A similar scope like
Geschichte der Antike, but not exactly a 'Studienbuch' is
- Werner Dahlheim,
Die Antike. Griechenland und Rom, Paderborn 1994.
It has received somewhat mixed reviews from Amazon, but I've read the first 40 pages of it (Roman section, that is), and my first impression was that it's a very enjoyable read. Then again, 40 pages are probably not enough to judge whether it's repetitive or unstructured. Maybe you can find it at some local library.
The best, in terms of readability and expertise, is probably
- Hermann Bengtson,
Römische Geschichte. Republik und Kaiserzeit bis 284 n.Chr., München 2001.
If you're interested in social history, there's an inexpensive soft cover edition of
- Andrea Giardina (Hg.),
Der Mensch der römischen Antike, Essen 2004. (collection of essays)
Very suitable as 'fireside reading'.
Enjoy
