[Skybird]

I would like to find a good, long reading about the Romans, from the beginning over the various republics and tyrannies up to the final fading of the empire, dealing with the social, political and economic factors and models, the role and the use of war - but not exclusively dealing with the military side of things.

In general I look for a pendant in style to Paul Kennedy's "Rise and Fall of the Great Powers 1500-2000" ; or Jürgen Osterhammel's "Die Verwandlung der Welt: Geschichte des 19. Jahrhunderts" (brandnew, just finished it, very good work) - just not about Europe/the West, but about the Romans.

It should be available in German language, too, it must not be a German author, but at least a German translation. If it is big in page numbers, it is no problem, but it should be a fluid reading without becoming superficial.

I have read several books about the Romans, but they either were too specific or too shallow, so leaving me with many scattered and specific pieces of info but no real integrative model/understanding of the "whole".

A similiar piece about the Greeks, or a work inclduing both Romans and Greeks, also would be welcomed.

Any tips, hints, suggestions? It's autumn and winter coming, that means long gemütliche evenings with many hours of free time for reading...