Storici latini

by Gaius Julius Caesar, Cornelius Nepos, Sallust

La guerra gallica, La guerra civile • Vite degli uomini illustri • La congiura di Catilina, La guerra contro Giugurta, Storie • Vita dei Cesari • Annali, Storie, La Germania, Vita di Agricola, Dialogo degli oratori


Sono raccolte in questo volume le opere degli autori che meglio seppero descrivere e interpretare le vicende della più grande potenza civile e militare del mondo antico nel momento del suo culmine. Il De bello gallico e il De bello civile di Gaio Giulio Cesare sono considerati, oltre che testi fondamentali dal punto di vista storico, due gioielli di equilibrio e di eleganza letteraria; Cornelio Nepote, grande amico di Cicerone e Catullo, affidò alle biografie di re, condottieri, poeti greci e latini del De viris illustribus la testimonianza di stili di vita tanto virtuosi da far rimpiangere il tempo antico; il De Coniuratione Catilinae e il Bellum Iugurthinum di Gaio Sallustio Crispo, contemporaneo di Cesare, narrano le tragiche vicende di Catilina e Giugurta, che con diverse motivazioni scelsero di opporsi a Roma e pagarono duramente le conseguenze della loro sconfitta. Con Gaio Svetonio Tranquillo, che fu segretario particolare dell’imperatore Adriano, entriamo in epoca imperiale, e gli imperatori delle dinastie Giulio-Claudia e Flavia, di cui a Svetonio interessa soprattutto l’aspetto umano e quotidiano, sono i protagonisti del De vita Caesarum, opera che ebbe un enorme successo. L’affresco più poderoso dell’epoca imperiale si deve a Publio Cornelio Tacito, che scrisse durante il regno di Adriano. Alle Historiae, dalla morte di Nerone a quella di Domiziano, agli Annales, dalla morte di Augusto all’avvento di Tiberio e alle opere minori egli affida la sua visione lucida e dolente di un mondo che non può fare a meno di Roma – perché Tacito non intravede la possibilità di un altro assetto sociale e politico – e insieme lo sdegno e l’amarezza per essere costretto a constatare e registrare per i posteri gli orrori e le mostruosità cui il potere sembra inevitabilmente condurre.

2912 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

born 12 July 100 BC
died 15 March 44 BC

Statesman and historian Julius Caesar, fully named Gaius Julius Caesar, general, invaded Britain in 55 BC, crushed the army of the politician Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in 48 BC, pursued other enemies to Egypt, installed Cleopatra as queen in 47 BC, and returned to Rome, and the people in 45 BC gave him a mandate to rule as dictator for life; Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus feared that he intended to establish a monarchy and led a group of republicans, who on 15 March 44 BC murdered him.

Marcus Licinius Crassus joined Caesar and Pompey in the first triumvirate to challenge the power of the senate in 60 BC.

Pompey with Caesar and Crassus formed a ruling triumvirate from 60 BC to 53 BC, but Caesar later defeated Pompey.

Caesar conquered Iberian peoples of Aquitania in 56 BC.

Cassius led members of the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar.

Brutus conspired to assassinate Caesar.

After his assassination, Gaius Octavius, his grandnephew, in 44 BC took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, to whom English texts often refer simply as Octavian.


He notably authored Latin prose. He played a critical role in the events to the demise and the rise of the empire.

In 60 BC, Caesar and Marcus Licinius Crassus formed an alliance that dominated for several years. Marcus Porcius Cato the Younger with the frequent support of Marcus Tullius Cicero among the Optimates within the senate opposed their attempts to amass power as Populares.

Victories of Caesar in the Gallic wars, completed before 51 BC, extended territory to the English Channel and the Rhine. Caesar first then built a bridge across the Rhine and crossed the channel.

After the death of Crassus in 53 BC, his rival realigned with the senate, but these achievements granted him unmatched military power and threatened to eclipse the standing. With the Gallic wars concluded, the senate ordered Caesar to step from his military.

Caesar refused the order and instead crossed the Rubicon with the thirteenth legion, left his province, and illegally entered Italy under arms to mark his defiance in 49 BC. Civil war resulted, and victory put Caesar him in an unrivalled position of power and influence.

Julius Caesar assumed control of government and afterward began a program of social reforms, including the creation of the calendar. He centralized the bureaucracy, and proclamation "in perpetuity" eventually gave him additional authority. Nevertheless, people resolved not the underlying conflicts, and on the ides, 15 March 44 BC, rebellious senators assassinated Caesar.

We know much from own accounts of military campaigns of Caesar and from other contemporary sources, mainly the letters and speeches of Cicero and the writings of Gaius Sallustius Crispus. Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus and Mestrius Plutarchus wrote the later biographies, also major sources. Many people consider supreme military greatness of Caesar.

People regarded Caesar during his time of the best orators and prose authors in Latin; even Cicero spoke highly of his rhetoric and style. Only war commentaries of Caesar survived. From other works, other authors quote a few sentences. He wrote his funeral oration for Julia, his paternal aunt, among his lost works. Cicero published praise; in response, he wrote Anticato , a document, to defame Cato. Ancient sources also mention poems of Julius Caesar.

A new series of civil wars broke, and people never restored the constitutional government. Octavian, adopted heir of Gaius Julius Caesar, defeated his opponents in the civil war and afterward rose to sole power as Augustus. Octavian set about solidifying his power, and the era of the empire began.