Book excerpt: A major new book on the archaeology of Rome. The chapters, by an impressive list of contributors, are written to be as up-to-date and useful as possible, detailing lots of new research. There are new maps for the topography and monuments of Rome, a huge research bibliography containing 1,700 titles and the volume is richly illustrated. Essential for all Roman scholars and students. Contents: Preface: a bird's eye view ( Peter Wiseman ); Introduction ( Jon Coulston and Hazel Dodge ); Early and Archaic Rome ( Christopher Smith ); The city of Rome in the Middle Republic ( Tim Cornell ); The moral museum: Augustus and the image of Rome ( Susan Walker ); Armed and belted men: the soldiery in Imperial Rome ( Jon Coulston ); The construction industry in Imperial Rome ( Janet Delaine and G Aldrete ); The feeding of Imperial Rome: the mechanics of the food supply system ( David Mattingly ); `Greater than the pyramids': the water supply of ancient Rome ( Hazel Dodge ); Entertaining Rome ( Kathleen Coleman ); Living and dying in the city of Rome: houses and tombs ( John Patterson ); Religions of Rome ( Simon Price ); Rome in the Late Empire ( Neil Christie ); Archaeology and innovation ( Hugh Petter ); Appendix: Sources for the study of ancient Rome ( Jon Coulston and Hazel Dodge ).