So I know figuratively nothing about the Roman Empire or any

>>9332455
obviously meant books not pics

"SPQR" by Mary Beard and "Pax Roma" by Adrian Goldsworthy will do you good and give you a great introduction to the background and institutions from the early founding of Rome to the mid-unified Imperial Empire.

For primary sources after reading those, here's my recommended reading:
Livy Ab Urbe Condita Books 1 - 10, 21-45
Polybius: Histories
Cicero: The Republic, Laws, Defense Speeches, Political Speeches
Sallust: Catiline's Conspiracy, the Jugurthine War, Histories
Caesar: the Gallic War, Civil War
Appian: Civil Wars
Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars
Tacitus: Annals, Agricola and Germany
Josephus: The Jewish War
Plutarch: Greek and Roman Lives
Anon: Lives of the later Caesar
Ammianus Marcellinus: the Later Roman Empire

>>9332583
>anon

>>9332455

I read a book based on a PBS adaption of a history of rome

>>9332455
Start with plutarch and continue with tacitus and suetonius.

>>9332455
Will Durant - The History of Civilization

>>9332583
Not OP but wasn't caesar-era Rome or "SPQR" considered a repulic rather than an empire even if it had imperialistic aspects?

>>9332455
I actually listened to a podcast called The History of Rome. ~150 40min episodes from the mythical founding to the final days of the West. Podcasts tend to be shitshows but this one was really good.

>>9334023
Yes, the Republic period is very different from the Empire period, which started with Augustus but had its premises with Caesar.