The Roman revolution

The Roman Revolution is a profound and unconventional treatment of a great theme - the fall of the Republic and the decline of freedom in Rome between 60 BC and AD 14, and the rise to power of the greatest of the Roman Emperors, Augustus. The transformation of state and society, the violent transference of power and property, and the establishment of Augustus' rule are presented in an unconventional narrative, which quotes from ancient evidence, refers seldomly to modernauthorities, and states controversial opinions quite openly. The result is a book which is both fresh and compelling.

User reviews

LibraryThing member uvula_fr_b4

Sir Ronald Syme's analysis of the rise of Octavian/Augustus is comprehensive and breathtaking (though, I've since discovered, lacking in certain small ways: for instance, Syme never names the Arval Brotherhood as one of the priesthoods that Augustus revived as part of his efforts to "purify" the

Roman people); Syme examines the Augustan Revolution through the lens of contemporary events in Europe (remember, the original date of publication was 1939), and it is this vantage point, left largely unremarked but lurking always in the background, that gives the book its urgency and, I suspect, its controversy. Syme relies almost exclusively on ancient sources; his statement of purpose in his introductory chapter ("The present inquiry will attempt to discover the resources and devices by which a revolutionary leader arose in civil strife, usurped power for himself and his faction, transformed a faction into a national party, and a torn and distracted land into a nation, with a stable and enduring government" [p. 4]) doubtless caused many of Roman Revolution's original readers many a disquieting moment: could Germany's self-proclaimed "Thousand Year Reich" really be a'borning? And what about the Soviet Union..? If I had to sum up this book in 15 words or less, I'd say "Faction is everything:" while Syme doesn't promote the fuzzy and paranoid thinking that goes by the label of "conspiracy theory," conspiracies were rife in those days, and what you did often counted for far less than who you knew. Rom. Rev. has changed the way that I look at politics in general; for that alone, it is well worth the time and effort I spent reading it.

Show Less

6 more

LibraryThing member gmicksmith

This original master work by a craftsman of Roman history is superb. The primary lesson of the Roman Revolution for us is the classic warning of a powerful leader who came to power in the midst during a time of chaos or disruption. Syme relates the final years of the ancient Roman Republic and the

creation of the Roman Empire by Caesar Augustus. A momentous warning, in 1939, it was immediately controversial although timely in light of World War II. Its thesis is that the structure of the Republic and its Senate were inadequate to the needs of Roman rule, and that Augustus was merely doing what was necessary to restore order in public life. This was a situation not unlike the contemporary events in Nazi Germany and the other fascist regimes.

Syme relies on prosopography, as described by Friedrich Münzer, to demonstrate Augustus' covert but undisputed power. His manipulation of the Roman client system and the development of personal relationships into a "Caesarian" faction then eliminated the competition. The inexorable process culminated in the exploitation of his relationship as a relative of Julius Caesar to pursue Caesar's assassins, then over a period of years to gradually incorporate his personal power and prestige while all the while nominally restoring the Republic in name only. Augustus then appears as a crafty politician in Rome's constitutional crisis.

His conclusion of inevitability is less strongly supported than his elucidation of the usurpation process and the major challenge to his view appears in The Last Generation of the Roman Republic, where Erich Gruen argued that the traditional view of the Republic's decay is not actually supported by the objective evidence.

Show Less

LibraryThing member jorgearanda

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.

Show Less

LibraryThing member thcson

This kind of historical writing is nowadays confined mostly to journal articles and historical biographies. The focus 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 becomes tedious.

Show Less

LibraryThing member RoaldEuller

Dense, but unbelievably well informed.

LibraryThing member harefoot

This book is a classic. It is true that Syme assumes knowledge but given that it was written in the1930s as fascism grew and that contemporary situation informs his writing he is forgiven for his assumption. I woould recommend this book to anyone with a desire to learn more of the chaotic, bloody,

politically thrilling end of the republic

Show Less

LibraryThing member DinadansFriend

A college text, I recall. A clear presentation of the ferment of the period preceding the Augustan Empire. Syme was using the material to advance the idea that Octavian was a man with a totalitarian bent, and program that he gradually shaped and implemented. I rather agree. though there has been

two revisions since the original publication in 1939, the book is still to be found.

Show Less

Fewer