Augustus: The Biography

Description

The great modern biography of Augustus, founder of the Roman Empire Octavian was a young soldier training abroad when he heard news of Julius Caesar's brutal assassination - and discovered that he was the dictator's sole political heir. With the opportunism and instinct for propaganda that were to characterize his rule, Octavian rallied huge financial, military and political backing to take autocratic control of a state devoted to Republicanism. He became Augustus, Rome's first Emperor and founder of the greatest empire the world had ever seen. In this monumental biography, translated into English by Anthea Bell, Jochen Bleicken tells the story of the man who found himself a demi-god in his own lifetime.

Jochen Bleicken, who died in 2005, specialized in Roman history and held professorships at Hamburg, Frankfurt and G ttingen. A passionate teacher, he continued to lecture until he was seventy-three. His previous works include The Athenian Democracy and History of the Roman Republic. Anthea Bell is an award-winning translator of French and German literature. Her recent work includes translations of W.G. Sebald, Stefan Zweig and E.T.A. Hoffmann.

An unequalled biography -- Harry Mount * Spectator * Masterful ... a breathtaking panorama of Roman politics at a crucial turning point in history -- Simon J. V. Malloch * Literary Review * Jochen Bleicken's biography of Rome's first emperor is excellent on the young Octavian and his wheeling and dealing -- Natalie Haynes * Independent * A superb account ... It should become standard reading for everyone interested in the foundations of the Roman empire -- Peter Jones * BBC History Magazine * Worthy, authoritative, magisterial and impressive * The Times *