Starting with the founding of Rome and continuing until the fall of the western empire, the author has emphasized the most important stories from history, and rewritten them in detail in a manner especially interesting to young adults. Familiar characters such as Cincinnatus, Cicero, and Nero are introduced, but so are more obscure characters such as Jugurtha, Vitellius, and Maximinus. Morris is an exceptionally good writer and his books are highly recommended as an enjoyable review for the mature student.