A collection of essays compares ancient Roman institutions with modern American and European life, probing what people mean by progress. It contrasts material and technological advances with cultural, moral, and aesthetic development, and examines social structures, household roles, the causes and lessons of Rome's decline, and recurring historical cycles. The author studies American definitions of progress, motives shaping modern societies, and concerns about lost beauty and limits to recreation, and includes narrative examinations of notable Roman legal trials to illuminate politics and justice. Rather than issuing a verdict, the essays emphasize the difficulty of measuring progress and the misunderstandings that arise from differing value systems.