Some six years after his narrow escape from proscription in 43 bce Marcus Terentius Varro the most learned of the Romans wrote a technical treatise on farming in the form of a satiricophilosophical dialogue. Grant A. Nelsestuen argues that far from simply being just another encyclopedic entry of a seemingly aloof antiquarian or offering an escapists retreat into rustication Varros De Re Rustica uses the model of the farm to craft an implicitly political treatise that grapples with multifarious challenges facing the contemporary Roman world. ampampnbsp On one level Varros treatise presents an innovative account of the Roman farm which rationalizes new agricultural and pastoral opportunities for contemporary elite owners of largescale estates. But on another level this bold agronomical vision associates the farms different spheres with distinct areas under Roman control thereby allegorizing Romes empire on the model of a farm. Nelsestuen argues that Varros treatise thus provides his contemporaries with a model for governing the Roman state anticipates Augustus subsequent transformation of Roman dominion into a coherent territorial state and offers an ancient theory of imperialism. ampampnbsp Shedding new light on the only completely extant work of a muchcelebrated but illunderstood figure Varro the Agronomist has much to offer to those interested in Latin literatureespecially Cicero and Vergilas well as on the political dimensions of intellectual life in firstcentury bce Rome ancient imperialism and Roman political philosophy.