Etruscan and Early Roman Architecture by Axel Boethius (1978; ISBN 9780300052909) Intermediate Cultural: A slightly dated, but still valuable, survey of the beginnings of Roman architecture. Since the remains of early Rome are so scanty (recent finds around Sant’Omobono and in the Roman Forum notwithstanding), more than half of the book is devoted to the Etruscans. The rest provides a briskly-paced overview of architecture in and around the city of Rome through the Second Punic War.