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Augustus
- First Emperor of Rome
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
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Caesar
- Life of a Colossus
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 24 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Tracing the extraordinary trajectory of Julius Caesar's life, Adrian Goldsworthy covers not only the great Roman emperor's accomplishments as charismatic orator, conquering general, and powerful dictator but also lesser-known chapters. Ultimately, Goldsworthy realizes the full complexity of Caesar's character and shows why his political and military leadership continues to resonate some 2,000 years later.
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Excellent performance, timeless story.
- By Nicholas Taylor on 2018-02-26
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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How Rome Fell
- Death of a Superpower
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In AD 200, the Roman Empire seemed unassailable, its vast territory accounting for most of the known world. By the end of the fifth century, Roman rule had vanished in Western Europe and much of northern Africa, and only a shrunken Eastern Empire remained. This was a period of remarkable personalities, from the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius to emperors like Diocletian, who portrayed themselves as tough, even brutal, soldiers.
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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Alexander the Great
- Written by: Philip Freeman
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
Alexander was born into the royal family of Macedonia, the kingdom that would soon rule over Greece. Tutored as a boy by Aristotle, Alexander had an inquisitive mind that would serve him well when he faced formidable obstacles during his military campaigns. Shortly after taking command of the army, he launched an invasion of the Persian Empire, and continued his conquests as far south as the deserts of Egypt and as far east as the mountains of present-day Pakistan and the plains of India.
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Edifying
- By Langer MD on 2021-08-03
Written by: Philip Freeman
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Philip and Alexander
- Kings and Conquerors
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Neil Dickson
- Length: 20 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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This definitive biography of one of history's most influential father-son duos tells the story of two rulers who gripped the world - and their rise and fall from power.
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excellent read
- By jeff olasz on 2021-06-06
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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The Fall of Carthage
- The Punic Wars 265-146BC
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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The struggle between Rome and Carthage in the Punic Wars was arguably the greatest and most desperate conflict of antiquity. The forces involved and the casualties suffered by both sides were far greater than in any wars fought before the modern era, while the eventual outcome had far-reaching consequences for the history of the Western World, namely the ascendancy of Rome. An epic of war and battle, this is also the story of famous generals and leaders: Hannibal, Fabius Maximus, Scipio Africanus, and his grandson Scipio Aemilianus, who would finally bring down the walls of Carthage.
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It's a basic outline of the 3 Punic wars
- By Duy B. on 2019-03-20
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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In the Name of Rome
- The Men Who Won the Roman Empire
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 17 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Adrian Goldsworthy has received wide acclaim for his exceptional writing on the Roman Empire - including high praise from the acclaimed military historian and author John Keegan - and here he offers a new perspective on the empire by focusing on its greatest generals, including Scipio Africanus, Marius, Pompey, Caesar, and Titus.
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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Caesar
- Life of a Colossus
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 24 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Tracing the extraordinary trajectory of Julius Caesar's life, Adrian Goldsworthy covers not only the great Roman emperor's accomplishments as charismatic orator, conquering general, and powerful dictator but also lesser-known chapters. Ultimately, Goldsworthy realizes the full complexity of Caesar's character and shows why his political and military leadership continues to resonate some 2,000 years later.
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Excellent performance, timeless story.
- By Nicholas Taylor on 2018-02-26
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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How Rome Fell
- Death of a Superpower
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In AD 200, the Roman Empire seemed unassailable, its vast territory accounting for most of the known world. By the end of the fifth century, Roman rule had vanished in Western Europe and much of northern Africa, and only a shrunken Eastern Empire remained. This was a period of remarkable personalities, from the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius to emperors like Diocletian, who portrayed themselves as tough, even brutal, soldiers.
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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Alexander the Great
- Written by: Philip Freeman
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Alexander was born into the royal family of Macedonia, the kingdom that would soon rule over Greece. Tutored as a boy by Aristotle, Alexander had an inquisitive mind that would serve him well when he faced formidable obstacles during his military campaigns. Shortly after taking command of the army, he launched an invasion of the Persian Empire, and continued his conquests as far south as the deserts of Egypt and as far east as the mountains of present-day Pakistan and the plains of India.
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Edifying
- By Langer MD on 2021-08-03
Written by: Philip Freeman
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Philip and Alexander
- Kings and Conquerors
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Neil Dickson
- Length: 20 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
This definitive biography of one of history's most influential father-son duos tells the story of two rulers who gripped the world - and their rise and fall from power.
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excellent read
- By jeff olasz on 2021-06-06
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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The Fall of Carthage
- The Punic Wars 265-146BC
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The struggle between Rome and Carthage in the Punic Wars was arguably the greatest and most desperate conflict of antiquity. The forces involved and the casualties suffered by both sides were far greater than in any wars fought before the modern era, while the eventual outcome had far-reaching consequences for the history of the Western World, namely the ascendancy of Rome. An epic of war and battle, this is also the story of famous generals and leaders: Hannibal, Fabius Maximus, Scipio Africanus, and his grandson Scipio Aemilianus, who would finally bring down the walls of Carthage.
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It's a basic outline of the 3 Punic wars
- By Duy B. on 2019-03-20
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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In the Name of Rome
- The Men Who Won the Roman Empire
- Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 17 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Adrian Goldsworthy has received wide acclaim for his exceptional writing on the Roman Empire - including high praise from the acclaimed military historian and author John Keegan - and here he offers a new perspective on the empire by focusing on its greatest generals, including Scipio Africanus, Marius, Pompey, Caesar, and Titus.
Written by: Adrian Goldsworthy
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Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician
- Written by: Anthony Everitt
- Narrated by: John Curless
- Length: 15 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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In this dynamic and engaging biography, Anthony Everitt plunges us into the fascinating, scandal-ridden world of ancient Rome in its most glorious heyday. Accessible to us through his legendary speeches but also through an unrivaled collection of unguarded letters to his close friend Atticus, Cicero comes to life here as a witty and cunning political operator.
Written by: Anthony Everitt
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The Commentaries
- Written by: Julius Caesar
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Julius Caesar wrote his exciting Commentaries during some of the most grueling campaigns ever undertaken by a Roman army. The Gallic Wars and The Civil Wars constitute the greatest series of military dispatches ever written. As literature, they are representative of the finest expressions of Latin prose in its "golden" age, a benchmark of elegant style and masculine brevity imitated by young schoolboys for centuries.
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Must read for Roman history buffs
- By Lindsey K on 2022-05-03
Written by: Julius Caesar
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Napoleon the Great
- Written by: Andrew Roberts
- Narrated by: Stephen Thorne
- Length: 37 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Napoleon Bonaparte lived one of the most extraordinary of all human lives. In the space of just 20 years, from October 1795, when as a young artillery captain he cleared the streets of Paris of insurrectionists, to his final defeat at the (horribly mismanaged) battle of Waterloo in June 1815, Napoleon transformed France and Europe. After seizing power in a coup d'état, he ended the corruption and incompetence into which the revolution had descended.
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Bad pronunciations
- By Amazon User on 2018-06-23
Written by: Andrew Roberts
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Julius Caesar
- Written by: Philip Freeman
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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More than 2,000 years after his death, Julius Caesar remains one of the great figures of history. He shaped Rome for generations, and his name became a synonym for "emperor" - not only in Rome but as far away as Germany and Russia. He is best known as the general who defeated the Gauls and doubled the size of Rome's territories. But, as Philip Freeman describes in this fascinating new biography, Caesar was also a brilliant orator, an accomplished writer, a skilled politician, and much more.
Written by: Philip Freeman
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The Thirty Years War
- Written by: C. V. Wedgwood
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 19 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Initially, the Thirty Years War was precipitated in 1618 by religious conflicts between Protestants and Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire. But the conflict soon spread beyond religion to encompass the internal politics and balance of power within the Empire, and then later to the other European powers. By the end, it became simply a dynastic struggle between Bourbon France and Habsburg Spain. And almost all of it was fought out in Germany. Entire regions were depopulated and destroyed.
Written by: C. V. Wedgwood
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Alexander the Great
- Written by: Arrian
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the incredible story of the world's greatest conqueror, a man who single handedly changed the course of history...and who was worshipped as a god. There have been many attempts in the 2,300 years since Alexander's death to tell the epic story of this enigmatic soldier. His deeds read like the stuff of legends. Of all the chroniclers of Alexander, and there have been many famous ones, including Plutarch and Ptolemy, none have given us a clearer and truer account than the one by Arrian.
Written by: Arrian
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The War That Made the Roman Empire
- Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium
- Written by: Barry Strauss
- Narrated by: Jacques Roy
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Following Caesar’s assassination and Mark Antony’s defeat of the conspirators who killed Caesar, two powerful men remained in Rome—Antony and Caesar’s chosen heir, young Octavian, the future Augustus. When Antony fell in love with the most powerful woman in the world, Egypt’s ruler Cleopatra, and thwarted Octavian’s ambition to rule the empire, another civil war broke out. In 31 BC one of the largest naval battles in the ancient world took place—more than 600 ships, almost 200,000 men, and one woman—the Battle of Actium.
Written by: Barry Strauss
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Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths
- One of the Best-selling Mythology Books of All Time
- Written by: Bernard Evslin
- Narrated by: Todd Haberkorn
- Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Having sold millions of copies in print, Bernard Evslin’s classic retelling of the Greek myths captures the excitement and enchantment of these stories that have influenced many of today’s popular films and novels. Easy to understand and fun to read for both adults and children, it is no wonder this book has been taught in schools all over the world.
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Nice but not complete
- By Danny on 2019-01-06
Written by: Bernard Evslin
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Napoleon
- A Life
- Written by: Adam Zamoyski
- Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
- Length: 27 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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The story of Napoleon has been written many times. In some versions, he is a military genius, in others a war-obsessed tyrant. Here, historian Adam Zamoyski cuts through the mythology and explains Napoleon against the background of the European Enlightenment and what he was himself seeking to achieve. This most famous of men is also the most hidden of men, and Zamoyski dives deeper than any previous biographer to find him. Beautifully written, Napoleon brilliantly sets the man in his European context.
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Great narration. Historically biased writing.
- By Quadratic on 2019-06-10
Written by: Adam Zamoyski
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Hadrian and the Triumph of Rome
- Written by: Anthony Everitt
- Narrated by: John Curless
- Length: 14 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Acclaimed British historian Anthony Everitt delivers a compelling account of the former orphan who became Roman emperor in A.D. 117 after the death of his guardian Trajan. Hadrian strengthened Rome by ending territorial expansion and fortifying existing borders. And - except for the uprising he triggered in Judea - his strength-based diplomacy brought peace to the realm after a century of warfare.
Written by: Anthony Everitt
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Babylon
- Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization
- Written by: Paul Kriwaczek
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Civilization was born 8,000 years ago, between the floodplains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, when migrants from the surrounding mountains and deserts began to create increasingly sophisticated urban societies. In the cities that they built, half of human history took place. In Babylon, Paul Kriwaczek tells the story of Mesopotamia from the earliest settlements seven thousand years ago to the eclipse of Babylon in the sixth century BCE. Bringing the people of this land to life in vibrant detail, the author chronicles the rise and fall of power during this period.
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A good introduction to the history of Mesopotamia
- By Mauro on 2019-09-19
Written by: Paul Kriwaczek
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SPQR
- A History of Ancient Rome
- Written by: Mary Beard
- Narrated by: Phyllida Nash
- Length: 18 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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In SPQR, world-renowned classicist Mary Beard narrates the unprecedented rise of a civilization that even 2,000 years later still shapes many of our most fundamental assumptions about power, citizenship, responsibility, political violence, empire, luxury, and beauty.
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watch her on tv
- By Mackenzie on 2019-07-12
Written by: Mary Beard
Publisher's Summary
Caesar Augustus's story, one of the most riveting in western history, is filled with drama and contradiction, risky gambles and unexpected success. He began as a teenage warlord, whose only claim to power was as the heir of the murdered Julius Caesar. Mark Antony dubbed him "a boy who owes everything to a name," but in the years to come the youth outmaneuvered all the older and more experienced politicians and was the last man standing in 30 BC. Over the next half century, he reinvented himself as a servant of the state who gave Rome peace and stability, and created a new system of government-the Principate, or rule of an emperor. Adrian Goldsworthy pins down the man behind the myths: a consummate manipulator, propagandist, and showman, both generous and ruthless. Under Augustus's rule, the empire prospered, yet his success was never assured, and the events of his life unfolded with exciting unpredictability.
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Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- John MacLachlan
- 2021-05-07
excellent book and excellent perfomace
My only complaint is that I would have loved if it were twice as long and more detailed. The narration fostered immersion, rather than breaking it. That's all you can ask for in my books.
1 person found this helpful
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- Luc Briedé-Cooper
- 2018-07-19
Great content and great as an audiobook
The author carefully but more importantly, openly balances historical evidence for and against the events he describes providing alternatives always qualifying with their likelihood. This approach is a lot more true to the difficult nature of studying history where theres often little or no evidence or descriptions. Its the kind of book Im happy to listen to as an audio book since it depicts the life of Augustus chronologically although sometime it was hard to follow the confusing names of roman aristocrats and changes in circumstances. Great read! I learned a lot especially about the relationship between Roman culture and Greek culture
1 person found this helpful
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- Devin
- 2017-10-05
Informative and captivating
The somewhat lesser-known Caesar's life and times are well handled by the combination of Goldsworthy's writing and Derek Perkins' narration. For history fans looking for an interesting listen, I heartily recommend this book.
1 person found this helpful
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- Langer MD
- 2022-04-04
'Decent' Strict Biography
Oxford History Professor Adrian Goldsworthy states at the outset of this book that he plans to stick strictly to the life of Augustus - and does so. He assumes readers have at least a cursory knowledge of life in Ancient Rome - providing context only where it is absolutely indispensable to his subject's chronicle.
I have the advantage of having taken Classics courses in University - so this book is relatively rich to me: Goldsworthy provides exhaustively researched facts & dates, paints a pinpoint accurate picture, and invites the reader to draw conclusions.
The approach, however, is both problematic (the book can be extremely difficult to contextualize) and advantageous (it provokes a ton of thought).
More fortuitously, outstanding sound quality (courtesy Tantor Audio) and superior reading (per Derek Perkins) elevate the book considerably. This audiobook version is doubtless better than a paper/eBook iteration would be.
Several reviewers have commented on the confusion resulting from name-changes throughout the text. I disagree.. the Author does a nice job dividing the book into sections where Caius/Octavianus/Augustus takes on different titles & names. Rather, I would call out the self-limiting "adhere to the subject" mandate.
If you are familiar with the Ancient World, this book - informed by voluminous contemporary writings on the life of a Man-God - is creditable (Goldsworthy deftly sorts out what's fact & what's myth). If you're new to discussions of the civilization, however, I recommend reading some introductory works first ('The Great Courses' audiobooks are excellent).
Regardless, 'Augustus: First Emperor Of Rome' merits 6 stars out of 10. The majority of the book is honestly a pretty boring recounting of political alliances & maneuverings (it's most useful to genuinely interested students), but the chapter on the Wars with Marc Antony & Cleopatra is almost worth the Price of Admission on it's own.
[ATTN PRODUCERS: An appended PDF with Glossary and Timeline would improve this audiobook markedly]
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- Ali
- 2020-05-17
Worth the time.
Struggled to understand as the author kept switching between different names for each historical figure. Derek Perkins saved the day with his narration.
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- jeff olasz
- 2019-04-13
a little Augustus a lot of filler
I did enjoy the book but as the author states right at the start he didn't have much to work with from sources so a lot of padding ensued. interesting padding to be sure but well travelled padding.
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- Steven
- 2014-12-10
You know my name...say it.
Given that he was the first Principate of the Res Public of Rome, setting the template for every emperor for the next 300 years, he became overshadowed in history by his grand-uncle and adoptive father Julius Caesar and by his less stable/more flamboyant heirs Caligula and Nero. Even Clau-Clau-Claudius had a book and tv series to himself where his grandfather looked foolish and dowdy. And that's why this book is good read- it's subject is a juicy enigmatic bio/historical specimen. He not only lived through Rome's tumultuous civil wars of the 1st century BC, he came out on top and kept himself there through a combination of wits and brutish force.
Goldsworthy is a veteran Roman historian who knows the limitations and contradictions of his sources biases and his own subject's formidable propaganda machine so I think any reader should feel confident Augustus' story is given the widest breadth and most honest telling. An accomplishment for an author whose subject's identity and personality changed and transformed to fit his needs and ambitions: Gaius Octavius aka Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus aka Gaius Julius Caesar Divi Filius aka Imperator Caesar Divi Filius aka Imperator Caesar Divi Filius Augustus. These are not just frivolous name-changes, but serious agenda-setting strategem to maintain his power over the army, Senate and the people.
His rise was ruthlessly bloody- leaving one of western civilization's greatest orators, Cicero, without his hands, his toungue...his life. He parlayed his victories over Antony and Cleopatra, and Sextus Pompey into triumph, his lucky adoption by "The Divine" Julius Caesar into his own legitimacy and authority, gathered the talented and competent to his inner circle and and ruled as a king without looking or seeming like one- which to traditional Roman aristocrats was the worst eptitath, REX!
Anyone who listened to and liked Caesar: Life of a Colossus will dig this one too although some of the same territory is covered pretty heavily in Part One.
30 people found this helpful
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- Matt
- 2015-03-13
"Caesar" leftovers reheated.
Any additional comments?
I was so enthralled by Goldsworthys' "Caesar" that I immediately downloaded Augustus. I have to say I was disappointed though. First, to be fair to the author, Augustus had a lifetime to craft his public image by censorship, destruction of correspondence, and editing of historical narrative. So, while Goldsworthy had an abundance of source material to work with in "Caesar," he was much more limited in the case of Augustus. I get that, and understand.
Now, having said that, it is obvious in this book that while Goldsworthy loves Caesar, Augustus is more of a cash cow. The material and narrative isn't as engaging and some of the book clearly recycles portions of "Caesar." The author also strangely spends time reaching back to Sulla while almost sprinting through the war with Antony/Cleopatra - surely Goldsworthy knew that the causal reader would be interested in this clash (thanks billy shakespeare!), so why did he spend time reaching back to pre-Caesar while rushing through Augustus' early life? You could argue historical completeness, but it smacks of love for Caesar/disinterest in Augustus - like he had so much material, he couldn't stand to waste it on just one book, and his publisher said "heck, you have so much on Augustus, you may as well write one about him too," and Goldsworthy said, "sure, why not. I've gotta pay the mortgage..."
I'm only so hard on him because this work was so much smaller when it stands next to Caesar. It's a decent read, and Perkins is a fantastic narrator as usual, but I believe that the author should have done better by the old Princeps.
19 people found this helpful
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- Ryan
- 2015-03-03
Excellent book about Rome's first Emperor
What made the experience of listening to Augustus the most enjoyable?
As a fan of Roman History I really liked the attention to detail and depth that this book went into. Instead of being a general overview as many books on this period are, the book explored Augustus the man.
What did you like best about this story?
The detail, the description. How the setting was created and maintained by both the author and the narrator was excellent.
Have you listened to any of Derek Perkins’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have listened to Mr. Perkins' rendition of all of Adrian Goldsworthy's work, and they are all fantastic.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Not moved so much as was interesting. Learning about the Augustus' love of bawdy poetry and similar quirks was very interesting.
Any additional comments?
If you like history, not just Roman history, listen to this book.
12 people found this helpful
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- Ark1836
- 2019-05-09
Good History
I've read a lot of Adrian Goldsworthy, both his fiction and non-fiction. He is a good and knowledgeable writer. He is particularly talented at making history read more like a story. The first book in this series, Caesar: Life of a Colossus, is better. This isn't really the author's fault, though. While Augustus's life was probably ultimately more impactful to Rome and society in general, Augustus's uncle/adopted-father, Julius Caesar, had a more exciting and dramatic life. In other words, parts of this narrative are somewhat dry, but that's unavoidable since one of Augustus's greatest traits was his masterful administrative and organizational abilities--not exciting, but important. This is well-worth reading for anyone interested in learning more about Roman history and the life of a man who was so important that we still have an entire month in the calendar named after him.
10 people found this helpful
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- DrMoonUnit
- 2014-10-22
Insightful
Would you consider the audio edition of Augustus to be better than the print version?
Yes! The printed version is good, but the narrator really brings the story to life.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I found odd similarities to modern life in the United States. Both the religious groups and the state tend to act in similar ways to the ancient Romans.
Any additional comments?
Definitely worth the price.
10 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2019-04-07
Great Telling
You know a history book is good when you find yourself sad at a death that occurred 2000 years ago. Was pretty bummed when Agrippa died.... :-(
8 people found this helpful
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- Mike From Mesa
- 2018-10-13
The man who owed everything to a name
Who are the great historic figures? As a general rule we seem to consider those who had a great impact on their times and subsequent history as great, but if you were to ask people to name the great figures from Roman history you would likely get the names Julius Caesar, Cicero, perhaps the two Catos and Sulla. You might also get the names of some of the more notorious Roman emperors, Caligula and Nero, but would probably not get the name Augustus, although he had a far more lasting impact on Roman history than any of the others, including Julius Caesar. Perhaps Mr Goldsworthy is right in saying that part of that reason is that Shakespeare never wrote a tragedy about him, but his story, from being the young adopted son of Julius Caesar to his rise in power to being the most powerful and long lasting figure in Rome, is nothing short of astonishing and this book does a great service in explaining how the young Gaius Octavius rose to become the most powerful man in Rome and to live long enough to die peacefully in his bed at the age of 77.
This is the second of Mr Goldsworthy's biographies that I have read, the first being that of Julius Caesar, and the two books blend together nicely with the story of the young Octavius picking up with the assassination of Julius Caesar and, while the history of the Roman Civil War that stemmed from that event is interesting enough itself, the story of how young Octavius became Caesar Augustus, ruled Rome in a veiled monarchy and implemented relatively honest government was far more interesting to me. The fact that he was not a great general but relied upon his friend and associate Agrippa for many of his victories just seems to prove how great a man he was.
Mr Goldsworthy's writing is, as always, first class, and the story never failed in holding my interest. One of the things that I have found appealing in Mr Goldswrothy's writing is his constant honesty and even-handedness. When there is more than one explanation as to what might have happened, or in the circumstances surrounding some event, he always gives all of the possibilities along with his belief as to which is correct and why, and he never states conjecture as fact or describes the thoughts in the head of someone whose thoughts he could not possibly have known. The writing is straight forward and clear, the descriptions easy to understand and the influence of previous events always described. In short this is a great book, read wonderfully by Derek Perkins, and the reader can not fail to come away with a better understanding of the Rome of this period.
One last comment. Some have described Caesar Augustus as the cause of the end of the Roman Republic, but this book and the biography of Julius Caesar have done much to make clear that the Roman Republic actually died a long time before young Octavius set out to avenge his father's assassination. Julius Caesar stated that the Roman Republic was dead long before he brought his army back from Gaul and became dictator and Mike Duncan's book The Storm Before The Storm dates the decline and death of the Roman Republic back to the days of Pompey The Great and possibly earlier. If anything this book makes a strong case that Augustus' actions did more to save Rome than to destroy it, although those actions led directly to the excesses of some of the subsequent Emperors and the result of some generals plotting to become the next Emperor.
A great book, excellently read. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the history of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.
5 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 2017-05-30
an excellent character evaluation
A great listen, very informative and upfront about what we know and what is uncertain. Goldsworthy is an excellent historian for those with a budding interest in Roman history
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- sross1988
- 2017-01-16
easy to follow well written
very well written book goldsworthy always does an excellent job with any of his Antiquity novels about Roman literature plenty of references to Antiquity Works which makes it very easy to follow and put them into a timeline that's easy to understand
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- Serena
- 2015-10-25
Fantastic reading (listening) experience!
After listening to Caesar I couldn't get enough. Adrian Goldsworthy does it again and even exceeded his previous book with this one. He manages to convey a post-graduate class hidden within the joy of reading a novel. I can't wait to read How Rome Fell and honestly I would listen to the Oxford Dictionary if it were read by Derek Perkins, he is the very best narrator in my opinion.
3 people found this helpful