Caesar: Life of a Colossus

Book Review: "Caesar: Life of a Colossus" by Adrian Goldsworthy Adrian Goldsworthy’s Caesar: Life of a Colossus is an extraordinary biography that meticulously traces the life and career of one of history’s most iconic figures, Julius Caesar. This comprehensive work deserves a five-star rating for its ability to provide a detailed and coherent understanding of Caesar's movements and actions, year by year, against the backdrop of his illustrious career. Goldsworthy’s narrative begins with Caesar’s birth in Rome in 100 BC and takes us through his early life, including his flight from Rome during Sulla’s proscriptions and his service in Asia Minor. As Caesar climbed the political ladder, Goldsworthy meticulously documented his roles as quaestor in Spain, aedile, Pontifex Maximus, praetor, and governor of Further Spain. Each step is backed by ancient sources and modern scholarship, providing a well-rounded view of Caesar’s formative years. The biography excels in its detailed recounting of the Gallic Wars (58-50 BC), where Caesar’s military genius and political acumen are vividly brought to life. Goldsworthy’s use of ancient historians like Suetonius, Plutarch, Appian, and Dio Cassius is masterful, as he cross-references their accounts to paint a comprehensive picture of Caesar’s campaigns. The descriptions of his invasions of Britain, the suppression of the Gallic revolt, and the continued campaigns to secure Gaul are rich in detail, providing a clear understanding of the complexity and scale of these military endeavors. Goldsworthy’s portrayal of the Civil War (49-45 BC) and Caesar’s subsequent dictatorship is equally compelling. Every event is meticulously documented, from the dramatic crossing of the Rubicon to the decisive battles at Pharsalus, Thapsus, and Munda. Goldsworthy’s narrative ensures readers can follow Caesar’s movements and strategies with clarity, supported by evidence from inscriptions, coinage, and archaeological findings. The book does not shy away from discussing the biases and limitations of ancient sources, highlighting the political and philosophical influences that shaped their accounts. Goldsworthy’s critical examination of these sources and modern archaeological interpretations provide a balanced and nuanced view of Caesar’s life. What makes Caesar: Life of a Colossus exceptional is its ability to synthesize historical and archaeological evidence into a coherent and engaging narrative. Goldsworthy’s scholarship allows us to understand Julius Caesar as a historical figure and a dynamic and multifaceted leader whose actions and decisions shaped the course of history. This comprehensive understanding of Caesar’s life and career is why I give this biography a five-star rating. For anyone interested in Julius Caesar's life , the politics of the late Roman Republic, or military history. Goldsworthy’s biography is an indispensable resource. It is a work that both enlightens and captivates, providing readers with a profound understanding of one of history’s greatest colossi.

History Lover's Dream. Goldsworthy writes beautifully. He touches on all aspects of an event or an issue without dogmatically "picking a side." The book includes a detailed bibliography for anyone who wants to search out other noted historians of this period. I have seldom enjoyed such sheer reading pleasure. I cannot imagine how long it took to research and write this masterpiece.

Goldsworthy is an apt writer, not at the levels of the masters but very readable. His Caesar is complete and well organized. The three main sections are almost the same length: "Rise to Consulship", "Proconsul" (which covers mainly the Gaul and British campaigns) and "Civil War and Dictatorship". This gives you an idea of the scope and depth of each section. The first part is very good indeed. It discusses a lot of background and the setting for Caesar's early life. Inevitably there's a lot of guessing of the future Dictator's actions, but it is a complete account of the rise of Caesar and the one I enjoyed the most. The second part (the Gaul and British campaigns) is much less successful, with a tendency towards pure description. It is too long compared with the rest of the book and has a lot of unnecessary detail that doesn't engage the reader. The final section ("Civil War and Dictatorship") could be a complete book on it's own. One misses in Goldsworthy more detail and explanation of the political implications of everything that's happening. For instance, he rushes through the process when Caesar is named Dictator for life, and doesn't explain how the political process evolved to that. Compared to the amount of details of the second part, this is a bit disappointing. It's an entertaining book and one learns a lot from it, but don't expect great insight or fantastic writing and storytelling.

I came to this book after reading Napoleon: A Life, since Napoleon so often referenced Caeser. It's a very similar book, the elites & their politics, the military campaigns & conquests & the inexorable, but by no means guaranteed, rise of someone from obscurity to ultimate power & eventual downfall. Like the Napoleon book it's very handy having Google open to explain intricacies that are unceasingly mentioned in the first 1/3rd or so but are obscure if you just stick to the book. The portrayal of Caeser the man is very clear & I can't help but think that Caeser & Napoleon would've got along really well if they'd ever met.

There are, perhaps, only a handful of names from the ancient world that are still well known to this day. Among these, Gaius Julius Caesar must surely be one of the most familiar, even to those who don't know much about history. A strong case could be made that Caesar was the most influential secular figure in ancient times. The changes he made to the Roman state shaped the course of history and politics for the next two millennia. We still use the calendar he introduced in Rome, with only minor changes. His name is synonymous with king or ruler in many languages (Kaiser, Tsar, Czar, and possibly Shah). Caesar truly was a colossus among men. Yet, in many ways, Caesar was an enigma. We know a lot about his policies and military campaigns from his own books and the writings of his contemporaries, yet his motives and ultimate designs remain a mystery. Did Caesar plan all along to overthrow the Roman Republic, or was he improvising, or was he an ambitious aristocrat in an age in which all the conventions were breaking down. Was he planning a major new campaign of conquest in the East when he was assassinated? Why did some of his supporters assassinate him? Did he intend to make himself King? Adrian Goldsworthy attempts to answer these questions and more in his comprehensive biography of Julius Caesar, Caesar: Life of a Colossus. He begins by exploring the world of the late Republic in which Caesar was born. Even in his youth, there were signs that the Republic no longer worked as well as it did in centuries past. There were class struggles, military coups, and increasing lawlesssness and egregious lust for power among the ambitious Senatorial Class. As he grew up, Caesar learned to play the game of power as well as any of his peers, becoming a prominent young lawyer and politician. Then he embarked on his remarkable military career. Goldsworthy notes that while he made some mistakes early in his conquest of Gaul, Caesar learned from them and soon became one of the greatest generals in ancient history. Although he was from the highest nobility, he developed a unique rapport with his men, who were willing to follow him anywhere. Caesar's most controversial decision was to cross the Rubicon into Italy with his army, thereby seizing power and provoking a civil war. Goldsworthy explores Caesar's motivations for this fateful decision and concludes that Caesar was more interested in preserving his safety and honor than in becoming dictator. Nevertheless, he did seize absolute power after he emerged victorious over his enemies. Caesar could be ruthless at need but, according to Goldsworthy, he was not a cruel man, and whenever possible, he preferred to pardon former opponents and sought their support. This proved to be his undoing, since several of his assassins, including Brutus and Cassius, were just such former enemies. Goldsworthy deals with each portion of Caesar's life in as much detail as possible. He tries to stick, as close to the known facts as possible, but any biography of a person who lived so long ago must necessarily include much that is speculation. He also takes the opportunity to correct popular misconceptions about life and war in ancient times, which Hollywood and popular entertainment has been all too apt to spread. Overall, Colossus is a solid and readable biography about a most remarkable man.

This is the second book by Adrian Goldsworthy that I've read and once again he does not disappoint. This is a substantial biography on one of the most established figures in history. Established in the sense that people have heard the name and for the connotations the name brings forth to different people, even if they (we) have not really studied that much about Caius Julius Caesar. Goldsworthy is an excellent historian on Roman history, particularly on the military and political aspects of that once powerful city and its empire. I'm not going to recite Julius Caesar's life journey in detail, read the book for that. This is a very well-rounded and complete (as far as is probably possible) portrait of the man and the times he lived in, from his youth to his death at the hands of the conspirators in 44 BC. Regardless of what impressions you have or final judgements you make, and I agree with Goldsworthy's conclusion in that most people will probably have a mixed opinion, you can't deny his extraordinary abilities, especially in the military sphere. It was absolutely astonishing to read of the staggering casualties his army inflicted on all his various opponents from the Gallic War to the Civil War and the comparatively minor casualties his army incurred. However, these numbers, as the author mentioned, could easily be exaggerated. Caesar made mistakes, but boy did he win and win big, time after time. But in addition to his famed military prowess, Caesar was a shrewd politician. What Goldsworthy likes to stress throughout this book is that Caesar, compared to other dictators and leaders was known for his clemency. Of course this could have all been purely for calculated political purposes, but nevertheless, those who opposed Caesar fared better than say those who opposed Sulla in the previous Civil War. This is a fair point, but does not skew the fact that he could be ruthless in times of war, but as Goldsworthy believes, even that ruthlessness was not necessarily for cruelty's sake. The author is certainly trying to put Caesar in a somewhat sympathetic or more favorable light than others might, but he also admirably places Caesar within the context of the times he lived in. This biography isn't as purely focused on Caesar as some might assume it would be. Goldsworthy gives a fair amount of attention to Roman political life in this age as well, which is necessary. The turbulent times in Roman history that transpired throughout Julius Caesar's life, who some of the other players were, the changing dynamics of Roman society, and so forth are all incorporated into this fascinating and well written book. Whatever conclusions one may reach about Caesar or Roman life and its politics in general, you surely can't deny the impact this conspicuous Roman had and how that legacy continues to fascinate us today, though we are so far removed in time from that turbulent and dramatic age. There is much we don't learn in this book and most likely will never know, which is probably another reason why many people, including myself, are drawn to this period in history. A commendable book by an eminent historian and writer.

I read a book on the collapse of the Roman republic, which ended at Ceasar crossing the Rubicon. I was irritated at that but now I see why. There is much to tell, admire, and despise about the man, and that story is told here. There are numerous typos and missing periods and punctuation in the Kindle version which one must read around.

A very straightforward, non-revisionist history. It turns out I knew Caesar's story pretty well to begin with--which is surprising for a tale this far removed in time. Of course there is always more to learn about Rome's elite. But this is a solid foundation.