The War That Made the Roman Empire

“Actium was one of the most important battles in history, and Barry Strauss brings this stunning maritime collision vividly to life.” – Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret) 16th Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and author of Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World’s Oceans“The victory at Actium, Mr. Strauss argues in this splendid book, allowed Augustus to build an empire that lasted for nearly 500 years. The price was the destruction of the man who dared to oppose him, along with the woman for whom he had risked everything.” – Arthur Herman * The Wall Street Journal *“Barry Strauss has the rare ability of being able to bring ancient history to life in a way that is both profoundly learned and highly readable… . [Although ] most readers will know the outcome of one of history’s most famous battles, Strauss somehow manages to maintain the suspense and tension until its end… . Superbly recounted.” – Andrew Roberts * The National Review *“[Strauss] is both a first-rate scholar who knows and understands his subject thoroughly and a fluent communicator… . A splendid account of those dramatic events and people who may not have been all that nice but were certainly never dull.” – Adrian Goldsworthy * The New Criterion *“A master historian of the ancient world’s wars turns his attention to the battle that laid the foundations for the Roman Empire… . Few historians can bring such a battle alive better than Strauss… . It must now be considered the most up-to-date history of its subject.” * Kirkus Reviews *“A grandiose love affair, doomed lovers, a trio of titanic rivals, deadly political intrigue, culminating in a seismic battle at sea—historian Barry Strauss is the perfect narrator for this epic episode in ancient empire-building.” – Adrienne Mayor, author of Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology“Barry Strauss pulls off the historian’s hat trick with his new book, The War That Made the Roman Empire. One, he tells the amazing true story as it truly happened; two, he brings the true historical characters vividly to life; and three, he puts it all within the Big Picture and tells us what it means. You feel as if you’re present at the events as they unfold, yet at the same time you’re getting the global contour and context of this drama as it affects, and has affected, our own time. The War That Made the Roman Empire is Strauss at the top of his game.” – Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of Gates of Fire and A Man at Arms

Barry Strauss is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, the Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies Emeritus at Cornell University, and a leading expert on ancient military history. He has written or edited several books, including The Battle of Salamis, The Trojan War, The Spartacus War, Masters of Command, The Death of Caesar, and Ten Caesars.

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