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Caesar (Paperback, New ed)
Adrian Goldsworthy, Dr Adrian Goldsworthy Ltd
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R545
R449
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The story of one of the most brilliant, flamboyant and historically
important men who ever lived. 'A superb achievement' LITERARY
REVIEW 'Combines scholarship with storytelling to bring the ancient
world to life: in his masterly new CAESAR he shows us the greatest
Roman as man, statesman, soldier and lover' Simon Sebag Montefiore
'Magnificent' DAILY TELEGRAPH From the very beginning, Caesar's
story makes dazzling reading. In his late teens he narrowly avoided
execution for opposing the military dictator Sulla. He was
decorated for valour in battle, captured and held to ransom by
pirates, and almost bankrupted himself by staging games for the
masses. As a politician, he quickly gained a reputation as a
dangerously ambitious maverick. By his early 30s he had risen to
the position of Consul, and was already beginning to dominate the
Senate. His affairs with noblewomen were both frequent and
scandalous. His greatest skill, outside the bedroom, was as a
military commander. In a string of spectacular victories he
conquered all of Gaul, invaded Germany, and twice landed in Britain
- an achievement which in 55BC was greeted with a public euphoria
comparable to that generated by the moon landing in 1969. In just
thirty years he had risen from a position of virtual obscurity to
become one of the richest men in the world, with the power
single-handedly to overthrow the Republic. By his death he was
effectively emperor of most of the known world.
'Masterly' - Robert Harris, author of Imperium 'Essential reading
for anyone interested in Ancient Rome' Independent ***** Caesar
Augustus schemed and fought his way to absolute power. He became
Rome's first emperor and ruled for forty-four years before dying
peacefully in his bed. The system he created would endure for
centuries. Yet, despite his exceptional success, he is a difficult
man to pin down, and far less well-known than his great-uncle,
Julius Caesar. His story is not always edifying: he murdered his
opponents, exiled his daughter when she failed to conform and
freely made and broke alliances as he climbed ever higher. However,
the peace and stability he fostered were real, and under his rule
the empire prospered. Adrian Goldsworthy examines the ancient
sources to understand the man and his times.
A sweeping narrative of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.
The Fall of the Roman Empire has been a best-selling subject since
the 18th century. Since then, over 200 very diverse reasons have
been advocated for the collapse of the western half of the Roman
Empire. Until very recently, the academic view embarrassedly
downplayed the violence and destruction, in an attempt to provide a
more urbane account of late antiquity: barbarian invasions were
mistakenly described as the movement of peoples. It was all
painfully tame and civilised. But now Adrian Goldsworthy comes
forward with his trademark combination of clear narrative, common
sense, and a thorough mastery of the sources. In telling the story
from start to finish, he rescues the era from the diffident and
mealy-mouthed: this is a red-blooded account of aggressive
barbarian attacks, palace coups, scheming courtiers and corrupt
emperors who set the bar for excess. It is 'old fashioned history'
in the best sense: an accessible narrative with colourful
characters whose story reveals the true reasons for the fall of
Rome.
The epic story of one of the most famous love affairs in history,
by the bestselling author of Caesar. The love affair between Antony
and Cleopatra is one of the most famous stories from the ancient
world and has been depicted in countless novels, plays and films.
As one of the three men in control of the Roman Empire, Antony was
perhaps the most powerful man of his day. And Cleopatra, who had
already been Julius Caesar's lover, was the beautiful queen of
Egypt, Rome's most important province. The clash of cultures, the
power politics, and the personal passion have proven irresistible
to storytellers. But in the course of this storytelling dozens of
myths have grown up. The popular image of Cleopatra in ancient
Egyptian costume is a fallacy; she was actually Greek. Despite her
local dominance in Egypt, her real power came from her ability to
forge strong personal allegiances with the most important men in
Rome. Likewise, Mark Antony was not the bluff soldier of legend,
brought low by his love for an exotic woman - he was first and
foremost a politician, and never allowed Cleopatra to dictate
policy to him. In this history, based exclusively on ancient
sources and archaeological evidence, Adrian Goldsworthy gives us
the facts behind this famous couple and dispels many myths.
It's 1811. Wellington has finally driven Napoleon's armies from
Portugal, but the cost has been high. Fearing a French
counter-attack, the British must rally their tired men and go on
the offensive. Lieutenant Hamish Williams of the 106th Foot
relishes the call to action. Spurred on by the prospect of at last
redeeming himself in the eyes of Jane McAndrews, he hopes for a
battlefield promotion. But Williams is marching into the bloodiest
battle of the war - Albuera. As entire regiments are destroyed in
the desperate pursuit of victory, the fate of Williams and his
comrades hangs in the balance . . .
'[A] Jane Austen-meets-Bernard Cornwell novel' Daily Mail Raw
recruits march under the summer sun. But on distant shores a
terrible event is about to sing its siren's song to the true
soldier gentlemen of Britain. For it is 1808, and the Peninsular
War is about to erupt . . . Meet the men of the 106th Foot, a new
regiment staffed by young gentlemen who know nothing of war.
William Hanley is in the army because he has no other livelihood.
Hamish Williams, a man without money or influence, is hoping war
will make his name. Their friend Billy Pringle believes the rigours
of combat will keep him from the drinking and womanising that are
his undoing. And for George Wickham, battle is simply another means
of social climbing. When the band of four are plunged into a savage
war against the veteran armies of Napoleon, they find their
illusions shattered and their lives changed for ever as they face
the brutality of the battlefield . . . Combining the vivid detail
of a master historian with the engaging characters and pulsating
action of a natural storyteller, True Soldier Gentlemen is perfect
for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Patrick O'Brian, C.S. Forester, Allan
Mallinson and Simon Scarrow. ********************* 'It's so well
written, flows so well, that the detail does not drag you down . .
. a fantastic read, well written, well laid out and absorbing from
start to finish' Goodreads reviewer 'Having now read quite a few
novels set during the Napoleonic Wars, I was extremely impressed by
Adrian Goldsworthy's knowledge of the period and his ability to
relate this to the reader without it reading like a history text'
Goodreads reviewer
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