Master of Rome

Reviews / Votes

This is a magisterial and eminently readable account of Caesar's rise to power amidst the accelerating collapse of Rome's democratic institutions. Paying particular attention to the principles of leadership and governance evident in Caesar's writings and career, and to the personal qualities that made them effective, Master of Rome shows why Caesar still fascinates even two millennia after his assassination in 44 BCE * Cynthia Damon, University of Pennsylvania * In this sweeping narrative treatment of Julius Caesar's life, David Potter once again demonstrates his ability to make intricate and controversial events accessible through an engaging and fast-paced retelling. His exploration of multiple contexts-from Rome to Gaul, Africa to Egypt and Spain-allows the characters to come to life in their original settings. Astute readings of Caesar's own self-representation add a special nuance, while recovering more of what was actually going on. Potter's analysis sheds welcome new light on the intricacies of events, interactions, and motives that led to the outbreak of civil war in 49 BCE. * Harriet I. Flower, Princeton University * This biography (a life of Julius Caesar' as P. modestly subtitles it) is an essential read-perhaps not for school pupils or those with a passing interest, but for teachers and students wishing to understand more fully the man and his times. With 16 colour plates, black-and-white images of coins fronting each chapter (sadly too badly reproduced to be of any great value), a catalogue of who's who ('The Cast'), a timeline, a glossary of terms, useful end notes, a bibliography and index, it will make a valuable addition to any serious library. It might also excite readers to wonder how long, given his ill health (a series of mini-strokes) and growing detachment from reality, Caesar would have lasted on the Parthian campaign on which he was intending to embark in 44 BC just three days after the Ides of March. * David Stuttard, Classics for All * General readers will find in Master of Rome a readable portrait that emerges from careful study of ancient sources. Experts will find in that portrait a series of considered provocations. Potter's Caesar diverges from the usual portrait in important ways, especially with regard to his position within the nexus of relationships that constituted Roman politics in the first century BCE and the efficacy of his political organization in Gaul. The result is a lively account of the period, liberally seasoned with assessments of its larger-than-life characters. * CHOICE *