The Roman History: The Reign of Augustus

by Cassius Dio, John Carter (Introduction), Ian Scott-Kilvert (Translator)

Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of Rome (27 BC-AD 14), brought peace and prosperity to his city after decades of savage civil war. This selection from Cassius Dio's Roman History gives the fullest description of that long struggle and ultimate triumph - detailing the brutal battles and political feuds that led to the collapse of Rome's 400-year-old republic, and Augustus' subsequent reign as emperor. Included are accounts of military campaigns from Ethiopia to Yugoslavia, and of long conflict with Antony and Cleopatra. With skill and artistry, Dio brings to life many speeches from the era - among them Augustus' damning indictment of Antony's passion for the Egyptian queen - and provides a fascinating account of the debate between the great general Agrippa and Maecenas on the virtues of republicanism and monarchy.

Genres: History, Classics, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Roman History, Roman, Ancient

479 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 230

About the author

Cassius Dio or Dio Cassius (c. 155 – c. 235) was a Roman statesman and historian of Greek origin. He published 80 volumes of history on ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dio is to some extent the victim of circumstances beyond his control. He avowedly imitates Thucydides in his literary and historiographic style. And the surviving portion of his work focuses on roughly the same period covered by Tacitus. As a result, Dio inevitably finds himself compared to the two greatest historians in antiquity.

Viewed objectively, Dio's work provides us with a reliable account of a critical moment in European history. The fictionalized debates between Maecenas and Agrippa and between Augustus and Livia give illuminating dramatizations of the ideological considerations behind Augustus's domestic policies -- policies that would remain in place for two centuries. His description of Actium and the fall of Antony and Cleopatra give some insight into the personal and political issues underlying events that time and Augustan revisionism have largely hidden. He also provides us with our most detailed account of the Varian disaster.

Dio is writing during the reign of Caracalla. He thus provides the last full-scale historical expression of classical culture before the disasters of the third century laid the groundwork for Ammianus on the one hand, for Eusebius on the other.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Dio's style is influenced by Thucydides more than I'd like, I appreciate this work nonetheless. Covers, for me, one of the most interesting people and periods of Rome. In particular Augustus' reforms and attitudes towards the senate are especially interesting. Requiring senators to actually attend meetings on set days and giving more transparency to the senate's undertakings are surely positive moves, but increasing the property requirements for entry to the senate from 400,000 sesterces to 1,000,000 a negative.

[Udy Kumra · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. I really did not expect to enjoy reading an ancient text this much, but I did. This is probably my favorite of the ancient histories that I've read except for Herodotus and Ammianus Marcellinus. It might have just been the translation, but the prose was not needlessly complex nor overly simplified, and the characterization was fantastic. Plus, Augustus fuckin' rocks, who wouldn't want to read this?

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 5 out of 5]

a detailed historical account of the reign of Augustus Caesar, the first Roman Emperor. In this work, Dio chronicles the period of Roman history following the assassination of Julius Caesar, the rise of Augustus to power, and his rule over the Roman Empire.

The book covers various aspects of Augustus's reign, including his political reforms, military campaigns, social policies, and efforts to consolidate power. Dio presents Augustus as a pivotal figure who transformed Rome from a republic into an empire, establishing stability and ushering in an era known as the Pax Romana, or Roman Peace.

Throughout his narrative, Dio discusses Augustus's strategies for maintaining control, his attempts to restore traditional Roman values, and his initiatives to foster peace and stability within the empire. The book also delves into the challenges Augustus faced, including internal conflicts, succession issues, and efforts to manage the vast Roman territories.

it portrays Augustus as a skilled leader who navigated the complexities of governance, employed diplomacy, and implemented reforms to restore order and prosperity to Rome after years of civil war. Dio emphasizes the importance of Augustus's rule in shaping the future of the Roman Empire, marking a transition from chaos to stability and setting the stage for centuries of imperial rule.

Meanwhile, Cleopatra, a fav of mine, is portrayed as a cunning and politically astute ruler of Egypt, known for her intelligence, charm, and ability to navigate the complex political landscape of the time. Her relationship with Mark Antony is presented as a strategic alliance aimed at securing her position and influence in the Roman world.

Dio describes Cleopatra as a woman of exceptional intellect and charisma, capable of influencing powerful Roman leaders. He highlights her role in the events leading to the conflict between Mark Antony and Octavian (later Emperor Augustus), focusing on her attempts to secure her kingdom's interests through her relationships with influential Roman figures.

it's essential to note that Dio's portrayal of Cleopatra may be influenced by his biases as a Roman historian.

Ancient sources often write through the lens of Roman propaganda to serve political agendas, and Dio is not exempt from this. But with this in mind, this book serves as a valuable historical account that sheds light on the reign of Augustus Caesar and its significance in the history of the Roman Empire, highlighting themes of political leadership, governance, and the establishment of a new era in Roman history.

[Andrada · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given I read several accounts of the Civil Wars and they all tended to end at the same point, namely the death of Anthony and the ascendance of Augustus as sole ruler, I realized I didn’t know much about what actually followed except that Augustus ruled for a long time and was considered the first and most accomplished of the emperors. Because of this, I decided to fill in the blanks so to speak and read Cassius Dio’s account of his reign.

While Augustus was not a brilliant military leader (there were several successful generals during his rule, but he rarely achieved any military success himself), he was definitely a great reformer and a moderate character. Those being the precise reasons I think that he is not a historical character quite as notorious as Caesar and Anthony and his exploits beyond the end of the civil wars are not as well known. He was however just what the Roman people needed after all the internal strife of the civil wars. The emperors seem to have a history of poor choices in choosing successors, although in Augustus’ defense all his first choices perished prematurely and shortly before his death he may have been considering reinstating the last son of Agrippa as a possible successor.

The Reign of Augustus is a rather dry read, but if you’re interested in the events of those years, it’s a good account of them although there are places where Dio only touches upon certain subjects without elaborating on them and it makes you want to find out more about them from other sources.

[Mick Barnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great summary of the life of Augustus, and his many accomplishments. It not only shares many of the details and anecdotes that more contemporary works might ignore, but also nicely shows the important events of the time from the Roman perspective. In our present day, where people often draw comparisons between the modern US and Ancient Rome, this was a useful work to understand how power ultimately concentrates in the hands of a few as democracies and republics destabilize, and how the ruins of democracies can give life to more centralized governments, for better or worse. It was especially interesting to see Cassius Dio’s characterizations of the arguments for and against both democracy and monarchy, and to see how the Roman’s experiences ultimately lead them towards the latter.

Although like many ancient works it can be prone to run on sentences and rambling passages, it is very digestible for a work from this period. It was also pretty easy to speed read through some of the less interesting portions.

Overall, this was an excellent read, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about Rome.

[Carlos Montes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very detailed and comprehensive – albeit overwhelming – account on the life of arguably Rome's greatest Emperor and one of history's influential leaders. It encompasses both his political and military achievements, as well as his failures; but his administrative successes outweigh the minor political inconveniences of his reign as Princeps (First Citizen). That includes his social, economic, and military reforms, literary advocacies, and large building projects that ushered an era of relative peace and prosperity in Rome (Pax Romana), which lasted for a hundred years. A truly remarkable historical document that would greatly serve as a supplementary material in historical education.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An example of the merging of Roman and Greek historical writing styles. With the political and social deductions akin to Polybius, and the oratory skill of Livy, Dio is able to create a biography of Augustus, as well as a moral blueprint for future emperors (shame on you, Commodus).

I especially liked book 52, where Augustus hears arguments from Agrippa and Maecenas on whether to accept the title of King. Likewise the ending speech from Tiberius, delivered at the funeral of Augustus, encapsulates his accomplishments.

[Tony Blackmore · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first chapter focusing on Octavian’s disputes with Mark Antony and detailing the Battle of Actium and its aftermath was a rip roaring great read. According to Dio, the outcome was not a foregone conclusion and could of gone the other way. Dio shudders at the thought of Cleopatra ruling from Rome, but how would today’s world look if that had come to pass? That chapter alone made it worthwhile.

[Susanne Knudsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

For at forstå Augustus' regeringstid er dette nok en af de bedste bøger til formålet. Dio giver en samlet fortælling, også hvis man læser bøgerne før denne, og da han er den antikke kilde, som fortæller mest om Augustus er han bestemt værd at læse

[Heather Domin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a re-read of the Augustan section of Dio's Rome for research purposes. I still enjoy his way with words.

[Marcos Augusto · Rating 4 out of 5]

His history of Rome consisted of 80 books, beginning with the landing of Aeneas in Italy and ending with his own consulship. Books 36–60 survive in large part. They relate events from 69 bc to ad 46, but there is a large gap after 6 bc.

Dio’s industry was great, and the various offices he held gave him opportunities for historical investigation. His narratives show the hand of the practiced soldier and politician; the language is correct and free from affectation. His work is far more than a mere compilation, though: it tells the story of Rome from the perspective of a senator who has accepted the imperial system of the 2nd and 3rd centuries. His account of the late republic and the age of the Triumvirs is especially full and is interpreted in light of the battles over supreme rule in his own day. In Book 52 there is a long speech by Maecenas, whose advice to Augustus reveals Dio’s own vision of the empire.

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and easy read. This covers the life and reign of Augustus. Truly one of the greats of Roman rulers. One of the things I enjoyed the most is the information of all the battles with the various Gaulish, Germanic, and other tribes that are elaborated upon. You are able to find information on people movements as they migrated to new areas and how far the Romans pushed into Germania. The speeches that were put into the mouths of the people were also very well done, much of what they had to say could so easily be applied to today's times as well. They can be read with great profit as sound advice.

[Jarod · Rating 3 out of 5]

Potentially of much historical interest, though beyond that I find it hard to recommend vis a vis his Wikipedia page. The problem--potentially feature--is all that Antiquity, though I see slogging through it, pondering it, wrestling with the implications, as an honorable activity--even for Americans. One may hope we'll have come as far in the next 2000 years.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic account of the Augustan age and an absolute MUST READ for fans of this period. In terms of the translation and excess materials provided, they are all phenomenal and help provide more context. Not the most entertaining reading I will admit, but incredibly interesting; would recommend.

[Jay Waghray · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original

[Abigail]

Y'know technically this is like 4 books in one

[Maan Kawas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, I highly recommend

[Mads Floyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Augustus.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Augustus Caesar, telling Romans to stop being slutty and instead get married and have babies since 9 AD.

[Evi · Rating 3 out of 5]

helemaal klaar met romeinse schrijvers na dit onderzoek zucht

[Mario Cianfarani · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a dry read except for the civil war between Antony and cleopatra. I especially liked the speeches by a number of the main characters in their own voice. Broke up the monotony.
He was not a great military mind but he could identify talented generals who could lead and win in his place.

[Joseph Washkevich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collection of excerpts from Cassius Dio’s history of Rome in order to form a biography on the Roman Empire’s first emperor, Caesar Augustus. Augustus was Julius Caesar’s adopted son, and after the latter was assassinated, Augustus became emperor and expanded Roman territory and ruled Rome effectively, making sure that it would remain a strong power long after his death.