Caesar

Caius Julius Caesar remains the most famous Roman - and indeed one of the most famous people - ever to have lived. In this new biography, the first for many years, Adrian Goldsworthy tells the story of the man who has inspired politicians, military leaders and philanderers throughout history. From the very beginning, Caesar's story makes dazzling reading. In his late teens he narrowly avoided execution for opposing the military dictator Sulla. He was decorated for valour in battle, captured and held to ransom by pirates, and almost bankrupted himself by staging games for the masses. As a politician, he quickly gained a reputation as a dangerously ambitious maverick. By his early 30s he had risen to the position of Consul, and was already beginning to dominate the Senate. His affairs with noblewomen were both frequent and scandalous - he slept with countless other men's wives, seduced both mothers and their daughters, and had love affairs with everyone from Brutus's mother to the beautiful and enigmatic Cleopatra. His greatest skill, outside the bedroom, was as a military commander. In a string of spectacular victories he conquered all of Gaul, invaded Germany, and twice landed in Britain - an achievement which in 55BC was greeted with a public euphoria comparable to that generated by the moon landing in 1969. In just thirty years he had risen from a position of virtual obscurity to become one of the richest men in the world, with the power single-handedly to overthrow the Republic. By his death, itself a spectacular event, he was effectively emperor of most of the known world.

About the Author :
Adrian Goldsworthy has a doctorate from Oxford University. His first book, The Roman Army at War was recognised by John Keegan, the general editor of The History of Warfare, as an exceptionally impressive work, original in treatment and impressive in style. He has since written five other books, to great acclaim.

Review :
Goldsworthy is the one of the new generation of young classicists who combine scholarship with storytelling to bring the ancient world to life: in his masterly new Caesar, he shows us the greatest Roman as man, statesman, soldier and lover. - Simon Sebag Montefiore It gives me great pleasure to give Caesar the strongest possible recommendation. Making this my Editor's Choice was one of the easiest decisions I've made this year. Caesar was a complex character living in confusing times, but Adrian Goldsworthy tackles the subject with a vigour, thoroughness and clarity of purpose that the great man himself would have approved of. - Philip Sidnell The analysis of Caesar's generalship is predictably excellent, the account of the Gallic wars, in particular, has rarely been bettered. a superb achievement... It is a model of the way ancient biographies should be written. This admirable biography... is so lucid, so comprehensive and so balanced... - Allan Massie Will remain the definitive biography of Caesar for years to come - Dr Philip Matyszak, author THE SONS OF CAESAR A compelling biography of Julius Caesar, charting his fantastically eventful life. richness of detail illuminates to great effect the risk-taking, self-promotion and sheer force of will that fuelled Caesar's extraordinary career.