This book begins seven months before the Ides of March, in 45 BC, with Caesar planning to enter Rome in triumph to declare the end of the Civil War. This is an excellent book, bringing together all that we know and don’t know with some ideas in the why and commentary on the impact. The aftermath covers familiar ground, and is a good summary. Other materials drop her for this period. I was glad that Strauss noted that Cleopatra was in Rome at Caesar’s villa in this period. Primary sources bring us fragments but point to a whole different oration by Mark Antony. Again, Strauss reminds the reader that Shakespeare’s plays are fiction. ![]() I like how Strauss shows where sources conflict, agree and/or remain silent, especially in describing the assassination, immediate aftermath and the funeral. Strauss shows how Shakespeare’s take is buried deep within the lore – the most treacherous ingrate was not Brutus but Decimus. You learn of Caesar dismissing his body guards, Calpurnia’s warning and Caesar being late to the meeting. He tells about the omens read from birds, dreams and weather patterns. He describes events that may have triggered it and the personal motives of the plotters. Strauss believes the conspiracy began a month before the assassination. If this is the first, and to my knowledge it is, thank you Barry Strauss for your long overdue work. There must be an earlier book focusing on this event for the general reader. It seems that this must have been done before. ![]() The lesson of high profile assassinations is cruel: If you kill the leader, you have to kill the supporters and enablers or, in the aftermath, no one is safe. I was prompted to revisit this after reading Persians: The Age of the Great Kings and there are parallels. ![]() The marvel of how a teenager was able to bend the political class to support him was clearer to me now that I have seen how the members of major a US political party have fallen in line for fear and/or career. He clearly, despite the sudden loss of his friend/colleague/mentor had to swallow that Caesar preferred the teenaged Octavian to him, and showed great leadership. Another stand out was the leadership of Marc Antony. Strauss, in plain language, notes the family ties and how forebears fought for or against Sulla and Pompey. This time, what stood out were the relationships of the participants. It was better this time since there are 7 more years of life experience to bring to it.
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