Reviewed by Michael F. Dove St. Thomas, Ontario for

The Northern Mariner, Summer 2018

Raoul McLaughlin’s sophisticated survey of the complexities of Roman economics, politics, and society offers pioneering insight into the fragility of Pax Romana despite its conquests and global reach in trade. His ground-breaking study of a world linked by oceans also calls into question the theory that the ancient world was more primitive than the modern or that history evolves in an ever-ascending arc from the barbaric to the civilized.

Read the full review here

Naval Historical Foundation

This short single-page review does not do sufficient justice to McLaughlin’s extensive research and presentation of Roman international trade and its broader significance in relation to the military. The book reconfirms the economic importance in warfare and the fact that great empires can fall when revenue streams start to run dry. This highly commendable work should serve as a suitable springboard for those who wish to learn more about the Roman economy and state administration. I believe more authors should attempt to analyse previously studied topics in connection to other related and seemingly unrelated aspects for new perspectives and fresh insights.

Kunwon Saw, Freelance

As featured in.

History Today July 2016

McLaughlin squeezes more than most from the classic but limited historic resources and weaves in archaeological research to deliver an important source for those interested in not only the Roman Empire but also the Indian Ocean region.

Australian Association for Maritime History

Illustrated by sketches of reliefs and coins, this accessible book may go some way to helping us think beyond Alexander the Great when India is mentioned in the context of the Classical world.

Minerva Magazine

'The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean' is enjoyable and easy to read. It is full of useful and little known information and presents an evidence-based model for the ancient world economy that supported the Roman empire.

Australian Naval Institute

Read this book and you'll change your view of the importance and scope of maritime activity in Ancient Rome. ... The author has presented a credible account and his text is supported by a plate section illustrating international trading. There are also some interesting ancient maps in the introduction.

Firetrench

This is a truly wonderful book...McLaughlin has scoured archives in many languages to tell us the history of the Roman Empire's trade with/in Egypt, the Red Sea, East Africa, Arabia, India, Sri Lanka and China.

Black and Asian Studies Association