THE   ETERNAL   CITY  – Jessica Maier
A History of Rome in Maps
The  University of Chicago Press
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-59145-2 (cloth)
ISBN-10: 0-226-59145-x
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-59159-9 (e-book)
ASIN: B08GXBBZZ8
October 2020
Nonfiction

Rome with its ancient and on-going history captures  the  attention and imagination of many people — researchers, historians, tourists, and readers — and its attraction has been on-going for centuries. Author Jessica Maier shows  the  perceptions of Rome both past and present as caught in maps through  the  ages. Some of these maps, while not as accurate, are like today's maps. Others are more picturesque in form. When created, they held a specific purpose for their design.

Rome has a long history, and Maier lets  the  reader journey through  the  many ideas Rome has held from its inception, about which little is known and much guessed at, to  the  present.  The  book shows aspects of how all building stands next to, or on top of, those made in  the  past. It explains about Rome's many changes and exposes information relatable to all major  cities . As Maier states, Rome has had many reincarnations, and no  city  equals Rome's resilience throughout  the  ages. As an example, she writes about San Clemente, a church in Rome dating back to  the  twelfth century which has a staircase leading down to a church of  the  fourth century upon which San Clemente was built. This fourth-century church was built on top of an old pagan temple, aspects of which can still be seen 60 feet below  the  ground level of San Clemente.

Maier states Rome is more than its architecture and buildings, for  the  maps show  the  inhabitants' history, myths, and symbolism as shaped by gods, Caesars, pagans, Christians, and tourists alike. It is a fascinating study with an abundance of historical maps. Again, some are linear depictions of roads, ancient walls, and buildings while others are beautiful paintings showing  the   city 's changes through landscapes.  The  information is fascinating. How much did I like  the  book? Since I preordered a copy, a lot.

Robin Lee