RUBICON

Tom Holland needs no introduction. One of the most versatile writers on antiquity out there. His grasp of historical events and their interpretation across the Eastern and Western halves of the Roman Empire are enjoyable to read and impressive in their coverage of the issues.

What can you say about Tom Holland- extraordinaire and more you attempt to define his writing, more you are intrigued by his works - his flair for writing, his vivid imagination and beyond doubt his innate ability to weave tapestries and tons of it is peerlessly. He is one author who has through this book, which is a supposedly a historical narrative,has not only entered and dwelled superlatively the minds and machinations of several Roman protagonists of the ilk of Sula, Marius, Caesar, Pompei, Cato, Cicero,Crassus, Antony etc but his recanteur skills are so engrossing and enterprising that as a reader, you are utterly fascinated by the subjects, you can feel their pulse and you are no more partisan but like a chameleon keep on alternating, as the narrative gets grimmer, rosier, more melodramatic and like a delectable serving you don't want it to end. Your curiosity and certainly your fascination for ancient Romans and their flair for war, barbarity, politics, infighting, rhetoric has been unimplicably ignited and with the characteristic narrative flowing ebblessly along with the characters, you invariably tend to sketch the potraits of several events that have been magisterially described by the author, as if he is describing the contemporary events , stretching the scanty historical information to its limits. Highly recommended for all even if it is the start of your journey into the times of ancient Romans, let this be it and mind it, you will not regret having expended time reading it for there is no doubt once you have read few more tomes of that era , you would revert to an encore.

For someone with limited or no knowledge of Roman history; this book is an eye opener. Its written like a thriller and covers the fall of the Roman Republic. The book doesn't expect you to have any prior knowledge of the subject however a parallel wiki search now and then enhances the experience.

Very good book. Gave rare insights about Ancient Rome, so much so I am reading it again. Would love such books.

Astoundingly well written. Superb blow by blow telling of events that always seemed like a faint cry from far back in history, but thanks to Tom Holland, these towering historic figures come to life, and are figuratively in front of you. That is how good his portrayal of people from Scipio Africanus, to Marius and Sulla, and onwards on to Pompey, Crassus and Caesar. If there's one book you need about the Roman republic, it need be only this.

Not suitable for Noobs into Roman history, i lost interest by 147th page. His rest of the books are great, this was the only boring book of Holland i have read

"Narrative History", so nennt man den Stil von Tom Holland (und anderen) wohl. Das wird von Hardcore-Historikern und Puristen sicher nicht ernstgenommen oder sogar abgelehnt. Aber sei es drum, das nehme ich gerne in Kauf. Bei Holland wird der Alltag römischer Politiker in den letzten ca. 100 Jahren der Republik bis zu deren Ende unter dem ersten Kaiser Augustus (Octavian) lebendig. Fast meint man, die Protagonisten in der Toga über das Forum schlendern zu sehen. Trotzdem (oder vielleicht deswegen ?) werden die Ereignisse historisch und wissenschaftlich korrekt wiedergegeben. Vielleicht mag man Holland die teilweise plakative Erzählweise, die hin und wieder zu drastischen Schilderungen greift (Crassus' Untergang gegen die Parther ist ein gutes Beispiel...) krummnehmen, mir hat das Lesen mehr Spass gemacht, als wenn ich mich durch die sonst übliche, staubtrockenen Aufzählung von Ereignissen, Kriegen, Schlachten etc. hätte durchkämpfen müssen. Holland gelingt es dabei, alle Winkel und Ecken des politischen Lebens in der römischen Republik zu durchleuchten. Plötzlich tauchen Figuren auf, deren Namen man zwar mal gehört hat (Catilina z.B.), mit denen man aber sonst nicht viel anzufangen wusste und gewinnen an Profil. Andere, die sonst prominent abgehandelt werden - wie bspw. Cäsar - bleiben, wie in der damaligen Realität auch, erst einmal verschwommen, um dann mit politischen Schachzügen und Intrigen Farbe und Charakter zu gewinnen. Besonders gut ist das Holland bei Octavian, Cäsar und Pompeius gelungen. Das Leben anderer - z.B. Cicero - zieht sich hingegen wie ein roter Faden durch einen Großteil des Buchs. Alles in allem ein wahres Feuerwerk und mit viel Vergnügen und Spannung lesbar !

Well written, entertaining, and true to history. A fine book well worth reading. Found it more interesting than many others on the history of Rome.

Uno de los mejores libros sobre Roma que he leido. Ha llegado rapido y en perfecto condicion.

I am interested in Roman History and found this book to be a very satisfying and informative read. I shall be looking to purchase more books by Mr. Holland.

Loved the details and the broad sweep. He makes the drama clear but manages to convey a good deal of information