Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman RepublicA vivid historical account of the social world of Rome as it moved from republic to empire. In 49 B.C., the seven hundred fifth year since the founding of Rome, Julius Caesar crossed a small border river called the Rubicon and plunged Rome into cataclysmic civil war. Tom Holland’s enthralling account tells the story of Caesar’s generation, witness to the twilight of the Republic and its bloody transformation into an empire. From Cicero, Spartacus, and Brutus, to Cleopatra, Virgil, and Augustus, here are some of the most legendary figures in history brought thrillingly to life. Combining verve and freshness with scrupulous scholarship, Rubicon is not only an engrossing history of this pivotal era but a uniquely resonant portrait of a great civilization in all its extremes of self-sacrifice and rivalry, decadence and catastrophe, intrigue, war, and world-shaking ambition. |
From inside the book
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Page 9
... Greece , however , it was a lesson that took some grasping . Their confusion was under- standable in the early years of their encounters with Rome , the Re- public did not behave at all in the manner of a conventional imperial power ...
... Greece , however , it was a lesson that took some grasping . Their confusion was under- standable in the early years of their encounters with Rome , the Re- public did not behave at all in the manner of a conventional imperial power ...
Page 10
... Greece to Rome . It also pro- vided ready access to horizons even more exotic , those beyond the blue of the Aegean Sea , where cities glittering with gold and marble , rich with works of art and decadent cooking practices , seemed posi ...
... Greece to Rome . It also pro- vided ready access to horizons even more exotic , those beyond the blue of the Aegean Sea , where cities glittering with gold and marble , rich with works of art and decadent cooking practices , seemed posi ...
Page 34
... Greece had pre- sumed to disturb the balance of power that Rome had established in the area . Such lese majesty could not be allowed to pass unpunished . In a war that was over almost before it had begun , a Greek army was swatted like ...
... Greece had pre- sumed to disturb the balance of power that Rome had established in the area . Such lese majesty could not be allowed to pass unpunished . In a war that was over almost before it had begun , a Greek army was swatted like ...
Page 36
... Greece also redoubled their efforts to second - guess the Republic's will . Throughout the monarchies of the East , assorted royal poodles would jump whenever the Romans snapped their fingers , perfectly aware that even a hint of ...
... Greece also redoubled their efforts to second - guess the Republic's will . Throughout the monarchies of the East , assorted royal poodles would jump whenever the Romans snapped their fingers , perfectly aware that even a hint of ...
Page 46
... Greece on the Italian shore , planted there by colonists centuries earlier for business , in the Bay of Naples , had al- ways been international . Not that these old ports received much ship- ping now . Naples herself , for instance ...
... Greece on the Italian shore , planted there by colonists centuries earlier for business , in the Bay of Naples , had al- ways been international . Not that these old ports received much ship- ping now . Naples herself , for instance ...
Contents
1 | |
31 | |
LUCK BE A LADY | 59 |
RETURN OF THE NATIVE | 82 |
FAME IS THE SPUR | 108 |
A BANQUET OF CARRION | 150 |
THE DEBT TO PLEASURE | 179 |
TRIUMVIRATE | 212 |
THE WINGS OF ICARUS | 250 |
WORLD WAR | 297 |
THE DEATH OF THE REPUBLIC | 338 |
Timeline | 379 |
Bibliography | 392 |
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Common terms and phrases
achievements Alexandria ambitions ancient Antony Antony's appeared Appian army Asia Athens Atticus Augustus back in Rome Baiae began blood brought Brutus Caelius Caesar Campania Campus Martius career Carthage Catiline Cato Cato's Catulus celebrated century Cicero Cinna civil Cleopatra Clodius Clodius's command consul consulship course Crassus Crassus's Curio death defeat desperate despite Domitius duly East election empire enemies fellow citizens Forum Gaius Gaul gladiators glory Greece Greek head honor Hortensius Italian Italy king knew legionaries legions Lucullus Macedon magistracies magistrates Marius Marius's Mithridates murder never Octavian once Pergamum pirates Plutarch political Pompey Pompey's Posidonius proconsul proved province rebels refused remained Republic Republic's rival Roman Roman Republic Rome's Rubicon Samnites Samnium Senate House served slaves Spain status stood Strabo streets Sulla Sulla's temple theater Tigranes tion traditions tribune triumph triumvirate turned Vercingetorix victory villa Villa Publica vote wonder