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Lucullus: The Life and Campaigns of a Roman Conqueror
The military achievements of Lucius Licinius Lucullus (118-57/56 B.C.) have been the subject of admiration and great respect throughout the history of the study of warfare. Yet there have been few studies dedicated to a comprehensive examination of exactly how Lucullus conquered the Roman East and made it a more or less cohesive part of the empire.
Lee Fratantuono considers every aspect of Lucullus life, starting with the training and education of a future Roman officer, but the greatest emphasis is on his military strategy and tactics during the Third Mithridatic War and his military adventures in Armenia. His most famous achievement was his victory against immense odds at the land battle of Tigranocerta. We are also reminded that he one of the most formidable naval strategists of the Roman Republic.
Lucullus complicated relationship with Sulla and Crassus is explored and the study concludes with the retirement of the man Pliny the Elder memorably referred to as 'Xerxes in a Toga', a patron of the arts and master of a life of horticulture and reflection.
Lee Fratantuono considers every aspect of Lucullus life, starting with the training and education of a future Roman officer, but the greatest emphasis is on his military strategy and tactics during the Third Mithridatic War and his military adventures in Armenia. His most famous achievement was his victory against immense odds at the land battle of Tigranocerta. We are also reminded that he one of the most formidable naval strategists of the Roman Republic.
Lucullus complicated relationship with Sulla and Crassus is explored and the study concludes with the retirement of the man Pliny the Elder memorably referred to as 'Xerxes in a Toga', a patron of the arts and master of a life of horticulture and reflection.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 25, 2020
So, this book actually won me over. For about the first half, I wasn’t that engrossed in it beyond vague academic interest. I had never heard of Lucullus before, and while the picture presented of him was blandly admirable, I saw little to grab my attention. It doesn’t help that non-fiction books, particularly of military campaigns, sometimes can fall into reciting figures and statistics – numbers fielded, casualties, dates, etc. – which can get very dry if the author doesn’t actively work to remind you that these were real people and what the stakes were.
But the book really came alive for me as it got into what we might call the greatest of Lucullus’ life’s works: his command of the campaign against the bold challenger to Rome, King Mithridates VI of Pontus. Mithridates was a significant threat, and the task consumed years, leading Lucullus further east beyond Rome’s borders. Here, his competence becomes excellence, both in the diplomatic arena and in executing victories that arguably set him among the ranks of Rome’s greatest generals. This made me sit up and take notice. How is it possible, I asked myself, that Lucullus’ name is all but forgotten, while names such as Pompey and Crassus will gain a flicker of recognition even from the non-historian? The answer possibly comes from Lucullus’ historical rivals, whose character assassination of him resulted in his recall on what appears to be the flimsiest of contrived pretexts. His final years are unusual in their obscurity; Lucullus largely appears to have retired from active politics, and indulged a passion for library collections and carefully manicured villa gardens, before a rapid mental degeneration and peaceful death. It is both melancholy and surprisingly tranquil given the record of other notable Roman generals who met their downfall through assassination, battle, or execution in a variety of colourful and gruesome ways.
I was reasonably convinced of Lucullus’ innocence – even later in life, when he clearly made a point of enjoying his wealth, it doesn’t seem that he succumbed to nearly the degree of indolence or excess that he was accused of – but I keep in mind the fact that the author’s admiration for Lucullus was apparent throughout. I don’t think there was any wilful glossing over of the facts or avoidance of Lucullus’ flaws, but then I haven’t read an opposing view of Lucullus’ life, so I can’t be completely sure. I was slightly suspicious of the author’s take on Mithridates VI as a less than competent king and general, having heard praise in the past for Mithridates as one of Rome’s thorniest opponents, so that will be interesting when I get around to the two Mithridates biographies sitting on my shelf.
All in all, however, I’d say this was a good read.
7 out of 10
But the book really came alive for me as it got into what we might call the greatest of Lucullus’ life’s works: his command of the campaign against the bold challenger to Rome, King Mithridates VI of Pontus. Mithridates was a significant threat, and the task consumed years, leading Lucullus further east beyond Rome’s borders. Here, his competence becomes excellence, both in the diplomatic arena and in executing victories that arguably set him among the ranks of Rome’s greatest generals. This made me sit up and take notice. How is it possible, I asked myself, that Lucullus’ name is all but forgotten, while names such as Pompey and Crassus will gain a flicker of recognition even from the non-historian? The answer possibly comes from Lucullus’ historical rivals, whose character assassination of him resulted in his recall on what appears to be the flimsiest of contrived pretexts. His final years are unusual in their obscurity; Lucullus largely appears to have retired from active politics, and indulged a passion for library collections and carefully manicured villa gardens, before a rapid mental degeneration and peaceful death. It is both melancholy and surprisingly tranquil given the record of other notable Roman generals who met their downfall through assassination, battle, or execution in a variety of colourful and gruesome ways.
I was reasonably convinced of Lucullus’ innocence – even later in life, when he clearly made a point of enjoying his wealth, it doesn’t seem that he succumbed to nearly the degree of indolence or excess that he was accused of – but I keep in mind the fact that the author’s admiration for Lucullus was apparent throughout. I don’t think there was any wilful glossing over of the facts or avoidance of Lucullus’ flaws, but then I haven’t read an opposing view of Lucullus’ life, so I can’t be completely sure. I was slightly suspicious of the author’s take on Mithridates VI as a less than competent king and general, having heard praise in the past for Mithridates as one of Rome’s thorniest opponents, so that will be interesting when I get around to the two Mithridates biographies sitting on my shelf.
All in all, however, I’d say this was a good read.
7 out of 10
November 29, 2019
He wasn’t Pompey or Caesar but he may have their equal as a general. He was a Roman of the old school. His one flaw. His troops did not love him. Unlike Pompey or Caesar he did not have the ambition to be dictator of Rome.
July 27, 2021
A man not given the recognition he deserved a Roman General. This is an easy read and tells the story from junior officer to gourmand - "to feast like Lucullus!" His military strategy was first rate only to suffer from the usual replacement and for another to take the glory. This is the first boook I have seen written about Lucullus and would strongly recomment it.
May 6, 2022
A great Roman general that unfortunately stood in the shadow of even bigger ones (Caesar and Pompey). This biography gives a good inside of what Lucullus (sometimes probably) had done in his career.
Overal a good biography but nothing special.
6.5/10
Overal a good biography but nothing special.
6.5/10
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews