In this book, Alessandro Sebastiani examines how architecture and urbanism can be used to construct national identity. Using Rome as his case study, he explores

Argues that Roman expansion in Italy was accomplished more by means of negotiation among local elites than through military conquest.

The book opens with a description of the peoples of Italy at around the end of the fourth century B.C. It describes the early success of Roman diplomacy and for

Books VI-X of Livy's monumental work trace Rome's fortunes from its near collapse after defeat by the Gauls in 386 bc to its emergence, in a matter of decades,