Gilbert Abbott À Beckett
The Comic History of Rome
"The Comic History of Rome" by Gilbert Abbott À Beckett is a humorous work published in 1851. This satirical take on ancient Roman history spans from Rome's foundation to Julius Caesar's assassination, featuring illustrations by John Leech. Through deliberately anachronistic imagery—senators in top hats, Victorian-styled patricians—the work lampoons both ancient Rome and contemporary Victorian society. The collaboration between À Beckett's text and Leech's witty illustrations creates a comic mirror reflecting the social and political tensions of 1850s England through the lens of Roman history.