Augustus: From Revolutionary to Emperor - Couverture rigide

Goldsworthy, Adrian; Dr Adrian Goldsworthy Ltd

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0297864254 ISBN 13 : 9780297864257

Editeur : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2014

Synopsis

In the year 44 BC, when Julius Caesar was killed, Augustus was a mere teenager who had been adopted into Caesar's household. His reaction to Caesar's death was to step forward and proclaim himself Caesar's rightful successor. The Senate did not take him seriously, but over the following months he raised his own army and, after defeating Mark Antony in battle, became one of the three most powerful men in Rome. He was not yet 20 years old. Over the next ten years he consolidated his power in Rome, and finally overthrew the last of his rivals in 31 BC. From that moment on Rome became an empire, and Augustus its first emperor. This is the story of how one man rose to become the most powerful man in the world, and stabilised an empire that had been racked by decades of civil war. Augustus's achievements, and his legacy, are almost unparalleled. Like Julius Caesar, he presided over a huge expansion in wealth and territory. Like Caesar he was honoured by having a month of the year named after him. But unlike Caesar he was able to keep hold of power for over 40 years, and bequeath the empire, whole, to his successors.

A propos du livre

Revue de presse :

Embarrassed by his short stature Augustus is said to have worn build-up shoes. He also had a love of crude jokes and poems, which he wrote himself. He was one part of the ultimate power couple. Aged 24 and on the verge of great power he fell in love with the beautiful, clever Livia, who was 20. Both were already married and while Augustus had a daughter, Livia was pregnant by her first husband. Livia and Augustus married three days after she gave birth. Extraordinary... This vast accomplished book... is a book to read avidly but also dip into, to enjoy the huge range of characters and the events (Jenny Selway DAILY EXPRESS)

Goldsworthy admits that pinning Augustus down is a tricky task. But he never allows any aspect of the Augustan project to slip away. The focus shifts easily from Augustus' military might to his love of poetry... He shines a light on the many contradictions of Augustus' character... Goldsworthy doesn't hesitate to describe the emperor for what he was: a mass-murderer and then a military dictator. But he reminds us of Augustus' charm and humanity too... Augustus took the Roman world from civil war to lasting peace and prosperity, and the mechanisms he used to obtain and maintain power were extraordinary. Like Goldsworthy's biography of Julius Caesar, this is essential reading for anyone interested in Ancient Rome. (Natalie Haynes THE INDEPENDENT)

Goldsworthy's true expertise is as a military historian and this is what really gives his biography its strength and bite: his depiction of Augustus's relationship with his legions is masterly (Robert Harris SUNDAY TIMES)

This is a very fine story, very skilfully told (Peter Jones LITERARY REVIEW)

Goldsworthy capably guides us over the rapids of modern scholarship... Goldsworthy is particularly sound on senatorial power struggles and the use of marriage to cement or break political alliances. Augustus was, incredibly, both brother-in-law and son-in-law of Antony, having previously married the under-age daughter of Antony's first wife (Nicholas Shakespeare DAILY TELEGRAPH)

Adrian Goldsworthy does not hesitate to describe Emperor Augustus as he really was: a mass-murderer and then a military dictator (i NEWSPAPER)

Authoritative and always interesting (John Gray NEW STATESMAN)

Goldsworthy examines the life of Augustus Caesar, who rose from obscurity to become Rome's first emperor and the most powerful and enduring in the history of the Empire. He killed and manipulated his way to the top, then reinvented himself as 'the father of his country', achieving peace and prosperity (ITALIA!)

Goldsworthy has fashioned an engrossing account of this extraordinary man, pointing out his many contradictions; fiercely ambitious but publicly reluctant to accept state triumphs, his power built on the success of his legions but never an outstanding soldier himself, adulterous in the extreme but a determined public supporter of traditional marriage. Augustus has been somewhat neglected in recent years, and Goldsworthy skilfully and painstakingly builds his case for greater prominence using the detail of his daily conduct and administration expertly... This is an excellent biography, which succeeds in ranking Augustus once more high amongst the great leaders in world history. (HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY)

Historian and biographer Goldsworthy (Caesar) showcases his deep knowledge of Ancient Rome in this masterful document of a life whose themes still resonate in modern times... A strong narrative emphasis ties the work together and is enriched by evocative details of Roman life, whether it be bathing practices, voting tendencies, or the contemporary significance of Virgil. Readers may be surprised to find ancient precedents for still-visible cultural phenomena, such as the celebrity status accorded to politicians, public delight in scandal, and leadership "constantly reinforced by... propaganda."... the overall effect that Goldsworthy generates is of meeting a man whose life seems hardly distant from the modern experience. (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (USA))

Goldsworthy has made a name for himself writing biographies of the great and the good of the Roman world. A careful scholar, he wears his knowledge lightly and is a skilled narrator and engaging writer. He brings all these attributes to play in his biography of Augustus... Goldworthy's biography demolishes some of the half-truths and tales that dog any successful ruler, and his book also acts as a brilliant history of Rome under Augustus (GOOD BOOK GUIDE)

A timely biography of Augustus. He was Julius Caesar's adopted son who saw off his rivals and gave to Rome and its colonies a stability and a form of democracy which has a surprising significance to our own weary company of statesmen... 500 pages of solid and often exciting history (Illtyd Harrington CAMDEN NEW JOURNAL)

Superb, unputdownable and scholarly (Simon Sebag Montefiore EVENING STANDARD)

Adrian Goldsworthy's portrait is the most trustworthy we are likely to get (Nicholas Shakespeare DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Books for Christmas')

Adrian Goldsworthy does justice to the many sides of Augustus's character: devoted husband, ruthless politician, masterly tactician. He makes complex Roman politics digestible with generous illustrations; quotations from the emperor's own writings; a glossary to help with technical terms from Roman law and politics; a list of dramatis personae; helpful end-notes, index and bibliography... The biography mixes vivid anecdotes... with narrative detail of military and political developments. (Cally Hammond CHURCH TIMES)

Patiently, imaginatively but without recourse to flashy surmise, Goldsworthy offers reappraisals that inspire confidence because of their balance and good sense. Such an elusive man is never going to leap off these pages but he does begin to live and breathe (Noonie Minogue THE TABLET)

His depiction of Augustus's relationship with his legions is masterly. (Robert Harris SUNDAY TIMES)

Goldsworthy is a master storyteller ... This is the account of the man who remade Rome in his image ... it's a tale that never loses it's appeal. (Miles Russell BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE)

Présentation de l'éditeur :

Caesar Augustus schemed and fought his way to absolute power. He became Rome's first emperor and ruled for forty-four years before dying peacefully in his bed. The system he created would endure for centuries.
Yet, despite his exceptional success, he is a difficult man to pin down, and far less well-known than his great-uncle, Julius Caesar. His story is not always edifying: he murdered his opponents, exiled his daughter when she failed to conform and freely made and broke alliances as he climbed ever higher. However, the peace and stability he fostered were real, and under his rule the empire prospered. Adrian Goldsworthy examines the ancient sources to understand the man and his times.

À propos de cette édition

• Éditeur: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
• Date d'édition: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0297864254
• ISBN 13: 9780297864257
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 608