Space, Geography, and Politics in the Early Roman Empire

This scholarly work examines how the Roman Empire's understanding of geography and spatial organization fundamentally shaped its political structures and imperial ambitions. Claude Nicolet meticulously traces how Roman administrators mapped their expanding world, creating systems of measurement, communication, and territorial control that became instruments of power. The book reveals how geographic knowledge wasn't merely descriptive but actively constructed the political reality of Roman governance across three continents.

What makes this study particularly compelling is its demonstration that Roman politics operated within a carefully managed spatial framework—from provincial boundaries to road networks that facilitated military and administrative control. Readers interested in ancient history, political geography, or the mechanics of imperial administration will find this intersection of space and power thoroughly illuminating. Nicolet ultimately shows how Rome's geographic consciousness became the invisible architecture supporting one of history's most enduring political systems.