Roman History Books and More

book review: 'antony and cleopatra' by adrian goldsworthy

The story of Antony and Cleopatra is one of love, but also one of politics, war and ambition. The actual events were intensely dramatic – hence the appeal to novelists, dramatists and screenwriters. Looking at the facts as far as we know or can confidently guess them only reinforces the drama. So does the acknowledgment of what we do not know, for many of the mysteries remain fascinating in themselves. A closer look at the truth exposes an episode of human history more remarkable than any invention. It may not be the story we expect, or even perhaps like to believe, but is one of lives lived intensely at a time when the world was changing profoundly.

So writes Adrian Goldsworthy in an excerpt published recently in connection with an NPR radio interview about his latest book, Antony and Cleopatra.

Some of what I found surprised me, and – though this was less unexpected – there were vast differences to the popular impression of the story. If it was valuable to look at Caesar's career with a straightforward chronology, and to emphasise the human element in his own behaviour and that of his associates and opponents, it soon became clear that most other aspects of the period would benefit from the same approach.

This approach also is a very careful one; as the author writes, "There is much we simply do not know about both Antony and Cleopatra – and indeed most other figures from this period. The gaps should not be filled by confident assertions drawn from the author's own mental picture of Cleopatra as she ought to have been."

I like the new (revived?) practice of writing about Ancient history for the general reader. Adrian Goldsworthy is a master of this genre, and "Antony and Cleopatra" does not disappoint.

The author advises his readers that this is not a history of Ancient Rome and Egypt but a biography, and that he will only relate those events that are directly related to the lives of the protagonists. However, he creates enough of an historical and social background to give the general reader a good understanding of where we are – and maybe an increased interest in the Ancient world per se. … Mr. Goldsworthy's approach is very similar to the one he used in Caesar: Life of a Colossus.

The story of Antony and Cleopatra as portrayed here is no less fascinating than if they were the romantic characters their afterlife makes us believe. Mr. Goldsworthy's exhaustive examination of their lives and his easy writing style make them real life personae and fascinating characters. There is enough drama without the propaganda and the later inventions, from companionship, high living and pageantry to the final tragedy.

Complete review

Readers might also be interested in N.S. Gill's review of the book.

hydraulos, or the water organ

The water organ features in our current read, Last Act in Palmyra, the Marcus Didius Falco mystery by Lindsey Davis.

Now our friend Robert of Matters Arising reminds me that he blogged the water organ in September:

I’ve been reading Lindsey Davis’s Falco series, and as the Roman History Reading Group is due to read Last Act in Palmyra in December, I thought I’d blog a few items.

One reason for our hero travelling to the Eastern edges of the Empire is to track down a missing hydraulis player. The hydraulis or water organ is said to have been invented by Ctesibius in the 3rd century BC. In Ctesibius’s version, water was used to regulate the flow of air through pipes to produce music from a keyboard, but as time went by the use of bellows became as popular as water. Both versions of the instrument died out in the West after the fall of the Western Empire, but survived in the East.

read all

  The above photo comes via the Wikipedia link. Click on image for larger view.

Note: The server of LacucCurtius may be tempoarary down, here is Smith's Dictionary on the subject.

adrian goldsworthy interview on 'talk of the nation': 'antony and cleopatra'

HT Lindsay Powell, here is Adrian Goldsworthy on NPR's Talk of the Nation:

The True Story Of 'Antony And Cleopatra'

They are arguably the most famous lovers in history. Marcus Antonius of Rome stood at the pinnacle of power, fighting to be the most powerful man in the known world; and Cleopatra VII Philopator was the queen of one ancient civilization, Egypt, and heir to the unmatched cultural achievements of another, Greece.

Their love affair, their war together, their defeat and, finally, their suicides have been told and retold for centuries. But most of those retellings have been far from accurate, according to author and historian Adrian Goldsworthy.

Goldsworthy, author of Antony and Cleopatra, describes the couple's true story and why so much of what we know about them is wrong.

Listen to the interview.

The interview is awsome! Plus an excerpt from the book. This book is the best I've read so far on the subject. My review is in the works. (I know, I know, I'm slow)

Antony and Cleopatra by Adrian Goldsworthy.
Also available in Kindle format.

images of ancient petra

Quest for Solomon's Mines on Nova tonight (though not entirely satisfactory as a documentary) has some nice images of Ancient Petra, the beginning of Falco and Helena's adventure in our current read, Last Act in Palmyra.

Petra (Wikipedia)

first december mystery read: 'last act in palmyra' by lindsey davis

On Wednesday, December 1 we'll discuss Last Act in Palmyra, a Marcus Didius Falco mystery by Lindsey Davis. It's quite a tome, so if you haven't started reading it yet, now is the time!

A little help with useful external links
Lindsey Davis' plot summary

… and you are getting quite a tour through Nabatea and Syria, in the comfort of your favorite chair.

Enjoy!

 

for alma-tadema fans

Alma-Tadema fans will enjoy this from the Three Pipe Problem blog:
Visual inspiration & the rehabilitation of Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema – The Complete Works

fustel de coulanges: the ancient city

In his online chat with us last night, Barry Strauss mentioned Fustel de Coulanges, The Ancient City, "one of the really great books on the Greco-Roman world – even though a lot of its ideas have proven wrong." La Cité antique (1864)

The book can be downloaded from the Internet Archive:

The ancient city : a study on the religion, laws and institutions of Greece and Rome

Or as PDF file from the McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought.

Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges (Wikpedia, handle with care)

spartacus books (barry strauss, peter stothard)

We had an enjoyable chat tonight tonight with Barry Strauss about his book, The Spartacus War, thank you again, Barry!

I had meant to ask him about a very recent book by Peter Stothard, On the Spartacus Road: A Spectacular Jorney Through Ancient Italy, but hadn't gotten around to it by the end of the chat.  However, chat member Eric pointed me to Barry Strauss' own review in the WSJ: A Failed Rebel's Long Shadow.

I totally second this review! It also makes one want to explore more Ancient sources.

The book is an excellent companion to "The Spartacus War."

the metropolitan museum online: roman games: playing with animals

Tangentially related to our current book chats, i.e., games and gladiators, this was posted on the Met Museum's Facebook page today:

Roman Games: Playing with Animals

Public games were a major part of Roman culture, playing an important role in the social and political life of the city and its empire. Although the games had their roots in funeral or religious rites, by the late Republican period (ca. 70–31 B.C.), they had become a hugely popular form of public entertainment. They took several forms but all were essentially either races or fights. Known as ludi and munera, games could be staged in purpose-made arenas, most notably the Colosseum (L.2007.9.46) and Circus Maximus (L.2007.9.68) in Rome, either separately or combined in lengthy festivals.

Above Image: Gladiator cup, ca. 50–80 a.d.; Neronian–Early Flavianic; Roman; Found at Montagnole, suthern France Glass

From the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.

Enjoy!