Hard as Nails in Ancient Rome

This splashy and over-the-top entry in the Hard as Nails History series brings together a selection of some of the toughest characters from Roman history. Leaders including Nero, Agrippa, Pompey, Zenobia, and Spartacus are treated with a brief biographical sketch outlining their journey to greatness and, usually, grisly demise. Each is rated on the Hardometer scale in courage, cleverness, ruthlessness, and survival skills for an overall hard-as-nails score. Comic illustrations and a game that lets readers gauge their own toughness add much needed levity to the text. A short history of the Roman Empire, a description of army life, and a time line bring context and order to the antic collection of biographies. A glossary and suggestions for further reading round out the volume. A fierce and fun look at history.--Szwarek, Magan Copyright 2015 Booklist