The De Amicitia is one of Cicero's most carefully crafted philosophical treatises. It offers an excellent introduction both to the eleoquence of his expository prose style and to the ethical values of Roman society during the first century BC. Moreover, many of the issues raised by its content are not entirely divorced from the realities that present-day students may encounter in regard to friendship.

This edition, first published by Macmillan Education, remains a valuable learning and teaching resource. It contains a full vocabulary, a biographical index, and notes which assists with translation, as well as informative and detailed coverage of language and content.