Lucas C . Wagner
How to Build a Republic,
By the World's Greatest One.
An all-new, twenty-first century English translation of Titus Livius' epic journey of how to start from nothing and build something amazing.This work has been dedicated to the public domain. It is entirely free to read, to use, to remix, and to perform.
A 2,000 Year-Old Bestseller
Having lived through the fall of the Roman Republic, Roman historian Titus Livius ("Livy" in English) scoffed at the decadent and morally bankrupt Roman Empire. Rome was no longer led by the Senate and the People. It was now under rule by a single man, an Emperor.He dedicated the rest of his life to writing about how the Romans built a strong, successful republic, while admonishing future generations to use Rome's mistakes to improve themselves and their own republics.Livy's stories were an immediate hit with Roman readers, including the Emperor, himself, who was a fan of history. Livy became an instant celebrity.Since then, Livy's words have continued to shape global civilizations and their greatest thinkers. Notable fans have included Niccolò Machiavelli, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, among many others.
Fleeing Troy, Book I, 1520
The 21st Century Translation
We've worked hard to build a thoroughly modern, readable translation. It's the first and only translation of Books I-X grounded in our own time, the 21st Century.While modern, it's also rooted in academic tradition since we believe that great work can be timeless. We used public domain sources and have kept our version in the public domain. Our primary source Ben Foster's 1922 Latin from Harvard Loeb (also found online at Tufts Perseus).
Fresh, Vivid Subheadings
In a first for any Livy translation, we've created section headings and chapter subheadings. We did it for ourselves as we worked, and we're including them for you.Remember your favorite stories easier and gain a clearer, better mental picture of how the Romans and their Republic evolved.
Cincinnatus, Book III, 2026
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The Enhanced Version
The premium release of the Wagner translation of History of Rome features:- Chapter and Section Headings
- Approximate Dates
- Paragraphs
- Translation NotesDesigned for human readers.
The Standard Version
Raw text. Follows the typical Livy format with chapter numbers leading each chapter. All chapters are in a single block of text.Designed for artificial intelligence, KDP, and other machine applications.
This Work is Public Domain.
This work has been dedicated to the public domain (CC0) by Lucas Wagner in honor of learning, wise leadership, and temperate governance.It is entirely free to read, to use, to remix, and to perform.