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A History of the Roman Republic

By Klaus Bringmann

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| Paperback | 9780745633718

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Book Description

In this new and authoritative history of the Roman republic, distinguished historian Klaus Bringmann traces the rise of a small city state near the Tiber estuary into a power that controlled the Italian peninsula and created the final Empire of antiquity, an Empire that was to become both the most eContinue

1 Review

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Superbly written even though it is a translation from the original German works of the author. The manner of writing is in the spirit of Edward Gibbon (probably injected by it's English translator)but lack its grandiloquence. Incisive analysis and vivid narration but not too detailed as to bore the ... (continue)

Superbly written even though it is a translation from the original German works of the author. The manner of writing is in the spirit of Edward Gibbon (probably injected by it's English translator)but lack its grandiloquence. Incisive analysis and vivid narration but not too detailed as to bore the reader. The book has just the right amount of detail to show the fine deflection points in the history of the Roman Republic on its way to become the Roman Empire. As such, this book is an engaging read for me to the extent that combined with its notoriously long chapters and few sections per chapter, I do not know where to find a break in its narration as to afford me a pause for my engrossing read.
For the unintiated in the study of history, there are two contending thoughts on the view of history. The first viewed history as a deliberate, conscious, logical step by step progress slowly moving towards a strategic goal. The other viewed history as one of many series of accidents and unintended consequences arising from and exploited by power hungry opportunists, disenfranchised plebs, and unwavering idealist alike. This book clearly paints the latter view in its pages. The introduction of so vast a number of characters and personalities serves only to highlights such view. However, despite the parade of individuals that have a major influence in the development of the history of the Roman Republic, I lament that the author didn't put more words in elucidiating the complex motive and thinking of the most important characters in narration of the history of the Republic, namely that of Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, Sulla, Pompeii, and ultimately, Julius Caesar and Augustus. Although I submit that a few more lines or perhaps an entire chapter wouldn't do enough justice to analyze these personalities, which by their own would warrant a separate book.

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Atlas said on Jan 29, 2012 | Add your feedback