Review: Rubicon
Editorial Review - Kirkus ReviewsA splendid account of the death of the Roman Republic, particularly notable for the author's ability to decode the underlying beliefs that drove events. It's no surprise that British novelist Holland (Slave of My Thirst, 1997, etc.), who has adapted such classical texts as the Aeneid for radio, brings formidable storytelling talents to a drama that begins with the temporary collapse of Roman rule over Asia in 89 b.c., climaxes with Julius Caesar's fatal crossing of the Rubicon (a direct violation of the sacrosanct prohibition against bringing soldiers bearing arms into Italy) in 49 b.c., and reaches its sorry conclusion in 27 b.c., when his great-nephew Octavian was renamed "Augustus," in effect becoming emperor. More unexpected is Holland's brilliant portrait of Republican Rome's worldview. In this "savagely meritocratic" society, "there was no distinguishing between political goals and personal ambition." Campaigning for important posts like consul, magistrate, and tribune, candidates shamelessly spread money, influence, and the threat of mob violence. The system worked because everyone accepted the verdict of the voters, however achieved, and officials stepped down after their allotted year to compete all over again. Roman patricians often won their first fame as generals, but true glory came only from being acknowledged by their fellow citizens; force bowed to law, and "the age-old balance between ambition and duty" curbed the privileged class's excesses. This delicate balance began to tip in 88 b.c., when Sulla marched on Rome rather than accept a political defeat; he renounced his role as dictator after one year, but later malcontents would not be so scrupulous. Power and honor had always been inseparable in Republican Rome, but the tide slowly turned toward power pure and simple. Without glossing over the brutality, hypocrisy, and corruption of the late Republic, Holland conveys appreciation for traditions that had endured for half a millennium and regret at their destruction. With its mordant depiction of a republic pursuing imperial ends while its citizens pay lip service to political values they no longer practice, Holland's gripping narrative has particularly uncomfortable resonance for contemporary American readers.
Review: Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
User Review - Vincent - GoodreadsRubicon is a riveting recounting of the last years of the Roman republic from about 100BC to 14AD. Tom Holland does an exceptional job of bringing history to life and turning what could be a dry ... Read full review
Review: Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
User Review - Steve - GoodreadsTerrific read! the Roman Empire as soap opera. Wonderful character development and narrative leadthrough. Thoroughly recommended! Read full review
Review: Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
User Review - Chris - GoodreadsFilled with facts in a narrative and almost romantic form. Read full review
Review: Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
User Review - Tom - GoodreadsExcellent book offering a more dynamic telling of that important part of Roman history. Read full review
Review: Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
User Review - Travis Griggs - GoodreadsBest Roman history I have ever read. Read full review
Review: Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
User Review - Graham - GoodreadsGood but I really have had my fill of embelished histories about ancient Rome Read full review
Review: Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
User Review - Roddy Murray - GoodreadsGood read. Full of interesting associated historical info to take in as you read through the political stories. To really take it in I recommend just reading a few pages each day. Read full review
Review: Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
User Review - Andy - GoodreadsA gripping narrative history of the final years of the Roman republic. Holland strikes a contemporary note and his summation provides a warning to those who still cannot understand the fragility of freedom and the sheer speed with which it can disappear. Read full review
Review: Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic
User Review - Steve - GoodreadsEnjoyed this, although I found the way Holland described the Marius-Sulla civil war a bit dense for some reason, and I've read that history a couple of times before. Reading this was like hearing old ... Read full review
