With so many primary sources having survived to the present day, it is easy to see that the man was nothing short of a genius in his time. The successful administration of an empire that spanned most of the known world was no small task in a world without electronic communication (or electricity of any kind) the fact that Augustus so solidly laid its foundation that it was able to grow and prosper for half a millenia is a testament to his skill.Īn opinion that Everitt often comes back to is that the success of Rome, and by extension the eventual course of western European history, would not have been possible in the hands of anyone but Augustus. He clearly feels that of Augustus’ considerable legacy, efficient statesmanship is his grandest triumph. Once the rebellious lovers are vanquished, Everitt’s writing prowess returns. In academically deromanticizing this often-told tale, he almost succeeds in stripping it of any drama whatsoever. His focus and narrative passion seems to weaken in recalling the civil war Octavian fought against Mark Antony and Cleopatra. He relishes introducing readers to the world that Augustus, then Octavian, was raised in. One of the most interesting conclusions I came to was that Augustus was very much the embodiment of the state he helmed: powerful, sophisticated, multi-faceted, not without vice, and often incredibly dangerous.Įveritt’s work is comprehensive and accessible. Not nearly as dense as Adrian Goldsworthy’s Caesar, Everitt’s Augustus still manages to paint vivid pictures of its subject, his family (both biological and honorary), and the world in which he lived. My education on the foundation of the Roman Empire is complete, for the moment, now that I have closed the cover on Anthony Everitt’s Augustus.
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