JULIUS CEASER

Gaius Julius Caesar was a Consul, Pontifex Maximus, Governor, Orator, Writer, warrior, General, strategist – both military and political. It is no exaggeration to say that Caesar was a giant among giants (Cicero, Pompey, Cato- the former two are his frenemies, and latter is rival) and laid the foundation of the Roman Empire as he saw that the Republic is dead long before anyone else. Compared to most people I considered that I am somewhat familiar with Caesar’s life and times and had less expectation from the book. But fast-paced biography took me on a history course that is both informative and entertaining. For most people, Caesar is a tragic hero and for revisionists, he is a villain who waged wars for his glory and a populist – which he was. Philip Freeman shows us the nuances of Rome’s history, politics, and the tensions on the periphery of Roman provinces. I couldn’t help but admire many qualities of the man. The young Caesar was brave enough to defy Sulla, the dictator, and refused to divorce his wife, Cornelia. The older Caesar, unlike many of his contemporaries, often forgave many of his military and political enemies (which would cost him his life later). But he made a policy not to forgive twice. There are two qualities that I would say would make him successful no matter which era or place he lived in. He had deep insight into Crowd psychology and human nature. He was able to influence his troop during impossible battles in tough climates, and then-unknown tough places like Britannia and developed political acumen to handle Roman polity. At battles – both military and political, Caesar often took risks like a high-stakes gambler, and this seems to bring out the best of his uncanny ability to adapt, improvise and strategize. And he nearly often comes on top when he is against impossible odds. His influences are still present in today’s world if we observe closely. The month of July in the Julian and Gregorian Calendar is in his honor and the present-day Gregorian Calendar is a modification of his Julian Calendar. My only minor complaint is that the biography doesn’t talk much about the relationship with his adoptive son, heir, and future Emperor of the Roman Empire Gaius Octavius/Augustus. His footprint on history is no less than his adoptive father's. Overall top-notch biography, I really enjoyed this book and ordered the biography of ‘Alexander, the great’ by the same writer.

This was really a joyous time to read this novel. Philip has greatly dealt with a legendary personality thru his work. He not only gave a well-read a/c of Caesar but also successfully created a resonating picture of two millennia old incidents. Someone who has already read some of the accounts of ancient Roman history will surely come out with this above mentioned experience. From my side, I learnt a lot thru this book. When you have some fragments of classical history on your mind and the much more is provided to you then it automatically increases your interest to learn about that topic. Caesar was not only a well-balanced person, who used his mind and heart jurisprudently simultaneously, but also an 'enlightened despot' contrary to a 'dictator'.

Good book.

The book holds your interest till the end …unputdownable … no verbosity… loved it … a quick read … only increases my admiration for one of the greatest men to have lived …

Mine of knowledge

If you want to know Caeser read it, If you want to understand human emotion, read it.. What a book... After winning the whole world and being a great military strategist and what not.. Julius Caesar showed extraordinary amount of mercy...But at core he was a child as we all are.... .Would not call him a dictator but certainly a king ..... But who had the greatest balls in roman history ?? Cato ..

A really good book!

This book sneaks inside the brain of the history's greatest general, showing us all the aspects of his life. All his actions, thoughts and even misdeeds are written in a form that will be easily understood by common reader. At the same time, without having any partiality on his life, the author has made it pure subjective. Also the written style of story telling is also amazing, which doesn't make this book boring, but grips you like any best-selling novel. A must read for people inside or outside of power dynamics.

I finished the book in 4 days. Amazing to think this is not a hbo super Tv serie.

Bought this for a present and it was gladly received.

Freeman has written an excellent biography of Julius Caesar. First his writing style is fluid, clear, and very entertaining. English is not my native language though I understood very well and easily Freeman's writing. His biography starts with Caesar birth and youth for which we don't have many sources. The first antic sources start when caesar is about 16 and becomes a priest of Jupiter. We discover young Caesar starting to learn politics and already showing a keen intelligence, an exceptional integrity and a true desire to serve the people. For 20 years Caesar will follow the senatorial way proposing fairer laws and being the attorney of victims. Soon the optimates will identify him as a dangerous politicians that threaten their privileges. From 59 to 51 B.C. Freeman describes with plenty details the Gallic wars and shows how Caesar was not the bloody tyrant depicted by most gentleman historian. From 49 to 46 B.C. Freeman depicts the civil war where Caesar will try to find a peaceful compromise while Pompey and the optimate had one goal in mind: destroy Caesar and his army. Well, they won't reach this goal and despite a much smaller army Caesar will triumph in Greece, North Africa, Turkey and bring back peace to the whole Roman empire. The next parts depict the reign of Caesar from 46 to 44 during which he'll conduct fundamental reforms providing more equality, more rights, more fairness to the very unjust roman society. Concomitantly Caesar will also reform Rome, transforming an under-organized city-state into the administrative, legal and political nexus of a vast Empire. The last part describes the tragic assassination of the one "who probably was the greatest man who ever lived" (these are the last words of the books. In conclusion Frreman book is very very well written. The story is captivating. The content is very close to the antic source (including Caesar own written accounts) and the analysis is much more objective than what is proposed by most historian biaised by their ruling class prejudices. So without any hesitation, 5 stars to this great book.

...to the packed life of Julius Caesar. Philip Freeman refreshingly starts right at the beginning. Contrary to other authors who present a rehashed history of the late republic as a framework to their biography - which then starts only on page 30 or even 50 - , Freeman goes in medias res, picking up loose threads of needed background info, like a weaver does, to integrate it into his tapestry. His style is down to Earth, relatively fast-paced, fluid and readable, although he occasionally takes poetic licence with the established SPO word order. There are no footnotes to interrupt this flow but annotations at the back of the book. Two maps supply the geographical context, although they might have been a little bit more detailed. Eight pages of glossy bw pictures grace the middle of the book. One note to the publishers: the second picture on page 1 is NOT Marius, but Sulla. Thankfully, the cover shows an enlarged picture of the Napoli Caesar, itself a reproduction of the Tusculum head, and not a Vatican/Augustean falsification. Mr. Freeman displays great knowledge of the primary sources and does not generally succumb to overinterpretation or following other historians' footsteps. Facts of questionable logic or credibility he leaves open, but supplies sane arguments for or against, e.g. Caesar's involvement in the Catilina conspiracy. Only towards the end of the book, when he deals with the honours Caesar allegedly accepted, his research level drops. What he does manage very well is to show the tremendous odds against which Caesar labours to reform the republic, even if he does destroy the rotten body in the process. Also, he highlights Caesar's numerous unorthodox decisions, reminiscent almost of Hannibal: determine the least likely course of action...and then take it! What I liked best about his book is that he never neglects to mention how many times Caesar refrained from taking drastic measures when he could have been cruel, his continued clemency in the Civil War - and how little appreciation it gained him. It is a sad example of moderation misunderstood. Note: this is a review to an edition with a different cover.

What a great book, it took me a little time because it's no so easy to read for all the details but it worth every hour I'd spent with this amazing biography