- Paperback: 368 pages
- Publisher: Harvard University Press; Reprint edition
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0674090012
- ISBN-13: 978-0674090019
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.4 x 2.2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 363 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #565,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
No one interested in history should lack this thoroughly documented masterwork, the culmination of forty years of scholarship devoted to the last days of the Roman Republic. (Boston Globe )
The book which students of Roman history have neededa book which at every point gives access to the ancient sources. It is a wise book, written by one of the wisest of Roman historians. (Times Literary Supplement )
The book which students of Roman history have neededa book which at every point gives access to the ancient sources. It is a wise book, written by one of the wisest of Roman historians. (Times Literary Supplement )
Product Description
In 1912 a young scholar published a slim volume investigating the social structure of the late Roman Republic, which was in due course to transform the study of Roman history. The author, Professor Gelzer, went on to hold the Chair of Ancient History at Frankfurt and to become the greatest German-speaking historian of the Roman Republic since Mommsen. In 1921 he published his Caesar, which has by now gone through six editions in Germany and is still the standard account, in any language, of Caesar and his age. It amply fulfills the author's intent "to give the educated public a lively picture of the complete political career of one of the great statesmen of the past."
Based on a conscientious evaluation of the abundant source materialsprimarily the writings of Caesar and his contemporariesProfessor Gelzer's portrait renders Caesar in heroic proportions, destined and determined from the beginning to overthrow a corrupt aristocracy. The sixth edition (1960), brought up to date and provided with full annotations by the author, is the basis of this translation, which for the first time makes the work available in English.
With Professor Gelzer's approval, some minor errors have been corrected, both in the text and in the chronological table and the map at the end of the book, and an analytical index of names has been added.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hail Caesar,
By Barxrockingm (Wolfville, NS) - See all my reviews
This review is from: CAESAR Politician and Statesman (Paperback)
Who would have thought Roman politics could be exciting? Fights in the senate, riots in the streets...Great stuff.This is a study of Caesar's political career, but you still get a feel for his personality, too. It is thorough and scholarly, but still very readable. It didn't bore me at all, although I'm a little bit in love with Caesar, so anything about him interests me. However, if you want to know more about his life and/or military career, you're better off with another book. My only complaint is the untranslated Latin quotes in the footnotes. I do have a dictionary, but it's annoying having to look everything up.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating.... Republic scholars must read!,
By
This review is from: CAESAR Politician and Statesman (Paperback)
If you are a student of the final years of the Roman Republicor Julius Caesar, this book is for you. I first read Anthony Everitt's Cicero (which I liked) and it's brief discussions of Caesar were enough to pique my interest in further study of Caesar. After researching a bit, Gelzer's biography seemed to be the most lauded- and having read it- rightly so. The level of detail in this book is incredible. There are hundreds of footnotes indicating sources and often containing quotes in their original language which is as often Greek as it
5.0 out of 5 stars
The classic biography of Caesar,
By
This review is from: CAESAR Politician and Statesman (Paperback)
In writing a Web biography of Julius Caesar, I read dozens of books trying to explain this chameleon man, probably the most famous Roman who ever lived. And after it all, I came back to this as my firm choice as THE book to read if you want a comprehensive, scholarly, yet still fascinating excavation of everything we truly know about Caesar. Gelzer's book is a classic on everyone's list. First published in German in 1921, Gelzer labored and rewrote it over half a century, reading and rethinking all the time. It was finally translated into English in the 1960's. As he modestly concludes, "Much has been written about Caesar. The appearance of despotic rulers [Stalin, Hitler] of quite a different stamp has not always been favourable to the judgment passed on him. A fresh study of the sources has, on the whole, convinced me of the correctness of my interpretation." Gelzer makes those sources lucid, explaining contradictions, noting where a history is political rather than factual, smoothing out inconsistencies and providing copious notes for the reader who wants to learn more. There is a clarity and precision to his writing that is oddly restful, yet continually interesting, for which we must thank the readable translation by Peter Needham. In recent years, it has become fashionable to dismiss Caesar as a power-hungry megalomaniac, to psychoanlyze him, to portray him from every vantage point; but no one can deny his genius. Gelzer, unlike some modern biographers of Caesar, never strays from the facts; his thoughtful and precise narrative of every scintilla of truth remaining to us, takes you as close to the man as you are ever likely to get. About the true nature of Julius Caesar, every thinking reader must make up his own mind. Gelzer will give you the best tools to do so, while painting an unforgettable portrait of the failing Roman Republic.
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