Always I Am Caesar

There are few episodes in world history that can truly be labeled epoch–making but Rome s shift from republic to empire was certainly one of them. It happened after ancient Rome was plunged into civil war and Gaius Julius Caesar emerged victorious. Military genius, tyrant, brilliant politician, first class orator, sophisticated man of letters Caesar was all of these and more. But above all, he was the catalyst of a great upheaval that was considered Rome s ultimate destiny.

Always I Am Caesar is a vivid portrait of Caesar s life and times. The text goes well beyond the biographical details of his life, however, and examines his career through a variety of perspectives from military conquests and political victories to his relationships with women and elevation to godlike status. Looking at Caesar in the context of Roman society provides us with a richer portrait of the man whose name has become synonymous with the Roman Empire itself. Accessible to all, Always I Am Caesar is a lively and engaging window into the life and times of ancient Rome during its transition from republic to empire.

List of Illustrations.

Maps.

Acknowledgements.

Introduction.

1 Caesar the Politician: Power and the People in Republican Rome.

2 Conquests and Glories, Triumphs and Spoils: Caesar and the Ideology of Roman Imperialism.

3 Pontifex Maximus: Caesar and the Manipulation of Civic Religion.

4 The Stones of Rome: Caesar and the Sociology of Roman Public Building.

5 My True and Honourable Wife: Cornelia and Pompeia, Calpurnia and Cleopatra.

6 Great Men and Impersonal Groundswells: The Civil War.

7 Great Caesar Fell: Philosophy, Politics and Assassination.

8 The Evil that Men Do: Caesar and Augustus.

Important Dates.

Bibliography.

Index

W. Jeffrey Tatum is Associate Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Sydney and was formerly the Olivia Nelson Dorman Professor of Classics at Florida State University. He has published extensively on topics in Latin Literature and Roman History. Several chapters in this book originated from a series of lectures Dr. Tatum delivered in 2005 when he was the De Carle Distinguished Lecturer in the Humanities at the University of Otago in New Zealand.

"The clear strengths of the book are its insights and its accessibility." ( New England Classical Journal, August 2009)

"Tatum′s book is an extremely good read, and the author pens balanced discourse, while probing into what is postulated as the mindset of many of the individuals who occupied different levels within Roman society." (The Classical Outlook, Spring 2009)

"Tatum has produced a highly enjoyable account of Caesar and his world. These twin foci between them generate a considerable energy, which illuminates many areas of Roman life, politics and culture, as well as the multifaceted personality of Caesar himself. It is a welcome contribution to one of the most well–tilled corners of Roman history and will hopefully provoke many minds into considering old questions in new ways." (Bryn Mawr Classical Review, March 2009)

"An important and lively contribution to Caesar scholarship. ... Jeff Tatum′s treatment is masterly, with plenty of good solutions to the controversies of Caesar scholarship, and plenty of modern comparisons to enliven the reader′s experience." (Scholia Reviews, 2009)

"Tatum gives his readers a sense of the distinctive features of Roman society and of Caesar as a great figure within its peculiar nexus of familial, political, economic, military and religious forces." (Times Higher Education Supplement)

Something ... for everyone ... .The prose flows like that of an engaging professor or storyteller. More than a biography ... .Tatum writes with flair." (About.com)