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169th out of 345 books
—
440 voters
Julius Caesar
by
Philip Freeman (Goodreads Author)
More than two thousand 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...more
Hardcover, 405 pages
Published
May 13th 2008
by Simon & Schuster
(first published 2008)
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The very last line of the book is a quote from Alexander Hamilton who "reluctantly" named Julius Caesar as the greatest man who ever lived.
I beg to differ. I will take that other J.C. over Caesar any day. And I will take Abraham Lincoln, too.
That said, Caesar's achievements are impressive indeed-- from a materialist perspective. Spiritually he was nowhere, a bloody pagan, inclined toward animal and even human sacrifice, completely lacking in a reverence for life or a sense of brotherhood with...more
I beg to differ. I will take that other J.C. over Caesar any day. And I will take Abraham Lincoln, too.
That said, Caesar's achievements are impressive indeed-- from a materialist perspective. Spiritually he was nowhere, a bloody pagan, inclined toward animal and even human sacrifice, completely lacking in a reverence for life or a sense of brotherhood with...more
The book serves as a basic summary of the events of Caesar's life, but Freeman does little to probe the man himself. I suppose this could serve as a good introduction, and Freeman writes in a readable style. Granted, there is not much material to try and probe into the personality and psychology of Caesar, but I would have preferred the author attempt some inspired guesses. Crucial questions, such as why the senators heaped honors upon him, and why he accepted them, are dealt with in a few parag...more
It’s just possible that Caesar is the most written about person in the genre of biographies – right up there alongside Shakespeare and Lincoln. If it wasn’t for HBO’s sumptuous two season masterpiece Rome, I just may have passed Freeman’s latest entry in an already voluminous number of bios on this arguably first Emperor of Rome (others will attribute this honor to his nephew and heir, Augustus – nee Octavian). But as it was available on the cheap as a remainder while I was at Powell’s in Portla...more
As a historian, Philip Freeman is thorough. As a writer, Freeman is thoroughly entertaining. He has succeeded brilliantly in bringing to life one of the most famous historical figures of all time. I found myself captivated by Freeman's narrative style and I flew through his engaging story of Caesar's life and times. Having read Shakespeare's treatment a number of times, it was thrilling to fill in the blanks and better understand the historical context in which this fascinating life was lived. T...more
I put down Adrian Goldsworthy's biography of Caesar to try this one. Goldsworthy's bio is more comprehensive, though drier, and seemed to misunderstand or ignore the significance of some events in Caesar's childhood (his being saddled with the flamen dialis priesthood chief among them). Freeman's bio, despite being breezier, handles some of these details better. Overall, it's a solid bio that provides a good understanding of Caesar and his world. However, it doesn't spend much time reflecting on...more
May 01, 2010
Nicole
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone looking to learn about Caesar
This book was really easy to read and kept me very engaged the whole time. I would highly recommend this to someone who wants to learn about Caesar and Rome during this period, but don't want to slog through a long, scholarly book.
A solid biography of Caesar. If forced to choose, I'd pick Goldsworthy's bio, which I admire greatly, but this book has the merit of brevity. More than that, though, it's tightly written, occasionally amusing, and sometimes insightful. Freeman does a good job of presenting a balanced picture of Caesar, and although it's clear that he likes his subject, Freeman shines the light of day on Caesar's warts -- his vanity, his overweening pride, his manipulative and sometimes violent nature. Indeed, I...more
Best biography ever read. While politically incorrect, to some degree, I unapologetically view him as the most impressive man who ever lived after reading the biography. He faced such awesome adversity and challenges and always ended-up on top (except until the fateful Ides of March). One is led to believe he almost had devine guidance and protection, until you come to the logical conclusion that he was a true genius in leading people to making strategic, calculated risks. His desire to clean-up...more
A little more thorough than an "on-the-go" autobiography, this book will add some insight into Caesar that I would bet even the Ancient Rome buffs do not know. I am going to do some research into the merit of the sources of our information on Caesar, as some things seem a bit too fantastic and Herculean. This is by now means a slander to the author, just a nod towards the cusp of the hazy ancient/more clarion middle ages that Caesar was a part of.
Regardless, Caesar was an amazing man that every...more
Regardless, Caesar was an amazing man that every...more
I initially began to read this book as "filler" material, you know the time when you have finished one book and are still looking for the next book that interest you. However, once I started reading I couldn't stop. This was an easy read with just the right amount of detail and summary to keep it interesting. My view on Julius Caesar has been modified and my understanding of politics as well.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in great men and their deeds as well as anyone with an interes...more
I recommend this book to anyone interested in great men and their deeds as well as anyone with an interes...more
He de reconocer que la lectura de su libro La Guerra de las Galias me descubrió a Julio César. La amena biografía que nos presenta Freeman nos da una verdadera dimensión de la talla de este personaje, no sé si como dice Alexander Hamilton, "El mayor hombre que jamás ha existido", pero sin duda uno de los mayores. Impresiona su capacidad de mando, su carisma, incluso sus dotes políticas, a pesar de los muchos fallos cometidos. De orígenes relativamente humildes, se abrió una carrera que bien pudo...more
This was a good overview of Julius Caesar's life, but if you are well read on Ancient Roman history and the Roman Civil War, this book won't provide much new information for you. In order to make this book fit into its small page size, the author had to leave out a lot of details in regards to battles and personal conflicts, although he talks about the latter in a bit more detail than the former.
However, the one area where the author delves into detail is in describing the tribes of Gaul and Ger...more
However, the one area where the author delves into detail is in describing the tribes of Gaul and Ger...more
Philip Freeman's "Julius Caesar" is a comprehensive biography of the Roman conqueror that is as straightforward and readable as the general's own "Gallic Wars". Freeman not only stitches together the various ancient accounts of Caesar's exploits but adds context to his activities by including helpful background information about his various adversaries pulled from a wealth of modern scholarship. He recounts Caesar's conquest of the Celtic tribes of Gaul against a vivid tapestry of the Celtic cul...more
Jul 31, 2011
Sanna
added it
An easy-to-read biography of Julius Caesar. No fiction, just the man behind the legendary deeds based available fact and hardly any speculation. The life of Gaius Julius Caesar is the perfect example of how real life can be more interesting than fiction sometimes.
Minus half a star for the fact that it felt like the author was in a rush towards the end of the book. The last chapters were shorter and less thorough than for example the one dealing with the war in Gaul.
Minus half a star for the fact that it felt like the author was in a rush towards the end of the book. The last chapters were shorter and less thorough than for example the one dealing with the war in Gaul.
Phillip Freeman's Julius Caesar is a highly accessible, fast pasted and fascinating read on the life of the emperor that Alexander Hamilton called the "the greatest man that ever lived."
There is no purple prose or pretentious writing here and the history is brought to life with vivid details and historical background that other authors on the subject have neglected. For example; I've read many books about Rome and have been a bit annoyed that the authors will often give--let's say--great detail...more
There is no purple prose or pretentious writing here and the history is brought to life with vivid details and historical background that other authors on the subject have neglected. For example; I've read many books about Rome and have been a bit annoyed that the authors will often give--let's say--great detail...more
Gripping and relative portrait of times long past, by an author with a qualitative knowledge on the subject and era. Caesar was one of, if the not the "greatest" man in recorded history. From the tense description of unheard of bridge-building efforts in Gaul, to stunningly well painted mental images of Roman military uniforms, this is one entertaining read! I could barely put it down, and had it read before I even entered it into my "reading" list.
An excellent biography of Caesar. Always known as a great warrior book shows Caesar's great talents as a politician. Reading Caesar's political battle with his Senate foes shows you how little has changed in the last 2,000 years. A great overview of Caesar;s early life his rise to power when he was governor of Gaul and his battle with Pompey and others to come to power in Rome.
This was a fascinating account of the life of Julius Caesar. I'm not usually that into biographies - they often seem to get bogged down in the insignificant details of a person's life. But Freeman avoided that tendency, and did an outstanding job of bringing to life the world of 1st century BC Rome. His insight into the politics of Rome was particularly brilliant, and his descriptions of Caesar's wars were enthralling. What was of the most interest, though, were the clear parallels between Caesa...more
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Alexander Hamilton believed that Julius Caesar was the greatest man that ever lived. I have a hard time sharing that opinion after reading this book. Dr. Freeman presents Caesar as a man that inflicted a holocaust upon the lives of millions of Gauls mainly to achieve his own personal wealth and fame. As a military man, Caesar's accomplishments are truly remarkable. Perhaps the question raised is, "what makes a man great".
I knew very little of Caesar's life and had little interest in reading abou...more
I knew very little of Caesar's life and had little interest in reading abou...more
This is a fine book for what it is, more like an introduction to Julius Caesar. It covers his entire life but doesn't go in depth on any aspect of it. If you are looking for that or any new revelations about Caesar you best look elsewhere. If you have just a passing interest in the man then it is a perfect book, very readable and doesn't get bogged down in nitty gritty details. I will definitely read the author's book on Alexander the Great.
This is a lively and entertaining account of the life of Julius Caesar. While Philip Freeman is a man of academic circles, he also proves that he can write a narrative of Caesar's life that the general reader-not just the academic-will be able to understand, enjoy, and learn from. His summing up of Caesar's character is great and leaves us with an impression of a man who was brave, loving, dedicated, determined, ruthless, and powerful. Julius Caesar truly is a man for all time and Freeman succee...more
Fascinante, vaya personaje, de los que ya no nacen.
El recorrido por la historia de la antigua Roma es muy ameno, rico en detalles e inevitablemente atiborrado de historias, guerras y personajes que, aunque no pueden compararse con César, se revelan como verdaderos genios de la retórica, y como no, de la demagogia, la estrategia, la guerra y demás elementos del poder.
Para resaltar, la imparcialidad del autor para retratar al emperador romano, destacando su innegable genialidad, especialmente en m...more
El recorrido por la historia de la antigua Roma es muy ameno, rico en detalles e inevitablemente atiborrado de historias, guerras y personajes que, aunque no pueden compararse con César, se revelan como verdaderos genios de la retórica, y como no, de la demagogia, la estrategia, la guerra y demás elementos del poder.
Para resaltar, la imparcialidad del autor para retratar al emperador romano, destacando su innegable genialidad, especialmente en m...more
May 19, 2009
Godetskygregory
added it
deep and gripping account of one of the greatest leaders...explores his strengths and weaknesses with equal passion.....how ruthlessness is part of the deal of great leaders...and how extraordinary the expansion of the roman vision was
This book focuses primarily on Caesars campaigns in Gaul but details his entire public life. It moves through the Gallic Wars and into his battles in Germany, Britain, and Africa. It reveals his dealings with Pompey, Crassus, Cicero, Mark Anthony and other famous rulers of the time. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in military history
I am so in love with Julius Caesar (I named my dog after him), he wanted to be a living god, we still talk/read about him 2000 years after his death...mission accomplished!
A good overview of Julius Caeser's rise to power and his subsequent fall, with excellent accounts of his various campaigns and the strategies employed. Recommended!
Love this book, love Julius Caesar ... he was amazing, and this book, though non-fiction, is very well-written and brings Caesar and his world to life.
A fantastic book about a complex individual. It lacked a little something, perhaps some "oomph", but still in general a very good book, especially for the history buffs.
I found this to be a very enjoyable read. Those who have a good grasp on Roman history may find it unenlightening but for someone who, like me, knows little of what went on over two thousand years ago it's a rollicking journey of an amazing man's life.
I thoroughly enjoyed this highly-readable, almost introductory bio on Caesar. I had read Michael Grant's book on Caesar, and while he may the most knowledgable person on ancient Rome, his prose is so dry it leaves you thirsty. This book is superbly written, almost the ideal for popular history, but like everything else written about Rome, it still left me wondering what the big fucking deal is with Cicero. I still hold that he was an eloquent ass wipe, comprable, say, to a Henry Cabot Lodge or O...more
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I teach Classics and Celtic studies at Luther College in the beautiful little town of Decorah, Iowa. I did my doctoral work at Harvard and taught at Boston University and Washington University in St. Louis before coming to Luther to help run the Classics department. I love teaching and see my writing as an extension of my work in the classroom. I hope you enjoy the books as much as I enjoyed writi...more
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