Caesar: Politician and Statesman (Paperback)

by Mattias Gelzer (Author), Peter Needham (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

Review
No one interested in history should lack this thoroughly documented masterwork, the culmination of forty years of scholarship devoted to the last days of the Roman Republic. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
No one interested in history should lack this thoroughly documented masterwork, the culmination of forty years of scholarship devoted to the last days of the Roman Republic. (Boston Globe )

The book which students of Roman history have needed…a book which at every point gives access to the ancient sources. It is a wise book, written by one of the wisest of Roman historians. (Times Literary Supplement )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (October 15, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674090012
• ISBN-13: 978-0674090019
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #323,885 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The classic biography of Caesar, March 9, 2003

By	Suzanne Cross "Virtual Graeco-Roman" (Santa Fe, New Mexico United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In writing a Web biography of Julius Caesar, I read dozens of books trying to explain this chameleon man, probably the most famous Roman who ever lived. And after it all, I came back to this as my firm choice as THE book to read if you want a comprehensive, scholarly, yet still fascinating excavation of everything we truly know about Caesar.

Gelzer's book is a classic on everyone's list. First published in German in 1921, Gelzer labored and rewrote it over half a century, reading and rethinking all the time. It was finally translated into English in the 1960's. As he modestly concludes, "Much has been written about Caesar. The appearance of despotic rulers [Stalin, Hitler] of quite a different stamp has not always been favourable to the judgment passed on him. A fresh study of the sources has, on the whole, convinced me of the correctness of my interpretation." Gelzer makes those sources lucid, explaining contradictions, noting where a history is political rather than factual, smoothing out inconsistencies and providing copious notes for the reader who wants to learn more. There is a clarity and precision to his writing that is oddly restful, yet continually interesting, for which we must thank the readable translation by Peter Needham.

In recent years, it has become fashionable to dismiss Caesar as a power-hungry megalomaniac, to psychoanlyze him, to portray him from every vantage point; but no one can deny his genius. Gelzer, unlike some modern biographers of Caesar, never strays from the facts; his thoughtful and precise narrative of every scintilla of truth remaining to us, takes you as close to the man as you are ever likely to get. About the true nature of Julius Caesar, every thinking reader must make up his own mind. Gelzer will give you the best tools to do so, while painting an unforgettable portrait of the failing Roman Republic.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Buy This Book..., October 11, 2002

By A Customer

Do not buy this book if you're looking for gossip about Caesar's [love] life or his romance with Cleopatra. You're not going to find any dirt or gossip about his private life; just a very sober,well argued and researched political biography. Along the way you'll hopefully come to appreciate just how remarkable Caesar's accomplishments were, given the obstacles he had to overcome along the way. Among the points which Gelzer makes is how completely different the ancient Roman Republic was compared to our modern ideas of a democratic republic. In fact, it was nothing more than an oligarchy where leadership changed hands among a rich,and ambitious elite. By Caesar's time this political system was on its last legs and it was inevitable that a general leading an army was going to overthrow the whole system at some point. While it's true that Octavian(Augustus)deserves credit for creating the system of government which ruled the empire he inherited,it's also true that he wouldn't have been able to do this had Caesar not paved the way before him. Add to this the fact that he was able to do just about anything better than any of his contemporaries and you begin to see why has continued to remain such a fascinating (and controversial)figure down through history.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating.... Republic scholars must read!, February 19, 2004

By	Stephan P. Newhouse (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are interested in the final years of the Roman Republic
or Julius Caesar, this book is for you. I first read Anthony
Everitt's Cicero (which I liked) and it's brief discussions of
Caesar were enough to pique my interest in further study of Caesar.
After researching a bit, Gelzer's biography seemed to be the most
lauded- and having read it- rightly so.

The level of detail in this book is incredible. There are
hundreds of footnotes indicating sources and often containing
quotes in their original language which is as often Greek as it
is Latin. Gelzer really shows us the genius and abilities of
this most fascinating man- perhaps the boldest, most brilliant
military commander in history- not to mention an equally talented
politician! Caesar deserves our attention.

If you can handle great detail and really want to know Caesar and his times, you will like this book.