Julius Caesar: The Colossus of Rome (Roman Imperial Biographies)

__Julius Caesar__ offers a lively, engaging, and thoroughly up-to-date account of CaesarвЂTMs life and times. Richard BillowsвЂTM dynamic and fast paced narrative offers an imaginative recounting of actions and events, providing the ideal introduction to Julius Caesar for general readers and students of classics and ancient history. The book is not just a biography of Caesar, but an historical account and explanation of the decline and fall of the Roman Republican governing system, in which Caesar played a crucial part. To understand CaesarвЂTMs life and role, it is necessary to grasp the political, social and economic problems Rome was grappling with, and the deep divisions within Roman society that came from them. Caesar has been seen variously as a mere opportunist, a power-hungry autocrat, an arrogant aristocrat disdaining rivals, a traditional Roman noble politician who stumbled into civil war and autocracy thanks to being misunderstood by his rivals, and even as the ideal man and pattern of all virtues. Richard A. Billows argues that such portrayals fail to consider the universal testimony of our ancient sources that Roman political life was divided in CaesarвЂTMs time into two great political tendencies, called ''optimates'' and ''populares'' in the sources, of which Caesar came to be the leader of one: the ''popularis'' faction. Billows suggests that it is only when we see Caesar as the leader of a great political and social movement, that had been struggling with its rival movement for decades and had been several times violently repressed in the course of that struggle, that we can understand how and why Caesar came to fight and win a civil war, and bring the traditional governing system of Rome to an end. В Julius Caesar Offers An Account Of Caesar's Life And Times. Richard Billows' Dynamic And Fast Paced Narrative Offers An Imaginative Recounting Of Actions And Events, Providing The Ideal Introduction To Julius Caesar For General Readers And Students Of Classics And Ancient History. The Book Is Not Just A Biography Of Caesar, But An Historical Account And Explanation Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Republican Governing System, In Which Caesar Played A Crucial Part. To Understand Caesar's Life And Role, It Is Necessary To Grasp The Political, Social And Economic Problems Rome Was Grappling With, And The Deep Divisions Within Roman Society That Came From Them. Caesar Has Been Seen Variously As A Mere Opportunist, A Power-hungry Autocrat, An Arrogant Aristocrat Disdaining Rivals, A Traditional Roman Noble Politician Who Stumbled Into Civil War And Autocracy Thanks To Being Misunderstood By His Rivals, And Even As The Ideal Man And Pattern Of All Virtues. Richard A. Billows Argues That Such Portrayals Fail To Consider The Universal Testimony Of Our Ancient Sources That Roman Political Life Was Divided In Caesar's Time Into Two Great Political Tendencies, Called Optimates And Populares In The Sources, Of Which Caesar Came To Be The Leader Of One: The Popularis Faction. Billows Suggests That It Is Only When We See Caesar As The Leader Of A Great Political And Social Movement, That Had Been Struggling With Its Rival Movement For Decades And Had Been Several Times Violently Repressed In The Course Of That Struggle, That We Can Understand How And Why Caesar Came To Fight And Win A Civil War, And Bring The Traditional Governing System Of Rome To An End.--book Jacket. I. Rome And Italy In The Second Century Bce -- Ii. Caesar's Childhood: The Social War And The Sullan Civil War -- Iii. Caesar's Early Manhood: The Rise Of Pompeius -- Iv. Roman Politics In The 60s -- V. The Long Year 59 Bce -- Vi. The Conquest Of Gaul -- Vii. Roman Politics In The 50s -- Viii. Caesar's Place In Roman Literature And Culture -- Ix. The Civil Wars Against Pompeius And The Optirnates -- X. Caesar The Dictator -- Appendix. Roman Magistracies After Sulla -- List Of Cicero's Writings. Richard A. Billows. BOOK COVER......Page 1 TITLE......Page 4 COPYRIGHT......Page 5 DEDICATION......Page 7 CONTENTS......Page 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 9 PREFACE......Page 10 NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS......Page 16 PROLOGUE......Page 24 I ROME AND ITALY IN THE SECOND CENTURY BCE......Page 26 II CAESAR’S CHILDHOOD: THE SOCIAL WAR AND THE SULLAN CIVIL WAR......Page 50 III CAESAR’S EARLY MANHOOD: THE RISE OF POMPEIUS......Page 79 IV ROMAN POLITICS IN THE 60s......Page 101 V THE LONG YEAR 59 BCE......Page 134 VI THE CONQUEST OF GAUL......Page 153 VII ROMAN POLITICS IN THE 50s......Page 189 VIII CAESAR’S PLACE IN ROMAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE......Page 215 IX THE CIVIL WARS AGAINST POMPEIUS AND THE OPTIMATES......Page 228 X CAESAR THE DICTATOR......Page 259 EPILOGUE......Page 282 NOTES......Page 286 APPENDIX: ROMAN MAGISTRACIES AFTER SULLA......Page 309 LIST OF CICERO’S WRITINGS......Page 312 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 314 INDEX......Page 322 Humanities BOOK COVER 1 TITLE 4 COPYRIGHT 5 DEDICATION 7 CONTENTS 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 9 PREFACE 10 NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS 16 PROLOGUE 24 I ROME AND ITALY IN THE SECOND CENTURY BCE 26 II CAESAR’S CHILDHOOD: THE SOCIAL WAR AND THE SULLAN CIVIL WAR 50 III CAESAR’S EARLY MANHOOD: THE RISE OF POMPEIUS 79 IV ROMAN POLITICS IN THE 60s 101 V THE LONG YEAR 59 BCE 134 VI THE CONQUEST OF GAUL 153 VII ROMAN POLITICS IN THE 50s 189 VIII CAESAR’S PLACE IN ROMAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE 215 IX THE CIVIL WARS AGAINST POMPEIUS AND THE OPTIMATES 228 X CAESAR THE DICTATOR 259 EPILOGUE 282 NOTES 286 APPENDIX: ROMAN MAGISTRACIES AFTER SULLA 309 LIST OF CICERO’S WRITINGS 312 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 314 INDEX 322 This thoroughly up to date English biography provides an account of Caesar's life it is both lively and engaging, offering an imaginative recounting of actions and events, while giving a thorough coverage and analysis.