Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic (Paperback)

Rome was unlike anything the world has ever seen before. By the beginning of the first century BC, it was an empire in everything but name. That name though, republic, was the characterization that set it apart from the rest of the world, dominated by monarchies. Romans were citizens, they had rights, they could vote. Of course, it was far from inclusive, but it was better than anything else as yet devised. Still, in that time, and even earlier as Holland interestingly points out, the signs of fracture and decline were evident. They were cloaked though, hidden behind the amazing wealth and power that the Roman state was amassing. Without serious rivals, the republic was expanding at an epic rate, giving her total control of the riches of the Mediterranean and the East. Roman economics soon brought massive amounts of worldly wealth into the peninsula, and the other Italian states were quickly fusing into the pan Roman sphere of influence. On that measure, Rome was anything but sick. Holland foreshadows the eventual decline with observations on the nature of the expansion, which give a very complete picture of the republic's last century. By the time we reach the real turning points mid century, the reader is well versed in the lead up to the noteworthy tones of fate.

There was something intrinsic in the Roman attitude that led to the death of the state itself. It was a nature of proud wealth, of arrogant advancement and worship of success. These traits, somewhat uniquely Roman, mixed into a witches brew that would spell disaster for Rome in the long run. Great men rose, men such as Marius and Sulla, who were willing to break convention and pursue their own interests, at the expense of the state's welfare. Social stratification also gave rise to increasingly chaotic and unhealthy political showdowns, slowly degrading the once steadfast traditions of good republican governance. The march of conquest also brought unheard of wealth and power to the conquerors, men like Pompey, Crassus, and, most importantly, Caesar. These giants of Rome soon became so all powerful that they could hold sway in almost any situation, until they challenged each other. The victor would be the most cunning, the bravest, and history has shown that once the Rubicon was crossed, western civilization would never be the same.

All of these events are wonderfully delivered in a very accessible way. It is just an amazing book, and it should really enrich anyone interested in the foundations of the West. Sadly, because of the political climate, these happenings are rarely taught in the schools anymore, so a whole generation is produced with little understanding of this seminal issues. A more modern political debate has arisen between classical scholars over the relevance of these stories. Recent books by conservatives like Victor Davis Hansen lend credence to the Athens-America model, that America is a powerful democracy with designs more economic than territorial. I think that Holland lines his ancient history with modern left thinking on America, but it is staid and hardly convincing, in my mind. While one can find numerous parallels between 21st century America and the later Roman Republic, one can also point to numerous differences. This argument does not take away from the effectiveness of this book, and it should be enjoyed by any reader.