is the third in Holland’s acclaimed trilogy on Roman history and offers a fresh, exhilarating take on a civilisation that still shapes our world.