Product Description

Taken from Appian’s Roman History, the five books collected here form the sole surviving continuous historical narrative of the era between 133-35 BC - a time of anarchy and instability for the Roman Empire. A masterly account of a turbulent epoch, they describe the Catiline conspiracy; the rise and fall of the First Triumvirate; the murder of Julius Caesar; the formation of the Second Triumvirate by Antonius, Octavian, and Lepidus; and brutal civil war. A compelling depiction of the decline of the Roman state into brutality and violence, The Civil Wars portrays political discontent, selfishness and the struggle for power - a struggle that was to culminate in a titanic battle for mastery over the Roman Empire, and the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra by Octavian in 31 BC

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40761 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-30
• Original language: Latin
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

Customer Reviews

Appian's Civil Wars
Appian's account of the Roman Civil Wars seems to be a much ignored text. He wasn't a witness to the events like Caesar, and he wasn't a great biographical writer like Plutarch. Yet his work stands as the only unbroken account of the years 133 to 70 BC, making his history a rather special one.

The book doesn't end in 70 BC, but rather it covers everything to the defeat of Sextus Pompeius, Pompey Magnus's son. Along the way Appian describes the revolt of Spartacus, the Catiline conspiracy, the rise and fall of the First Triumvirate, Julius Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon, and the rise of the Second Triumvirate and the terrible proscriptions that followed.

Appian isn't the best writer of the Classical World, but his book is still worth a read. John Carter's translation is good, and he also provides an introduction where he re-evaluates Appian's work as an 'impressive conception'.

If you have an interest in those pivotal years that ended with the death of the Republic, then this book is a must read. It can be difficult to get into but if you persist you will be rewarded. A thoroughly impressive work of ancient scholarship.

Leaves me wanting more
This takes a bit of time to get going, but the central chapters (how do you solve a problem like Julius Caesar?) are really involving, particularly the terror and turmoil that followed his death. You also get a bit of Spartacus thrown in and some really useful notes.

My one bone to pick is that Appian left all the Egyptian elements to a different history, so if you're looking for Cleopatra and the final days of Mark Anthony, you won't find it here. So you don't get to see Octavian become Augustus and effectively end the Civil Wars. A pity.