Caesar: Life of a Colossus
by Adrian Goldsworthy
List Price:
Our Price: $10.49
You Save: $9.51 (48%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.03 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Adrian GoldsworthyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-01-28
ISBN: 0300126891
Number of pages: 608
Publisher: Yale University Press
Book Reviews of Caesar: Life of a Colossus
Book Review: A Fine Biography
Summary: 5 Stars
In his introduction Goldsworthy says that, "Unlike those studying more recent history, ancient historians often have to make the best of limited and possibly unreliable sources, as well as balancing apparently contradictory accounts." In my opinion he does this very successfully in a readable book that doesn't try to present academic disputes.
The basic outlines are clear with one paragraph in the introduction opening with the sentence, "Ceasar was a great man", and another opening with the sentence, "Caesar was not a moral man....", the two sides of his character being amply illustrated throughout the 23 chapters. Goldsworthy gives cognisance to the fact that the 1st century B.C. Roman Republic were not moral times and that ancient history needs to be judged in its own context, for example Roman pride in "virtu" (which could be expressed by conquering weak neighbours) or the mass entertainment of gladiatorial combat. Ceasar was a famous philanderer of the aristocratic wives of Rome which caused him some obvious difficulties, and he could bribe his way through politics and ally himself with armed gangs as well as the best of them, finally breaking the Republic by crossing the Rubicon and imposing himself as dictator.
Militarily, he was as consistently successful as he had been with the Roman wives, conquering Gaul and eventually reaching the pinnacle of power that he had always sought through the defeat Pompey, his only credible rival in wealth, political influence and armed might. He combined cunning with aggressiveness, succeeding in subduing Gaul in good measure by his clemency and willingness to grant Roman rights, and it is notable that his well designed legislation continued to proved its worth under the subsequent rule of Augustus.
I found this a very rewarding and recommendable book (much better than Tom Holland's "Rubicon").
Historical Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Historical Books
Alexander Hamiltonby Ron Chernow
Penguin Audio; Published: 2004-04-26; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $134.40
America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction (Penguin Classics)by John Steinbeck
Penguin Classics; Published: 2003-04-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.98
Price in other shops:
Sailing Alone around the World (Penguin Classics)by Joshua Slocum
Penguin Classics; Published: 1999-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sistersby Charlotte Mosley
Harper; Published: 2007-11-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.00
Price in other shops:
Profiles in Courage (slipcased edition): Decisive Moments in the Lives of Celebrated Americansby John F. Kennedy
Harper; Published: 2006-10-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.99
Price in other shops:
Lost Years: A Memoir 1945 - 1951by Christopher Isherwood
HarperCollins; Published: 2000-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $17.99
Price in other shops:
Thomas Jefferson: A Lifeby Willard Sterne Randall
Harper Perennial; Published: 1994-06-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.06
Price in other shops:
The Professor and the Madmanby Simon Winchester
Harper; Published: 1998-08-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.49
Price in other shops:
Patton: A Genius for Warby Carlo D'Este, este, Carlo D'
Harpercollins; Published: 1995-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $49.95
Stonewall Jacksonby James Robertson
Macmillan Pub.; Published: 1997-02-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $48.00
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Hadrian and the Triumph of Romeby Anthony Everitt
Random House Trade Paperbacks; Published: 2010-09-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.23
Price in other shops:
The Complete Roman Army (The Complete Series)by Adrian Goldsworthy
Thames & Hudson; Published: 2011-09-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.74
Price in other shops:
The Conquest of Gaul (Penguin Classics)Penguin Classics; Published: 1983-02-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of An Empireby Simon Baker
BBC Books; Published: 2007-07-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.30
Price in other shops:
Ancient Rome: A Military and Political Historyby Christopher S. Mackay
Cambridge University Press; Published: 2007-08-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.00
Price in other shops:
How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpowerby Adrian Goldsworthy
Yale University Press; Published: 2010-09-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.74
Price in other shops:
Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republicby Tom Holland
Anchor; Published: 2005-03-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.65
Price in other shops:
Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politicianby Anthony Everitt
Random House Trade Paperbacks; Published: 2003-05-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.50
Price in other shops:
Julius Caesarby Philip Freeman
Simon & Schuster; Published: 2009-05-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.74
Price in other shops:
Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperorby Anthony Everitt
Random House Trade Paperbacks; Published: 2006; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops: