Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

If you are unfamiliar with this period of history, this is perhaps the most accessible one-volume account published to date.
Having honed his narrative skills on dark `gothic horror' thrillers Holland has brought the trails and travails of the late Roman Republic to a new generation of readers. From the Gracchi to Marius, from Sulla through Caesar to Augustus, with incisive insight into characters from Pompey to Cicero.
All these names will become familiar to the new reader, whilst the pacey narrative will draw anyone with prior knowledge of this period along.
Superb!

The above is a quote from Cicero. High praise indeed, for he mostly thought that any place which wasn't Rome was "squalid obscurity." But, as Tom Holland points out, most Romans thought of Alexandria as the one city that could compete with Rome as the centre of the world. Alexandria was the first city ever to have numbered addresses. It also had slot machines and automatic doors. Perhaps most importantly for the Romans it contained two other things: the tomb of Alexander The Great and the greatest library in the world. The library "boasted seven hundred thousand scrolls and had been built in pursuit of a sublime fantasy: that every book ever written might be gathered in one place." Mr. Holland's book is very good for several reasons. Firstly, it is well-written - both in terms of style (he has a background as a novelist) and also because it is written in the language of today rather than the language of 2,000 years ago. That statement may offend purists. If it does, I'm sorry, but I'm just being honest. For someone who is not a classical scholar, like myself, it makes the material much easier to read. The book is also good because Mr. Holland doesn't just describe historical events - he also gets into the Roman psyche and culture. Thus, we learn of the inherent conservatism of the Romans, which was always in conflict with ambition and ego. Men such as Sulla and Pompey, when implementing changes, always made an attempt to justify their actions by saying they were really trying to turn back the clock - that other people had disregarded precedent and they were only trying to restore tradition. We learn how important public service was to the Romans. You were frowned upon if you retired to the country and tried to live a life of idle pleasure. To do that was to shirk your responsibility to the community. Community was extremely important to the Romans. (Mr. Holland mentions that the Romans constructed "high-rise" buildings and, unlike today, the top floor was considered the worst place to live. That's where the poor people were put. The reason? The higher up you lived, the more "cut off" you were from the streets - and the community - below.) Another example of Roman conservatism was that there was a general suspicion of young people. Young people were too frivolous - too interested in clothes and food and sex. (This was why the Senate was made up of middle-aged men. Indeed, the word senate comes from "senex" - meaning "old man.") Proper Roman women were not supposed to show much interest in sex. Hence the saying, "a matron has no need of lascivious squirmings." (Leave that to the courtesans.) Regarding politics and "dishing the dirt," Mr. Holland shows us that things haven't changed so much in 2,000 years - we learn that Julius Caesar's enemies sniggered that he was "a man for every woman, and a woman for every man." Aspects of appearance and personality are brought to the forefront on almost every page: Marc Antony, despite his bravery in battle, was looked down upon by many people because of his reputation as a "party animal."; when Julius Caesar crossed the Rhine he thought it would be undignified to do so by boat. So he had a bridge built. After teaching the Germanic tribes to have some respect for Rome, he crossed back into Gaul and had the bridge torn down; if her image on ancient coins was anything to go by, far from looking like Elizabeth Taylor, Cleopatra was actually "scrawny and hook-nosed." (That didn't stop her from having a son by Julius Caesar and twins by Marc Antony.) This book is a very good study of many aspects of Roman society - political, cultural, military, psychological (the fascination with omens and deities)- with everything held together by interesting and charismatic personalities. I did get a little confused by trying to follow some of the political maneuvering engaged in by the various factions, but I attribute that to my lack of previous reading in this area rather than to any fault on Mr. Holland's part. I found "Rubicon" to be a very rewarding read.

Holland's narrative style means that even those with little, or no, previous knowledge of Roman history can soon find themselves totally engrossed, and enriched, by the story of the Republic's rise and fall.

It is not just the people and personalities that come to life in this book, but the nature of Rome itself. The reader is not just taken on a journey through the personal aspirations of each player, but through the mindset and aspirations of Rome as a whole.

Holland is not afraid to include the small details, such as salacious gossip of the time, which helps to add to the colour and vibrancy and brings the ancient city back to life. While the violence can appear as a bloody reminder of how far civilisation may have moved on, the political machinations have a far more familiar ring to them.

The book is littered with reminders of how much today's society has taken from, and owes to, Roman times. However, this is not done in a preachy pointed manner, rather the evidence is there for the reader to pick up on, and judge for themselves.

The main historical figures of the time, Cicero, Caesar, Pompey, etc, are the main focus of each section. Rubicon allows us to see the interaction and the power play between each of them. As the story of the alliances, oppositions and betrayals unfolds, the urge to keep reading is immense.

The book refers back to previous events in chapters, which serves to reinforce the readers understanding of events. There are maps that help to explain where places are, and their relation to Rome at the time.

Obviously, covering such a vast amount of time, and such an array of people, means that the book can only really scratch the surface of the period it covers. However, you are left with a genuine feeling that you have a better understanding of the Republic, both of itself, and the people who played a part in its history.

The book ends tantalisingly partway through Rome's history, as the Republic falls, and the Emperor's dominance begins. A subject you hop Holland will follow up with.