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Rome, Inc.: The Rise and Fall of the First Multinational Corporation
The world's first corporate case study, as only the best-selling Stanley Bing could tell it. A family business prospers through a series of brutal consolidations and rational growth. Then senseless internal conflicts lead to a long line of demented CEOs, monumental expansion, and foolish diversification―at a high cost in shattered lives. In the end, a series of reverse takeovers leaves the once-proud but now overextended and corrupt parent company at the mercy of less-civilized operations that previously cringed at the grandeur of the corporate brand.
Enron? WorldCom? Try Rome, whose rise and fall carry a moral that lingers to this day for the managers, employees, and students of any global enterprise. Stanley Bing―whose satirical business books are as savagely funny as they are insightful―mingles business parable and cautionary tale into an ingenious, often hilarious new telling of the story of the Roman Empire.
Enron? WorldCom? Try Rome, whose rise and fall carry a moral that lingers to this day for the managers, employees, and students of any global enterprise. Stanley Bing―whose satirical business books are as savagely funny as they are insightful―mingles business parable and cautionary tale into an ingenious, often hilarious new telling of the story of the Roman Empire.
214 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 2011
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295 people want to read
About the author
Stanley Bing
52 books42 followers Gil Schwartz, known by his pen name Stanley Bing, was an American business humorist and novelist. He wrote a column for Fortune magazine for more than twenty years after a decade at Esquire magazine. He was the author of thirteen books, including What Would Machiavelli Do? and The Curriculum, a satirical textbook for a business school that also offers lessons on the web. Schwartz was senior executive vice president of corporate communications and Chief Communications Officer for CBS.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
January 2, 2015
I picked this one up from a list of sources used by Dan Carlin on his Hardcore History podcast, "Death Throes of the Republic." Carlin researches like an academic prior to putting his podcast together and has more academic integrity than the History Channel does, but I just couldn't fathom the usefulness of this book. Rome, Inc. reads like a weekend business retreat insider's joke - one of those business seminars that promise to make you rich, confident and brutally successful - just like the Romans! It's gimmicky, its conclusions are not well-founded or elucidated clearly, and it's academically the equivalent of a sixth grade text.
Rome was not the world's first multinational corporation. The Senate was not a board of directors. The rape and pillage of entire peoples is not the equivalent of a "hostile takeover." The oversimplifications made to make the history fit the author's premise are unforgivably ludicrous. Some prominent examples:
Page 36: "Romans liked being managed by their aristocracy. They didn't even try to gain entry to that elite club, at least for a long while." Beyond being factually untrue...well, let's just leave it at that. The statement is grossly untrue and pretty much unforgivable even in a popular work of history (and it's only page 36!).
page 37: "In setting out the rules of proper conduct for all Romans, the Twelve Tables did a good job keeping its society at peace with itself far longer than we've been the peacekeepers and nation-builders of the world." An asinine oversimplification that overlooks the turmoil created by ambitious patricians and populares for centuries in the Republican era. There's something to scoff at on nearly every page.
page 67: "[Marius] joined the corporation very young, as a soldier, which is analogous in contemporary terms, I think, to coming in through the Sales Department." -___________________-
It almost feels like, especially with that last one, Bing is addressing a room of corporate suits trying to find relevance and importance in their bureaucratized and routinized lives. I imagine him smirking and getting small nods of appreciation for the in-joke by conference attendees. It's boring. It's a stretch, and it's not educational. You'd have to be well-versed in the history of the Republic to even get half of the things he's talking about and if you weren't, you'd be left with some dangerously inaccurate conclusions about life and politics in the Republic. He spends about as much time telling you things he's not going to talk about as he does things he is covering and willingly admits that he's not giving you details - the reason being those details detract from the overall grade school tale he's telling.
What else? Hmmmm....Oh, and there are no cited sources. Should have been the first and only necessary red flag for me before I wasted an hour of my life on this. Skip it.
Rome was not the world's first multinational corporation. The Senate was not a board of directors. The rape and pillage of entire peoples is not the equivalent of a "hostile takeover." The oversimplifications made to make the history fit the author's premise are unforgivably ludicrous. Some prominent examples:
Page 36: "Romans liked being managed by their aristocracy. They didn't even try to gain entry to that elite club, at least for a long while." Beyond being factually untrue...well, let's just leave it at that. The statement is grossly untrue and pretty much unforgivable even in a popular work of history (and it's only page 36!).
page 37: "In setting out the rules of proper conduct for all Romans, the Twelve Tables did a good job keeping its society at peace with itself far longer than we've been the peacekeepers and nation-builders of the world." An asinine oversimplification that overlooks the turmoil created by ambitious patricians and populares for centuries in the Republican era. There's something to scoff at on nearly every page.
page 67: "[Marius] joined the corporation very young, as a soldier, which is analogous in contemporary terms, I think, to coming in through the Sales Department." -___________________-
It almost feels like, especially with that last one, Bing is addressing a room of corporate suits trying to find relevance and importance in their bureaucratized and routinized lives. I imagine him smirking and getting small nods of appreciation for the in-joke by conference attendees. It's boring. It's a stretch, and it's not educational. You'd have to be well-versed in the history of the Republic to even get half of the things he's talking about and if you weren't, you'd be left with some dangerously inaccurate conclusions about life and politics in the Republic. He spends about as much time telling you things he's not going to talk about as he does things he is covering and willingly admits that he's not giving you details - the reason being those details detract from the overall grade school tale he's telling.
What else? Hmmmm....Oh, and there are no cited sources. Should have been the first and only necessary red flag for me before I wasted an hour of my life on this. Skip it.
January 16, 2017
Roma İmparatorluğu'nu 'İlk Uluslararası Şirket' olarak nitelendiren yazarın son derece eğlenceli tarih-ekonomi yorumu. İmparatorları CEO, vatandaşları çalışan olarak görürsek Roma Tarihi'ni nasıl yorumlarız? Fortune Dergisi'nin mizah-ekonomi yazarı Stanley Bing'in esprili, kolay anlaşılır tarih ve ekonomi yorumu. Roma tarihine aşina olmanızda fayda var çünkü Bing tarih detaylarına çok girmiyor. Hem iş dünyasını hem de tarihi bilen birinin yazdığı çok belli. İş dünyasındaki manyak ve psikopatların tarihtekilerden hiç eksik kalmadığını bir kez daha görüyoruz. Esprili ve eğlenceli .
October 24, 2020
Neden yazıldığını, çevrisi yapıldığını, basıldığını ve dağıtıldığını asla anlayamadığım kitap. Ama görünen o ki sorun bende. Çeviri hatalı, tarihi bilgiler çoğu kez doğru değil. Baskı hatalı, 2.baskı olmasına rağmen 30sayfaya yakın eksik sayfa var. Koca bir rezalet 1 yıldızı katledilen ağaçlar hatrına verdim
June 30, 2011
I'm not entirely sure who this book is for. The person reading it must be pretty familiar with history to get many of the references, and the author states as fact information that many historians, while they quote it, are quick to point out that the information should be taken with a large grain of salt. This book did make me more terrified of the corporate world, however.
"The answers [how did this ancient culture survive for so long?] may be helpful to us, both as corporate citizens and as citizens of this increasingly perilous planet."
I always hate statements like this, but they are unforgivable in a history book, one in which the author just stated all the ways in which the world used to be way, way more perilous. Seriously, people need to remember the time before vaccines and sanitation. The modern western world isn't perilous. There's an argument to be made that even the rest of the world isn't perilous, going by the number of people that populate it.
"The answers [how did this ancient culture survive for so long?] may be helpful to us, both as corporate citizens and as citizens of this increasingly perilous planet."
I always hate statements like this, but they are unforgivable in a history book, one in which the author just stated all the ways in which the world used to be way, way more perilous. Seriously, people need to remember the time before vaccines and sanitation. The modern western world isn't perilous. There's an argument to be made that even the rest of the world isn't perilous, going by the number of people that populate it.
September 29, 2020
This book reads like Tucker Max trying to write a history of the Roman empire. The central premise - "Rome was structurally very similar to modern corporations" - is abandoned after the first chapter and he slides very quickly into half-assed pop history. Except he doesn't even do that. Many of the important events of Rome are literally LITERALLY glossed over (he often straight up says "we don't need to talk about such and such here"). That means that what he DOES spend his time on is just making smarmy jokes that, considering the book was published in 2006, are painfully, PAINFULLY outdated.
Understanding either corporate culture through Roman history, or Roman history through the lens of corporate culture would be an interesting enough undertaking, I guess. Instead, it seems like he had a funny idea at a bar with friends and, against everyone's better judgment, decided to turn it into a book.
Understanding either corporate culture through Roman history, or Roman history through the lens of corporate culture would be an interesting enough undertaking, I guess. Instead, it seems like he had a funny idea at a bar with friends and, against everyone's better judgment, decided to turn it into a book.
July 19, 2011
I finished this one last week. Very much like Barbarians to Bureaucrats but just about Rome. Makes some humorous, but inciteful comparisons to Caesars and CEOs of today, good book.
March 27, 2023
Isbn = 13 978 0 393 06026 3
This is a rather comical and interesting tale of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire from the perspective of a multinational corporation. It is mostly a read for entertainment but it did peak my interest by looking at one of the world’s great civilizations from the point of view of a multinational corporation. Wars that were one by the Romans were referred to as hostile takeovers and the like. It reminded me of another book I had read involving the linkage of war and business references. What was interesting was that in the 1000 years or so of the Romans there was a lot of competition for trade and resources and I felt that this linked this semi-parody on history closely to business and economics.
What was really interesting was the linkage that the author used to compare the history of the empire to modern business history. Frankly, it was not that insightful or clever, but it reminded me of just how much things need to adapt to survive. It sort of took me back to times in the past where I have looked at pictures of things and though how old or backwards things were. Then some time later I do the same thing concerning the times I looked back from (years before) and I felt that those times were antiquated as well. I guess life moves onward. It made me think of something I had read elsewhere about how “things” do not really exist but rather “events” exist. Things are merely perceptions of what one believes them to be and as such they are different to different people or even to the same people at different times. This is similar to Einstein’s “Relativity” in that perception or vantage point is important. Thus the effectiveness of a leader in a firm depends on many factors including his/her perspective and experience. That is he/she may perceive opportunity or doom differently. Certainly getting this right is important for adaptation and survival.
The book is a comedy and the author has a style similar to that of PJ. O’Rourke. I did laugh and I liked it.
Mark D
This is a rather comical and interesting tale of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire from the perspective of a multinational corporation. It is mostly a read for entertainment but it did peak my interest by looking at one of the world’s great civilizations from the point of view of a multinational corporation. Wars that were one by the Romans were referred to as hostile takeovers and the like. It reminded me of another book I had read involving the linkage of war and business references. What was interesting was that in the 1000 years or so of the Romans there was a lot of competition for trade and resources and I felt that this linked this semi-parody on history closely to business and economics.
What was really interesting was the linkage that the author used to compare the history of the empire to modern business history. Frankly, it was not that insightful or clever, but it reminded me of just how much things need to adapt to survive. It sort of took me back to times in the past where I have looked at pictures of things and though how old or backwards things were. Then some time later I do the same thing concerning the times I looked back from (years before) and I felt that those times were antiquated as well. I guess life moves onward. It made me think of something I had read elsewhere about how “things” do not really exist but rather “events” exist. Things are merely perceptions of what one believes them to be and as such they are different to different people or even to the same people at different times. This is similar to Einstein’s “Relativity” in that perception or vantage point is important. Thus the effectiveness of a leader in a firm depends on many factors including his/her perspective and experience. That is he/she may perceive opportunity or doom differently. Certainly getting this right is important for adaptation and survival.
The book is a comedy and the author has a style similar to that of PJ. O’Rourke. I did laugh and I liked it.
Mark D
October 13, 2020
Çıkış noktası olarak çok güzel bir konu. Roma tarihiyle ilgili çalışmalarda maalesef ekonomiye ilişkin olanları az oysa ki şu anki bir çok kurumun kökleri, gelişimi Roma’ya dayanıyor. Kitaba gelecek olursak Roma’nın etkisi daha çok mikro düzeyde ele alınmış ve bazı yerlerdeki benzetmeler zoraki olmuş. Kitabın bir diğer sevmediğim kısmı Doğu Roma’nın göz aradı edilmiş olması. Batı yıkılmış olsa da varlığını 1000 yıl daha sürdüren bir Doğu Roma var. Bu durumda Roma’nın mirasçıları arasında Doğu Roma’nın sayılmaması biraz taraflı bir bakış açısı olmuş.
Bunların dışında Türkçe çeviride çok fazla hata var ve bu durum okumayı zorlaştırıyor. Umarım daha özenli bir çeviri ile raflarda yerini alır.
Bunların dışında Türkçe çeviride çok fazla hata var ve bu durum okumayı zorlaştırıyor. Umarım daha özenli bir çeviri ile raflarda yerini alır.
July 12, 2018
A book I got from the library that summarizes some of Roman history as if Rome were a multinational corporation (which is it sort-of was, from a certain point of view). Kind of corny, but an interesting view. There is a line in there that made me think of the 45th president of the U.S.A. - about the fact that such a person could even exist in politics was a major warning sign . . . Also, Donald Trump is mentioned in the book as an example of a modern-day mogul . . . written before he was elected president, the book speculates that he would be remembered by history primarily for his hair. Not anymore, sadly . . .
June 14, 2021
I thought, when I picked this up, this would be a history of Rome comparing and contrasting it with modern business. Then, when I started it, I thought it would be a history-lite to make it relatable to the modern audience.
However, this turned out to be a cringe worthy attempt at being humorous by breezily describing the Roman empire as a corporation without being too beholden to accurately report the history. Bing gives the same weight to the myths, facts, and in-between gray area, describing Aeneas, Romulus, and Octavian in the same tone.
Disappointing execution of an interesting lens to look at the Roman Empire.
August 18, 2023
İyi olanlar farklı görünür…
Başarıya ulaşan bir yönetimi ele geçirme için birin adım tecavüz, ikinci adım bir sürü savaş, üçüncü adım cinsel ilişki, dördüncü adım evliliktir…
Caesar’ın uğradığı suikastın temelinde, sadece alt etmeye çalıştığı sınıfın kemikleşmiş çıkarları değil, aynı zamanda bu büyük adamın karakteri de yatıyordu. Çünkü son günlerinde egosu karakterinin geri kalanını ele geçirmiş, guatr gibi, dışarıdan görülen sadece egosu olmuştu…
Meşgul görünenler her zaman çalışmazlar…
Geçmişte yaptıklarınla değil, insanların senin yaptığını düşündükleri şeylerle anılırsın…
Başarıya ulaşan bir yönetimi ele geçirme için birin adım tecavüz, ikinci adım bir sürü savaş, üçüncü adım cinsel ilişki, dördüncü adım evliliktir…
Caesar’ın uğradığı suikastın temelinde, sadece alt etmeye çalıştığı sınıfın kemikleşmiş çıkarları değil, aynı zamanda bu büyük adamın karakteri de yatıyordu. Çünkü son günlerinde egosu karakterinin geri kalanını ele geçirmiş, guatr gibi, dışarıdan görülen sadece egosu olmuştu…
Meşgul görünenler her zaman çalışmazlar…
Geçmişte yaptıklarınla değil, insanların senin yaptığını düşündükleri şeylerle anılırsın…
June 6, 2025
Bing, Augustus Caesar, Julius Caesar, Marcus Antonius gibi tarihe damga vurmuş isimleri birer CEO, yönetim kurulu başkanı ya da şirket yöneticisi gibi konumlandırıyor. Bu bakış açısı hem çok orijinal hem de oldukça eğlenceli. Kitabın dili mizahi, hatta yer yer alaycı — özellikle de Gaius Marius bölümünde. Söz konusu bölüm gerçekten harikaydı!
Ancak not düşmek gerek ki bu kitabın keyfini tam anlamıyla çıkarabilmek için Roma tarihi hakkında belli bir altyapıya sahip olmak şart .
Ancak not düşmek gerek ki bu kitabın keyfini tam anlamıyla çıkarabilmek için Roma tarihi hakkında belli bir altyapıya sahip olmak şart .
September 27, 2019
This is an easily read brief history of Rome from Romulus and Remus to the final days of the Empire in the late 5th century, couched as the first great multi-national corporation. Bing ties present-day corporate practices to similar practices in ancient Rome. It's not a detailed scholarly study, but an informative, entertaining look at the full scope of Rome's history.
October 20, 2023
Rome, Inc. should be a mandatory read for every high schooler for 2 reasons: Reading a book written in “Chad” will certainly cause the reader immense amounts of cringey discomfort, forever eradicating “bro culture.”
And second, if Stanley Bing can get paid to write this book, certainly anyone can do anything! Dream big like Stanley!
And second, if Stanley Bing can get paid to write this book, certainly anyone can do anything! Dream big like Stanley!
March 15, 2020
If you take history to be a commentary on the authors society, and not history per se, then this might interest you. As a commentary on late stage capitalism’s corporate culture revealed through weak analogies with Ancient Rome it’s ok, and is a little amusing as well. Otherwise, I’d skip it.
September 7, 2020
Definitely not what I was expecting, but I still enjoyed it. It is a quick survey history of Rome comparing it to a business. It does a good job at addressing big moments in history, but never goes into much detail. A good read to get a small taste of Roman history.
March 19, 2019
Eğlenceli bir üslupla yazılmış ama roma tarihi konusunda temel olarak bilgi sahibi olmayı gerektiriyor diyebilirim bazı noktaların havada kalmaması adına.
May 30, 2019
Bir şirket bakış açısıyla, Roma yöneticilerinin öykülerini keyifle okuyacağınız bir kitap.
June 29, 2019
I mean… It was cheeky. Dear God though. Donald Trump made an appearance in this book. You swear. He’s like some tacky cultural kudzu. He’s just everywhere.
December 9, 2019
Probably the funniest historical book I have read. Interesting and concise with a fun take on the Roman Empire.
March 27, 2020
Couldn't get into it. Will try again later.
May 17, 2021
Roma tarihini sıfırdan öğrenmek isteyenler için eğlenceli olabilir, ancak bilgisi olanlar için vakit kaybı görünmektedir.
November 7, 2021
Yazarın yaklaşımı eğlenceli ve hatta bazı anlarda ufuk açıcı fakat çeviri vasat.
January 7, 2025
An interesting metaphor that does work surprisingly well but describing the rape of the Sabine women as a "hostile takeover" does not hit the ear well
January 27, 2025
Stanley Bing’s Rome, Inc. offers a fresh and satirical take on the history of the Roman Empire, reframing it as the story of a corporate giant navigating the ups and downs of global dominance. This unique lens makes the book both an engaging read and an insightful critique of modern corporate practices, but its tone and approach might not resonate equally with all readers.
Strengths
Innovative Perspective
Bing’s comparison of the Roman Empire to a multinational corporation is undeniably clever. The parallels he draws—boardroom politics, hostile takeovers, brand management, and leadership blunders—are often strikingly apt. By framing historical events in corporate terms, he provides readers with a new way to think about both ancient history and contemporary business.
Humor and Wit
The book’s satirical tone is one of its highlights. Bing’s sharp humor adds levity to the history lessons, making the dense narrative of Rome’s rise and fall more accessible and entertaining.
Cautionary Lessons for Modern Businesses
The parallels to modern corporate scandals like Enron and WorldCom are a subtle yet effective reminder of the cyclical nature of power and corruption. Bing’s narrative serves as a warning to leaders about the dangers of overexpansion, poor leadership, and internal discord.
Weaknesses
Surface-Level Analysis
While the corporate analogy is amusing, it often feels stretched or overly simplistic. Readers looking for a deeper exploration of Roman history or corporate strategy may find the treatment of both subjects somewhat shallow.
Inconsistent Tone
The humor, while engaging, can sometimes undermine the seriousness of the lessons Bing seeks to impart. This tonal inconsistency may alienate readers who prefer a more straightforward or nuanced analysis.
Limited Appeal
The book’s niche concept—mixing corporate satire with historical narrative—might not appeal to everyone. Business professionals and history buffs could find it intriguing, but others might struggle to stay engaged.
Conclusion
Rome, Inc. is a creative and entertaining book that merges history and business in an unconventional way. Its humor and originality make it an enjoyable read, especially for those with an interest in both corporate culture and Roman history. However, its lack of depth and inconsistent tone may leave some readers wanting more. It’s best approached as a light, satirical commentary rather than a serious exploration of either subject.
For readers who enjoy quirky business books with a historical twist, this one is worth picking up. For those seeking a rigorous study of Rome or corporate strategy, it might fall short.
Strengths
Innovative Perspective
Bing’s comparison of the Roman Empire to a multinational corporation is undeniably clever. The parallels he draws—boardroom politics, hostile takeovers, brand management, and leadership blunders—are often strikingly apt. By framing historical events in corporate terms, he provides readers with a new way to think about both ancient history and contemporary business.
Humor and Wit
The book’s satirical tone is one of its highlights. Bing’s sharp humor adds levity to the history lessons, making the dense narrative of Rome’s rise and fall more accessible and entertaining.
Cautionary Lessons for Modern Businesses
The parallels to modern corporate scandals like Enron and WorldCom are a subtle yet effective reminder of the cyclical nature of power and corruption. Bing’s narrative serves as a warning to leaders about the dangers of overexpansion, poor leadership, and internal discord.
Weaknesses
Surface-Level Analysis
While the corporate analogy is amusing, it often feels stretched or overly simplistic. Readers looking for a deeper exploration of Roman history or corporate strategy may find the treatment of both subjects somewhat shallow.
Inconsistent Tone
The humor, while engaging, can sometimes undermine the seriousness of the lessons Bing seeks to impart. This tonal inconsistency may alienate readers who prefer a more straightforward or nuanced analysis.
Limited Appeal
The book’s niche concept—mixing corporate satire with historical narrative—might not appeal to everyone. Business professionals and history buffs could find it intriguing, but others might struggle to stay engaged.
Conclusion
Rome, Inc. is a creative and entertaining book that merges history and business in an unconventional way. Its humor and originality make it an enjoyable read, especially for those with an interest in both corporate culture and Roman history. However, its lack of depth and inconsistent tone may leave some readers wanting more. It’s best approached as a light, satirical commentary rather than a serious exploration of either subject.
For readers who enjoy quirky business books with a historical twist, this one is worth picking up. For those seeking a rigorous study of Rome or corporate strategy, it might fall short.
June 13, 2007
Bing use the business paradigm to dicuss leadership and excutive management during the Rome Empire. He contrast this with contemporary ceo's and fleshes out his ideas of what a corporation does good and bad depending on leadership styles. It is a humorous book and the arguement is weak from a historical stand point, but it is a fun read. A quick read too!
August 13, 2010
Bing is a humorist/satirist for Furtune magazine, so this has a bit of a business bent. But it is a good (al beit, short) history of Rome – from the period of kings and the passing of that age (see the opera "The Rape of Lucretia" for a story of honor), through the Roman Republic (its founding and if ending by Julius, Anthony, and Augustus), and the subsequent Roman Empire.
August 24, 2014
This is an amusing look at ancient Rome from its founding by Romulus through the collapse of the western empire in 476 AD. The author finds plenty of parallels between what happened at Rome and what goes on in modern corporations. I wouldn't recommend it to someone wanting to learn about Rome, but if you already have a pretty good foundation, you will enjoy this.
February 5, 2017
Bing's tongue-in-cheek description of Rome's rise and fall is pithy and funny but I could not find any deviations from other sources on the topic. It's worth a layman's or lay-bosses time.
December 11, 2009
Fusing the seemingly polar opposite studies of ancient history and modern business, this is an amazingly engrossing look at what the ancient civilization can teach us about how to succeed and what makes enterprises fail.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews