Crossing the Rubicon : Caesar's decision and the fate of Rome / Luca Fezzi ; translated from the Italian by Richard Dixon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fezzi, Luca, author.

Contributor:

Dixon, Richard, translator.

Standardized Title:

Dado e ̀ tratto. English

Language:

English

Italian

Subjects (All):

Rome--History--Civil War, 49-45 B.C.

Rome.

Rome--Politics and government--265-30 B.C.

Politics and government.

Rome (Empire).

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xviii, 339 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New Haven : Yale University Press, 2019.

Summary:

A dramatic account of the fateful year leading to the ultimate crisis of the Roman Republic and the rise of Caesar's autocracy. When the Senate ordered Julius Caesar, conqueror of Gaul, to disband his troops, he instead marched his soldiers across the Rubicon River, in violation of Roman law. The Senate turned to its proconsul, Pompey the Great, for help. But Pompey's response was unexpected: he commanded magistrates and senators to abandon Rome-a city that, until then, had always been defended. The consequences were the ultimate crisis of the Roman Republic and the rise of Caesar's autocracy. In this new history, Luca Fezzi argues that Pompey's actions sealed the Republic's fate. Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, including Cicero's extensive letters, Fezzi shows how Pompey's decision shocked the Roman people, severely weakened the city, and set in motion a chain of events that allowed Caesar to take power. Seamlessly translated by Richard Dixon, this book casts fresh light on the dramatic events of this crucial moment in ancient Roman history.

Contents:

1 The Stage and Its Main Characters p. 3

2 Plots and Scandals p. 39

3 The Arrival of the 'First Triumvirate' p. 53

4 Caesar, Gaul and Rome p. 67

Part II Rome In Chaos

5 From the Death of Clodius to a Sole Consul p. 89

6 Winner in a Tight Corner p. 107

7 Winds of Civil War p. 127

Part III From The Rubicon To The Surrender of Rome

8 The Rubicon p. 149

9 The Escape from Rome p. 166

10 Caesar's 'Long March' and Pompey's Flight to Brundisium p. 194

11 In Caesar's Hands p. 224

12 The Battle Fought, the Res Publica, and the City p. 245.

Notes:

Originally published in Italian as Il dado è tratto : Cesare e la resa di Roma.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780300241457

0300241453

OCLC:

1090445229

Publisher Number:

99983024342