Caesar: Life of a Colossus

As Adrian Goldsworthy writes in the introduction to this book, "in his fifty-six years, Caesar was at times many things, including a fugitive, prisoner, rising politician, army leader, legal advocate, rebel, dictator . . . as well as husband, father, lover and adulterer." In this landmark biography, Goldsworthy examines all of these roles and places his subject firmly within the context of Roman society in the first century B.C. Tracing the extraordinary trajectory of Caesar's life from birth through assassination, Goldsworthy covers not only Caesar's accomplishments as charismatic orator, conquering general, and powerful dictator but also lesser-known chapters during which he was high priest of an exotic cult, captive of pirates, seducer not only of Cleopatra but also of the wives of his two main political rivals, and rebel condemned by his own country. Ultimately, Goldsworthy realizes the full complexity of Caesar's character and shows why his political and military leadership continues to resonate some two thousand years later.

“"It gives me great pleasure to give Caesar the strongest possible recommendation. Caesar was a complex character living in confusing times, but Adrian Goldsworthy tackles the subject with a vigor, thoroughness and clarity of purpose that the great man himself would have approved of."--Philip Sidnell, Editor, Ancient and Medieval History Book Club (London) "Goldsworthy's book will remain the definitive biography of Caesar for years to come."--Philip Matyszak, author of The Sons of Caesar: Imperial Rome's First Dynasty "Adrian Goldsworthy is one of our most promising young military historians today."--Sir John Keegan, author of The Iraq War "Adrian Goldsworthy is one of the new generation of young classicists who combine 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, author of Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar " Caesar is an accessible, balanced, and highly readable contribution to our understanding of one of Rome's most complex characters. No one writing in English today knows more about Roman military history than Adrian Goldsworthy."--Guy MacLean Rogers, author of Alexander: The Ambiguity of Greatness”

"[An] excellent biography. . . . Goldsworthy tells this story with great skill and narrative force . . . [he] provides a great deal of vivid detail."-Mark Miller, Wall Street Journal "An authoritative and exciting portrait not only of Caesar but of the complex society in which he lived."-Steven Coates, New York Times Book Review "A rich and remarkably complete panorama of the times and the man. . . . The best introduction to Caesar and his world that is currently available."-Karl Galinsky, Bookforum "This book makes and insightfully explains the leap from Caesar the soldier and general to Caesar the statesman and nation builder. It's better than any book I've ever read on him, and more incisive."-Wall Street Journal (cited by Leo J. Hindery Jr., CEO of InterMedia Partners VII LLP, as recommended reading of biographies and autobiographies of great leaders for those plotting a career path to the corner office) "The man who virtually defined the West's concept of leadership comes alive in this splendid biography. Military historian Goldsworthy gives a comprehensive, vigorous account of Caesar's conquest of Gaul and his victories in the civil war that made him master of Rome. But he doesn't stint on the nonmartial aspects of Caesar's life-his dandyism, his flagrant womanizing (which didn't stop enemies from gay-baiting him), his supple political genius and the flair for drama and showmanship that cowed mutinous legionaries and courted Rome's restive masses. Goldsworthy's is a sympathetic profile. . . . More compellingly than most biographies, Goldsworthy's exhaustive, lucid, elegantly written life makes its subject the embodiment of his age."-Publishers Weekly (starred review) "This is an engaging and well-drawn resource for those who wish to be introduced to the man who was Caesar. . . . Additions to Goldsworthy's text include a chronology of key events, a glossary, and notes. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries."-Library Journal "[A] definitive and entertaining new biography. . . . Goldsworthy is renowned as a military historian, but his coverage here of messy late Republican politics is also authoritative and crystal clear. He gives us a colourful sense of the wider world and Roman society at this time, and above all, the commanding, unmistakable presence of the timelessly fascinating man himself."-Christopher Hart, Independent "The analysis of Caesar's generalship is predictably excellent, the account of the Gallic wars, in particular, has rarely been bettered."-Tom Holland, The Spectator

Named one of the 100 noteworthy books of the year (2006) by the Kansas City Star

Chosen as an "Outstanding" title in the 2007 Association of American University Presses (AAUP) University Press Books for Public and Secondary School Libraries Winner of the 2007 Society for Military History Distinguished Book Award in the biography and memoirs category Named a Number 1 Editor's Choice in Biography by amazon in 2006 Named a Best Book of 2006 by Amazon.com "It gives me great pleasure to give Caesar the strongest possible recommendation. Caesar was a complex character living in confusing times, but Adrian Goldsworthy tackles the subject with a vigor, thoroughness and clarity of purpose that the great man himself would have approved of."-Philip Sidnell, Editor, Ancient and Medieval History Book Club (London)

"Goldsworthy's book will remain the definitive biography of Caesar for years to come."-Philip Matyszak, author of The Sons of Caesar: Imperial Rome's First Dynasty "Adrian Goldsworthy is one of our most promising young military historians today."-Sir John Keegan, author of The Iraq War

"Adrian Goldsworthy is one of the new generation of young classicists who combine 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, author of Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar

"Caesar is an accessible, balanced, and highly readable contribution to our understanding of one of Rome's most complex characters. No one writing in English today knows more about Roman military history than Adrian Goldsworthy."-Guy MacLean Rogers, author of Alexander: The Ambiguity of Greatness

Adrian Goldsworthy was educated at St. John's College, O

Adrian Goldsworthy was educated at St. John's College, Oxford, where he completed his doctorate in ancient history, xford, where he completed his doctorate in ancient history, specializing in the military history of the Greek and especispecializing in the military history of the Greek and especially Roman periods. He is the author of "The Roman Army at Wally Roman periods. He is the author of "The Roman Army at War 100 BC-AD 200", "In the Name of Rome: The Men Who Won thear 100 BC-AD 200", "In the Name of Rome: The Men Who Won the Ro

As Adrian Goldsworthy writes in the introduction to this book, "in his fifty-six years, Caesar was at times many things, including a fugitive, prisoner, rising politician, army leader, legal advocate, rebel, dictator . . . as well as husband, father, lover and adulterer." In this landmark biography, Goldsworthy examines all of these roles and places his subject firmly within the context of Roman society in the first century B.C. Tracing the extraordinary trajectory of Caesar's life from birth through assassination, Goldsworthy covers not only Caesar's accomplishments as charismatic orator, conquering general, and powerful dictator but also lesser-known chapters during which he was high priest of an exotic cult, captive of pirates, seducer not only of Cleopatra but also of the wives of his two main political rivals, and rebel condemned by his own country. Ultimately, Goldsworthy realizes the full complexity of Caesar's character and shows why his political and military leadership continues to resonate some two thousand years later.

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