The Roman Revolution (original 1939; edition 2005)

Edition: // Descr: xi, 568 p. 20 cm. // Series: Call No. { 947 S97 } Contains Appendix : the Consuls, List of Works Refered to, Index, and Genealogical Tables. // //

Edition: // Descr: xi, 568 p. 19.5 cm. // Series: Call No. { } // John E. Rexine Library Donation //

The focus of this book is squarely on the agency of individuals. The author explicitly rejects other modes of explanation, such as social or economic theorizing. This approach has its merits, but since this book was clearly intended for specialists you would have to be very familiar with this period of roman history to appreciate the author's analysis. For the non-specialist, the overwhelming barrage of unfamiliar names and the lack of general narrative soon become tedious.

I imagine this treatise on the fall of the Roman Republic is priceless to historians, but it makes for a terrible introduction for the layman --I had to check other sources constantly, as Syme assumes some familiarity with the events he describes and brushes over some critical points.

Syme advances the theory that political movements require the formation of strong factions to be successful, and he convincingly describes the factions that held the Caesarian and Augustan regimes together. The last third of his book aims for completeness of description, and as a result loses strength and cohesion. ( )

The Roman Revolution by Ronald Syme (2002)