Party Politics in the Age of Cæsar (Sather Classical Lectures) (Volume 22)

by Lily Ross Taylor

Book Overview

The advice given to Cicero by his astute, campaign-conscious brother to prepare him for the consular elections of 64 B.C., has a curiously modern ring: "Avoid taking a definite stand on great public... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520012577
• Release Date: August 1961
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 268 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.4" x 0.7" x 5.7"

Customer Reviews

The dying days of politics in the Roman Republic

I ordered this book because I was busy drafting my own novel set in 80BC -50BC and with my lead character being an ambitious fellow from a leading Roman political family I was getting awfully frustrated trying to get to grips with the complicated mechanical workings of late Republican politics. Then I found this work, set 70BC - 50BC and I had to pinch myself for it was as if it had been written personally for me, so well did it cover everything I wanted to know. I possess many books on politics in this period but none of them impart a fraction of the knowledge this work contains within 255 pages. Yes its an old work, 1949 first printed. But it stands the test of time. The late Lily Ross Taylor in splendid easy to read prose has beautifully articulated all the facets of political life at the time of Julius Caesar. The relations of nobles to clients, the manipulation of the state religion for political purpose (for religion and lawmaking were inseparable), how Romans voted + how to get the vote in your favour and the way the various institutions/magistracies worked (or rather - were supposed to work). Finally the concept that Roman politics was not so much about "party" systems (for none existed) but forming/aligning oneself with "a loose aggregation of like minded associates or friends" to get your way. All the great names of the era and their roles and interactions are covered in painstaking detail. So many gems are uncovered. An example being the chapter "Cato and the Populares":Caesars battle with Cato. Seeking to bring Caesar to justice for in 58 BC for perceived disregard for state protocols/and irregularities with Treasury monies during his time as Consul, Caesar manipulates the Tribunate to honor Cato with a posting to Cyprus to govern a newly aquired province following the nonsensical dismissal of a King whose only "crime" was failing to pay his bribes to the right people quick enough (the Triumvirs). Cato accepts due to his unbreakable commitment to do as the state wants (though he is livid at the ruse) and Caesar staves off another threat. The book is just full of such accounts among protagonists and makes for page turning fare if you are a true Romanofile. By the time you have combed your way through this fascinating work, you will be in awe as to how anyone ever got anything worthwhile done or legislated. Anarchy, bi-partisan politics, violence, abuse of office, petty jealousy, murder, bribing, backstabbing, frontstabbing, use of marriage and divorce to improve career prospects - its all covered. By the end of the book you are left in no doubt as to why two civil wars followed and Emperor rule was established and the old Republic deserved the thumbs down. The worst modern democracy on a bad day was tame compared to this.