UMass historian Jason Moralee has published an updated edition of The Historians of Ancient Rome, a textbook tracing Roman history through ancient sources, co-authored with UCLA professor emeritus Ronald Mellor.
This is the fourth edition of the book, which has been shaped by three generations of scholars. The sourcebook is the most comprehensive collection of ancient Roman sources in a single English volume, making it essential reading for students of Roman history. Moralee first encountered the text as a PhD student at UCLA where he worked on the first edition with Mellor, who was then the department chair and professor of Roman History. After years of using the first three editions in his own Roman History courses, Moralee joined Mellor to write the fourth edition as co-editor.
Moralee reflected, “When it became possible to join Ron as co-editor, I was thrilled. Working on this latest edition of the Historians of Ancient Rome was a scholarly dream come true. The book brought us into a series of long conversations in Los Angeles about Roman History, how we teach and learn, and about our shared past at UCLA and the evolution of our own friendship over thirty years.” Mellor is now Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at UCLA and has authored numerous monographs, edited volumes, and textbooks on ancient Roman and Greek history.
Further bridging generations in the process of updating the text for today’s students, Moralee was joined by UMass History and German Studies undergraduate Anna Lessard as research assistant. Of Lessard’s influence, Moralee said, “She's a meticulous editor, an insightful reader, and an inspiring interlocutor. This volume would still be in process rather than published if not for the key role that Anna played. Meetings with her helped me see the text in new ways and kept me on target to meet the publisher's deadlines.”
This new edition will keep essential sources fresh and accessible for the next generation of students and Roman history enthusiasts, while carrying forward the insights of all the minds that shaped it.