What would be the top dozen or so best books to read on Roman History?

Question

I'm thinking of a short list of basic books which would give the reader a firm grasp of the essentials of Roman history. Something a motivated undergraduate could digest during a semester of dedicated study.

Answer 1

1. The Conquest of Gaul - Caesar
2. Caesar - Theodore Ayrault Dodge
3. The Later Roman Empire - Ammianus Marcellinus
4. In The Name of Rome: The Men Who Won The Roman Empire - Adrian Goldsworthy
5. Rubicon: The Last Years of The Roman Empire - Tom Holland
6. The Histories - Tacitus

Answer 2

Well, it's old and probably not the best, but you should look at the abridged version of Edward Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire".