Rubicon
by Tom Holland · first published 2003
63% recommend38% neutral
Why HN recommends it
An engaging, readable account of the decline of the Roman Republic. It serves as a starting point for newcomers and as a companion to other histories of Rome, pairing well with Mary Beard's SPQR.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
A vivid historical account of the social world of Rome as it moved from republic to empire. In 49 B.C., the seven hundred fifth year since the founding of Rome, Julius Caesar crossed a small border river called the Rubicon and plunged Rome into cataclysmic civil war. Tom Holland’s enthralling account tells the story of Caesar’s generation, witness to the twilight of the Republic and its bloody transformation into an empire. From Cicero, Spartacus, and Brutus, to Cleopatra, Virgil, and Augustus, here are some of the most legendary figures in history brought thrillingly to life. Combining verve
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Great books to start: - Rubicon by Tom Holland - SPQR by Mary Beard - Dynasty by Tom Holland - Caesar by Adrian Goldsworthy (more of a bio on Julius C, a bit drier than the above, has section on Alesia)
on “Battle of Alesia” ↗> Rubicon by Tom Holland I'm currently listening my way through The Rest Is History, the podcast he does with Dominic Sandbrook. Very entertaning, highly recommended!
on “How to Roman Republic, Part IV: The Senate” ↗…appearances of the republic. (Even what we call Roman Empire were still nominally a Republic with Senate and elections held for various offices every year at Fields of Mars). I recommend everyone reading Rubicon by Tom Holland. https://www.amazon.com/Rubicon-Tom-Holland/dp/1400078970
on “To Understand Rising Inequality, Consider Janitors” ↗Rubicon by Tom Holland - https://www.amazon.com/Rubicon-Tom-Holland/dp/1400078970 Christopher Browning, Ordinary Germans Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution - https://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Men-Reserve-Battalion-Soluti...…
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite history books?” ↗I'll second Tom Holland. I read "Rubicon" not too long ago. I would recommend pairing it with Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast series on the era for an extremely cohesive and engaging account of the Roman republic's decline.
on “Books on Ancient Greece Recommended by Christopher Pelling” ↗…reading in clusters. I find that to be one way to really gain depth on a topic. I thought I was a bit of a buff on Ancient Roman history after finishing Mary Beard's SPQR. After reading Tom Holland's Rubicon, and some of Dan Carlin's podcasts on it, I realized how complex, and full of disagreement that world is. It really gave me a huge appreciation for the people that actually study this stuff, moreso than…
on “Reading fast, reading well, and reading widely (2020)” ↗I recently read Rubicon by Tom Holland, and honestly I came away from that book feeling like it's Sulla, not Caesar, who truly deserves the blame for the downfall of the Republic. Like yeah, Caesar crossed the Rubicon, but that…
on “How to Roman Republic, Part IV: The Senate” ↗Rubicon by Tom Holland. I am currently (re)reading Gibbon.
on “In the Ruins of Edward Gibbon's Masterpiece” ↗I agree. After reading a few Tom Holland books (not really historical fiction) like Dominion, under the shadow of the sword, millennium, Rubicon you start to realise how awful ancient civilizations were. Slavery was just a just an accepted norm. Likelyhood of disease or famine killing you was way higher. Worst of all was probably lack of proper…
on “Why Are We Living in a Golden Age of Historical Fiction? (2019)” ↗