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Brutus: The Noble Conspirator
Conspirator and assassin, philosopher and statesman, promoter of peace and commander in war, Marcus Brutus (ca. 85–42 BC) was a controversial and enigmatic man even to those who knew him. His leading role in the murder of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March, 44 BC, immortalized his name forever, but the verdict on his act remains out to this day. Was Brutus wrong to kill his friend and benefactor, or was he right to place his duty to country ahead of personal obligations?
In this comprehensive and stimulating biography Kathryn Tempest delves into contemporary sources to bring to light the personal and political struggles Brutus faced. As the details are revealed—from his own correspondence with Cicero, from the perceptions of his peers, and from the Roman aristocratic values and concepts that held sway in his time—Brutus emerges from legend, revealed to us more surely than ever before.
In this comprehensive and stimulating biography Kathryn Tempest delves into contemporary sources to bring to light the personal and political struggles Brutus faced. As the details are revealed—from his own correspondence with Cicero, from the perceptions of his peers, and from the Roman aristocratic values and concepts that held sway in his time—Brutus emerges from legend, revealed to us more surely than ever before.
314 pages, Hardcover
First published November 21, 2017
34 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Tempest
6 books9 followersKathryn Tempest is senior lecturer in Latin literature and Roman history, University of Roehampton, and author of Cicero: Politics and Persuasion in Ancient Rome. She lives in Surrey, UK.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
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December 18, 2023intressant! och mestadels välskriven. grät nästan över vad som skulle hända trots att jag visste. oh foundational fratricide we’re really in it now
April 14, 2018
This was my first actual classics/historical figure analysis book, so I'm just going with my gut feel and can't actually make informed comments about the histographical merit about it.
The author reflects on the life of Brutus towards answering the thesis question of who he truly was VS how he was perceived contemporarily and in modern culture/scholarship. Even when actual events in his life were scarce or void, the author considered other facts known about him and explored the possibilities of his less-recorded childhood and adolescence to draw conclusions that didn't sound far-fetched.
However, I was rather bemused by some notes - which I expected to contain details on a particular statement or statistic, but in reality only covered another less interesting detail. It does raise some questions about the sources of some of the statements for a casual reader at the very least.
Overall, it is an interesting and informative read, with analyses that sound well-balanced and unbiased even regarding the subject.
The author reflects on the life of Brutus towards answering the thesis question of who he truly was VS how he was perceived contemporarily and in modern culture/scholarship. Even when actual events in his life were scarce or void, the author considered other facts known about him and explored the possibilities of his less-recorded childhood and adolescence to draw conclusions that didn't sound far-fetched.
However, I was rather bemused by some notes - which I expected to contain details on a particular statement or statistic, but in reality only covered another less interesting detail. It does raise some questions about the sources of some of the statements for a casual reader at the very least.
Overall, it is an interesting and informative read, with analyses that sound well-balanced and unbiased even regarding the subject.
March 31, 2018
The author has a habit of telling us what she is going to tell us later "as we will see in chapter 4" or "we shall return to the question". She also keeps pointing out what she has already told us. The frequency of these tics became very annoying. There's a lot of information here, but the writing style didn't appeal to me.
June 26, 2023
This book really changed my perspective on Brutus and his role in the death of Julius Caesar. His was not the cruel, unfeeling betrayal that most of us think of today. Turns out there was a lot of pressure on Brutus to betray Julius Caesar.
“Of all the men who colluded to kill Caesar, it was said that Brutus was the only noble conspirator.” (pg. 15)
“...in killing Caesar, Brutus as a subject worthy of study was finally born.” (pg. 12)
“As more than one scholar has reminded us, his biography has been aligned accordingly, almost as if his whole life was bound to culminate in the murder of Caesar.” (pg. 13)
“Of all the men who colluded to kill Caesar, it was said that Brutus was the only noble conspirator.” (pg. 15)
“...in killing Caesar, Brutus as a subject worthy of study was finally born.” (pg. 12)
“As more than one scholar has reminded us, his biography has been aligned accordingly, almost as if his whole life was bound to culminate in the murder of Caesar.” (pg. 13)
May 24, 2022
“The more we look at the evidence for Brutus’ life and how it shaped his later legend, the less sure we may feel at making definitive statements about the historical man: a detailed study only demonstrates that there were many sides to Brutus, and that he drew a wide variety of responses from those who knew him…”
Since Brutus was one of history’s losers, the antique accounts of his life are often Augustan adaptations: Augustus, previously known as Octavian, was the great-nephew of, and heir to, Julius Caesar.
He was not only Brutus’ unbeaten rival but also became the first Roman Emperor, and as a result it is effortless to comprehend how this authoritative chap had much control over the positions and messages conveyed in the literature, art and architecture produced in the instant repercussion of Caesar’s assassination and Brutus’ ensuing trounce and demise.
Later writers, although removed from the political events of the late Republic, would still, however, often be influenced by these earlier propagandistic editions of the truth.
Furthermore it should be kept in mind when reading this book that countless of the elements about Brutus are moderately indistinct. Dealing with a less well-documented figure, possibly, makes this a particularly perilous work to write. In some instances a ‘fact’ is reported, whether in an ancient or modern text, that has not been verified, or that is contradicted elsewhere, and it is not always possible to substantiate it with cautious checking.
Therefore, in order to plug the holes of Brutus’ life, it is essential, now and then, to take the source that is usually considered the most dependable and take for granted its soundness.
Kathryn Tempest has divided her book into the following chapters:
1) Becoming Brutus
2) Independent Operator
3) The Politics of War
4) Thinking about Tyrannicide
5) After the Assassination
6) Reviving Republicanism
7) Brutus’ Last Fight
8) Death and Legend
What the author has succeeded in establishing, are the subsequent facts:
*While Marcus Junius Brutus is a figure with whom most of us are familiar, this is predominantly as a product of the playwright, Shakespeare, as portrayed in his great tragedy, Julius Caesar.
*This book aims to go further back than this celebrated Elizabethan edition to consider as an alternative the accounts of the ancient historians and biographers, in order to attain, as far as feasible, a historically precise representation of this central figure of the late Roman Republic.
*When writing, and indeed reading, a historical biography, particularly one concerning a figure from more than 2,000 years ago, one must be aware of many factors affecting the real truth.
*The Greek and Latin writers had dissimilar reasons for writing their different accounts, and these without a doubt colour their portrayals: they are often politically predisposed and so favour one of the protagonists in an episode over another. Propaganda plays an important part since the surviving versions will typically be those approved by the triumphant, and so we do not often hear the views of the losers of history. Accounts may simply be slanted towards one version of history because of the ancient sources to which they themselves had access, since we must keep in mind that many of these ancient historians and biographers are not contemporaries but are writing more than a century after their subject’s existence. Furthermore, we must keep in mind that other accounts to which they refer may no longer exist for us to check and authenticate the details.
*The most infamous act of Brutus is, without any doubt, his leading role in the assassination of Julius Caesar, which thereby also involuntarily brought about the demise of the Roman Republic: sardonically, the very institution he was striving to protect. Discussions of Brutus, both ancient and modern, as a result tend to spotlight a great deal on this portion of his life.
*Furthermore, the ancient texts often contain much foreshadowing of this momentous event, no matter which period of his life they are considering. While unable to ignore or underestimate these events, this book will attempt to piece together as much information as possible from the ancient literature covering the entire life of this important figure, in order to offer a balanced biography of the mighty and noble Marcus Junius Brutus.
Highly recommended.
Since Brutus was one of history’s losers, the antique accounts of his life are often Augustan adaptations: Augustus, previously known as Octavian, was the great-nephew of, and heir to, Julius Caesar.
He was not only Brutus’ unbeaten rival but also became the first Roman Emperor, and as a result it is effortless to comprehend how this authoritative chap had much control over the positions and messages conveyed in the literature, art and architecture produced in the instant repercussion of Caesar’s assassination and Brutus’ ensuing trounce and demise.
Later writers, although removed from the political events of the late Republic, would still, however, often be influenced by these earlier propagandistic editions of the truth.
Furthermore it should be kept in mind when reading this book that countless of the elements about Brutus are moderately indistinct. Dealing with a less well-documented figure, possibly, makes this a particularly perilous work to write. In some instances a ‘fact’ is reported, whether in an ancient or modern text, that has not been verified, or that is contradicted elsewhere, and it is not always possible to substantiate it with cautious checking.
Therefore, in order to plug the holes of Brutus’ life, it is essential, now and then, to take the source that is usually considered the most dependable and take for granted its soundness.
Kathryn Tempest has divided her book into the following chapters:
1) Becoming Brutus
2) Independent Operator
3) The Politics of War
4) Thinking about Tyrannicide
5) After the Assassination
6) Reviving Republicanism
7) Brutus’ Last Fight
8) Death and Legend
What the author has succeeded in establishing, are the subsequent facts:
*While Marcus Junius Brutus is a figure with whom most of us are familiar, this is predominantly as a product of the playwright, Shakespeare, as portrayed in his great tragedy, Julius Caesar.
*This book aims to go further back than this celebrated Elizabethan edition to consider as an alternative the accounts of the ancient historians and biographers, in order to attain, as far as feasible, a historically precise representation of this central figure of the late Roman Republic.
*When writing, and indeed reading, a historical biography, particularly one concerning a figure from more than 2,000 years ago, one must be aware of many factors affecting the real truth.
*The Greek and Latin writers had dissimilar reasons for writing their different accounts, and these without a doubt colour their portrayals: they are often politically predisposed and so favour one of the protagonists in an episode over another. Propaganda plays an important part since the surviving versions will typically be those approved by the triumphant, and so we do not often hear the views of the losers of history. Accounts may simply be slanted towards one version of history because of the ancient sources to which they themselves had access, since we must keep in mind that many of these ancient historians and biographers are not contemporaries but are writing more than a century after their subject’s existence. Furthermore, we must keep in mind that other accounts to which they refer may no longer exist for us to check and authenticate the details.
*The most infamous act of Brutus is, without any doubt, his leading role in the assassination of Julius Caesar, which thereby also involuntarily brought about the demise of the Roman Republic: sardonically, the very institution he was striving to protect. Discussions of Brutus, both ancient and modern, as a result tend to spotlight a great deal on this portion of his life.
*Furthermore, the ancient texts often contain much foreshadowing of this momentous event, no matter which period of his life they are considering. While unable to ignore or underestimate these events, this book will attempt to piece together as much information as possible from the ancient literature covering the entire life of this important figure, in order to offer a balanced biography of the mighty and noble Marcus Junius Brutus.
Highly recommended.
November 11, 2018
Erudite but extremely readable, this very well-researched biography brings together the disparate views of Brutus, one of Julius Caesar's main assassins, to help uncover the real, historical man. Brutus was complex and contradictory, enigmatic even to his contemporaries, so while the modern reader will close this book with a better understanding of the man and his motives for tyrannicide/parricide (take your pick), the picture necessarily remains incomplete.
This book did dispel the naïve image I had of Brutus as a freedom fighter for the people. He was an aristocrat, and the conspiracy that he led was formed with other aristocrats, who saw their traditional power, and the Senate's authority, being subsumed by Caesar's dictatorship. The repercussions of their actions would lead to a brutal civil war, the deaths of thousands of private citizens and soldiers, and Rome's first emperor, Augustus (Caesar's adopted son). It's not too hard to say that, in the final sum, Brutus was a failure, and his philosophical leanings and much-vaunted nobility don't count for much when the streets were running with blood.
Our ideas of Brutus, like Richard III, are heavily influenced by Shakespeare, who of course mined historical sources like Plutarch when writing his plays. But unlike his Antony, I'd be less likely to pronounce "This was a man!" for Brutus. Tempest does an excellent job of showing both the good and bad characteristics of Brutus, and creating a multi-dimensional portrait with fairly limited source material. Truly a tour de force of historical research, coupled with elegant writing.
Highly recommended if you're into Roman history. If you have little familiarity with the major players and their times, however, this book is not the place to start.
This book did dispel the naïve image I had of Brutus as a freedom fighter for the people. He was an aristocrat, and the conspiracy that he led was formed with other aristocrats, who saw their traditional power, and the Senate's authority, being subsumed by Caesar's dictatorship. The repercussions of their actions would lead to a brutal civil war, the deaths of thousands of private citizens and soldiers, and Rome's first emperor, Augustus (Caesar's adopted son). It's not too hard to say that, in the final sum, Brutus was a failure, and his philosophical leanings and much-vaunted nobility don't count for much when the streets were running with blood.
Our ideas of Brutus, like Richard III, are heavily influenced by Shakespeare, who of course mined historical sources like Plutarch when writing his plays. But unlike his Antony, I'd be less likely to pronounce "This was a man!" for Brutus. Tempest does an excellent job of showing both the good and bad characteristics of Brutus, and creating a multi-dimensional portrait with fairly limited source material. Truly a tour de force of historical research, coupled with elegant writing.
Highly recommended if you're into Roman history. If you have little familiarity with the major players and their times, however, this book is not the place to start.
July 22, 2019
“Et tu, Brute...”
Meer dan deze woorden van Caesar weten we meestal niet over het leven van Brutus.
Dit boek toont aan dat er veel meer van zijn leven gedocumenteerd is.
Vooral Cicero kende Brutus goed en wisselde heel wat brieven uit met en over hem.
Brutus speelde een uiterst belangrijke rol in de eindstrijd tussen de Romeinse Republikeinse partij en de caesarianen,die uiteindelijk leidde tot het einde van de Res Publica en de eerste keizer (Augustus).
De vraag blijft of Brutus een vadermoordenaar was of eerder een nobele tirannenmoordenaar.
Beide stellingen worden verenigd in zijn legende.
Meer dan deze woorden van Caesar weten we meestal niet over het leven van Brutus.
Dit boek toont aan dat er veel meer van zijn leven gedocumenteerd is.
Vooral Cicero kende Brutus goed en wisselde heel wat brieven uit met en over hem.
Brutus speelde een uiterst belangrijke rol in de eindstrijd tussen de Romeinse Republikeinse partij en de caesarianen,die uiteindelijk leidde tot het einde van de Res Publica en de eerste keizer (Augustus).
De vraag blijft of Brutus een vadermoordenaar was of eerder een nobele tirannenmoordenaar.
Beide stellingen worden verenigd in zijn legende.
June 13, 2021
Een boek voor historici dat ook door de gewone, in geschiedenis geïnteresseerde, lezer boeiend blijft. Vlot geschreven met veel verwijzingen die helpen om de inhoud, het standpunt over Brutus, goed te begrijpen. Veel verwijzingen naar bronnen die de doorsnee lezer niet kan plaatsen, waardoor hij een stuk inhoud mist, maar die nooit vervelen. Ik heb via het boek heel wat over de figuur van Brutus vernomen en ben heel blij dat ik het gelezen heb. Over het standpunt van de auteur kan ik niet oordelen. Maar ze is er in geslaagd mij een oordeel te geven over wie Brutus zou kunnen geweest zijn.
January 6, 2025
Got on to this book from a podcast and it turned out to be way to academic for my liking - read very much like a phd thesis. If you like that kind of thing this will be right up your alley but I personally found this book contained far more detail than I could ever want about Marcus Brutus.
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August 30, 2023Marcus Junius Brutus is one of the great names of Roman history. Central to the notorious conspiracy that resulted in the assassination of the dictator Julius Caesar on the Ides of March 44 BC, Brutus gave brief hope to those who longed for the restoration of republican government. Yet by August of the same year he was on his way from Italy to the Greek east; a little over two years later he had committed suicide in the face of defeat at the hands of Mark Antony and Octavian at the Battle of Philippi. Civil war did not come to an end with the death of Brutus, but now it was merely a conflict between rival dynasts. The republican system was dead.
Roman aristocrats of this period were acutely aware of the virtues of their ancestors. Brutus himself claimed descent on his father’s side from Lucius Junius Brutus, who expelled Tarquin the Proud in 509 BC and was one of the two consuls for the first year of the Roman republic. Tracing the lineage of his mother, Servilia, Brutus could point to Servilius Ahala, who in 439 BC killed Spurius Maelius on the grounds that he was aspiring to tyranny. Yet in Brutus’ own time it was not always so easy to decide who represented the better cause. When civil war broke out in 49 BC, Brutus was an instinctive supporter of the senate in its opposition to the demands of Julius Caesar. Yet to do so meant serving under a man – Pompeius Magnus – who had murdered Brutus’ father when Brutus was no more than five and whom Brutus had openly attacked for his subversion of the republican constitution. If Caesar represented a worse cause still, he was also so close an intimate of Servilia that rumours circulated in antiquity that he was Brutus’ true father.
After Pompey’s defeat at the battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC, Brutus was among the first to make his peace with Caesar. He worked to secure reconciliation between the warring parties and in 46 BC accepted the governorship of Cisalpine Gaul. By 44 BC he was serving as urban praetor, a magistracy second in authority only to the consulship, and he must have seemed to Caesar a reliable friend and associate. Yet Caesar’s ever more nakedly monarchical mode of government and pretensions to divinity could not but alienate those who had hoped that he would restore the old order after years of chaos. Brutus, Cassius and their fellow conspirators could see only one way forward: assassination. They styled themselves liberators but others saw them as traitors and parricides. Either way, their success was shortlived and their hopes died with them.
Read the rest of the review at HistoryToday.com.
Matthew Leigh is Professor of Classical Languages and Literatures at the University of Oxford.
Roman aristocrats of this period were acutely aware of the virtues of their ancestors. Brutus himself claimed descent on his father’s side from Lucius Junius Brutus, who expelled Tarquin the Proud in 509 BC and was one of the two consuls for the first year of the Roman republic. Tracing the lineage of his mother, Servilia, Brutus could point to Servilius Ahala, who in 439 BC killed Spurius Maelius on the grounds that he was aspiring to tyranny. Yet in Brutus’ own time it was not always so easy to decide who represented the better cause. When civil war broke out in 49 BC, Brutus was an instinctive supporter of the senate in its opposition to the demands of Julius Caesar. Yet to do so meant serving under a man – Pompeius Magnus – who had murdered Brutus’ father when Brutus was no more than five and whom Brutus had openly attacked for his subversion of the republican constitution. If Caesar represented a worse cause still, he was also so close an intimate of Servilia that rumours circulated in antiquity that he was Brutus’ true father.
After Pompey’s defeat at the battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC, Brutus was among the first to make his peace with Caesar. He worked to secure reconciliation between the warring parties and in 46 BC accepted the governorship of Cisalpine Gaul. By 44 BC he was serving as urban praetor, a magistracy second in authority only to the consulship, and he must have seemed to Caesar a reliable friend and associate. Yet Caesar’s ever more nakedly monarchical mode of government and pretensions to divinity could not but alienate those who had hoped that he would restore the old order after years of chaos. Brutus, Cassius and their fellow conspirators could see only one way forward: assassination. They styled themselves liberators but others saw them as traitors and parricides. Either way, their success was shortlived and their hopes died with them.
Read the rest of the review at HistoryToday.com.
Matthew Leigh is Professor of Classical Languages and Literatures at the University of Oxford.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2026
A Very Good Introduction to Brutus
The below is a review of the Audible audiobook edition of this work.
This book is a very good introduction to Brutus, from his childhood to his death. It describes Brutus’ youth and his anti-tyrannical views as well as the fact that he came from a family that had historically been very pro-Republican and anti-monarchial. This went far to explain the actions of his political life later on. The book also describes his political career before Caeser came to power, the situation prevailing immediately after the assassination of Caeser (and in particular Brutus’ role), the first civil war (i.e. Pompey-Caesar) and the second civil war (i.e., Cassius and Brutus vs. the Caesarians). Lastly, Professor Tempest, in the conclusion provides an analysis of Brutus actions and personality. She makes the case that that Brutus was very complicated and that simply describing him as a “noble conspirator” is not accurate. He also had brutal and ruthless tendencies, in particular towards the end of his life when he was fighting the second civil war.
It is quite detailed as an autobiography and very academic. Considering that it has been published by an academic press, the latter is no surprise. This has both benefits and negatives. The negative being that many would find it “dry” (this reviewer did not find it so but it many undoubtedly would). The positive is that the author, where there were conflicting accounts of events, provides alternative authors (usually those of antiquity) opinions and writings (i.e., Polybius vs. Arias, etc.). There were many of these. Considering that the events described took place more than 20 centuries ago not surprising, especially considering that even interpretations of current events have more than one face.
All and all a very good biography of Brutus, whether as an introduction for the novice or for those knowledgeable of Brutus’ age. Lastly, the audiobook version of this work is very well narrated. Despite the fact the book is academic in nature, the narration is never monotonous and always keeps the reader’s attention. Four and a half stars.
The below is a review of the Audible audiobook edition of this work.
This book is a very good introduction to Brutus, from his childhood to his death. It describes Brutus’ youth and his anti-tyrannical views as well as the fact that he came from a family that had historically been very pro-Republican and anti-monarchial. This went far to explain the actions of his political life later on. The book also describes his political career before Caeser came to power, the situation prevailing immediately after the assassination of Caeser (and in particular Brutus’ role), the first civil war (i.e. Pompey-Caesar) and the second civil war (i.e., Cassius and Brutus vs. the Caesarians). Lastly, Professor Tempest, in the conclusion provides an analysis of Brutus actions and personality. She makes the case that that Brutus was very complicated and that simply describing him as a “noble conspirator” is not accurate. He also had brutal and ruthless tendencies, in particular towards the end of his life when he was fighting the second civil war.
It is quite detailed as an autobiography and very academic. Considering that it has been published by an academic press, the latter is no surprise. This has both benefits and negatives. The negative being that many would find it “dry” (this reviewer did not find it so but it many undoubtedly would). The positive is that the author, where there were conflicting accounts of events, provides alternative authors (usually those of antiquity) opinions and writings (i.e., Polybius vs. Arias, etc.). There were many of these. Considering that the events described took place more than 20 centuries ago not surprising, especially considering that even interpretations of current events have more than one face.
All and all a very good biography of Brutus, whether as an introduction for the novice or for those knowledgeable of Brutus’ age. Lastly, the audiobook version of this work is very well narrated. Despite the fact the book is academic in nature, the narration is never monotonous and always keeps the reader’s attention. Four and a half stars.
June 18, 2019
This must be the ultimate biography of the noble conspirator. However, Kathryn Tempest does more. Using sources and excellent research, Tempest explains events leading up to the murder of Julius Caesar, as well as what happened in the years which followed this murder.
Nearly everybody has heard about Brutus, but mostly through later sources and authors with different agendas, ideas, messages. After all: this is also a story about several groups of conspirators, winners and losers.
Using contemporary sources, what remains of his own writings and interpretations by later Roman and Greek authors, Tempest tries to piece together events. These start before Brutus' birth and end well after his death. She explains how reliable some sources are and how well these may help interpret events, answer questions.
Who was Brutus? What motivated him? Do impressions, interpretations, ideas of contemporaries reveal more about the man? What about the other conspirators? Why did so many change sides? How were some related? As for the various accounts: what was fiction, what fact? Moreover, how were later writers and artists inspired by fabrications, interpretations, myths and influenced by the challenges and problems of their own society and era?
Of course, the book contains pages of notes, a list of primary and secondary sources and books which may help those interested in further reading. Tempest also includes a time-table of events she tried to piece together.
The book may not read like a thriller, but readers learn an awful lot more about Roman history, the last days of the Republic, the conspirators, what was important to men who shaped Rome and how easily it all might have ended far differently. Of course, it will interest readers who love history and anything to do with the Roman Empire; but may also prove an interesting read for say, lovers o Shakespeare's Roman plays.
Nearly everybody has heard about Brutus, but mostly through later sources and authors with different agendas, ideas, messages. After all: this is also a story about several groups of conspirators, winners and losers.
Using contemporary sources, what remains of his own writings and interpretations by later Roman and Greek authors, Tempest tries to piece together events. These start before Brutus' birth and end well after his death. She explains how reliable some sources are and how well these may help interpret events, answer questions.
Who was Brutus? What motivated him? Do impressions, interpretations, ideas of contemporaries reveal more about the man? What about the other conspirators? Why did so many change sides? How were some related? As for the various accounts: what was fiction, what fact? Moreover, how were later writers and artists inspired by fabrications, interpretations, myths and influenced by the challenges and problems of their own society and era?
Of course, the book contains pages of notes, a list of primary and secondary sources and books which may help those interested in further reading. Tempest also includes a time-table of events she tried to piece together.
The book may not read like a thriller, but readers learn an awful lot more about Roman history, the last days of the Republic, the conspirators, what was important to men who shaped Rome and how easily it all might have ended far differently. Of course, it will interest readers who love history and anything to do with the Roman Empire; but may also prove an interesting read for say, lovers o Shakespeare's Roman plays.
January 3, 2024
Kathryn Tempest does an excellent job at exploring the history and the legend of Marcus Junius Brutus, the chief conspirator against Julius Caesar. The period at the end of the Roman Republic is one of the best documented in ancient history, and yet it is still hard to tease fact from both contemporary and posthumous interpretations, so that Brutus can be read in sharply contrasting ways, depending on one’s take on issues such as friendship, autocracy, liberty, and the ethics of tyrannicide. One of the astounding things, of which Tempest makes full use, is that we actually have some of the letters written by Brutus himself, as well as those of some of his close friends and collaborators, like the statesman and philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero. Which means that we can hear, at least in part, these people speak in their own voices, not just in official documents made for public consumption, but in intimate correspondence exchanged with their friends in times of both distress and elation. Tempest rightly refrains from delivering her own verdict about Brutus. Was he a traitor to his friend or a freedom fighter? Both? How should we weigh the moral duties of friendship and defense of one’s own country? What, if anything, should we do with a tyrant?
September 8, 2023
Brutus: The Noble Conspirator by Kathryn Tempest is one of the better, accessible academic works focusing on a Roman figure that I've come across. I'm very much a fan of political narrative histories of the period, but more academic-ey scholars tend to shy away from attempting to do that. Or at least they tend to mask some of the debates in order to keep the narratives intact. Here, while Tempest keeps the book mostly in chronological order, she regularly engages both with the scholarly arguments - which simultaneously adds context while removing clarity and certainty. Some of these asides are really rather good, and Brutus' life after death is also something Tempest dedicates some time on. At times I wonder about her commentary on the source material, but what emerges is a complex, thorough engagement with Brutus the man and how people understood him. Its something I appreciate quite a bit. Others may find it a little dry, or maybe pedantic, but I think Tempest did really rather well.
March 12, 2025
Just in time for the Ides of March!
Tempest doesn't really take a strong opinion or even try to make a compelling mystery out of what historians try to understand about Brutus. "Everywhere you turn, he could have thought x, y, and z but we will never know." I've read books with similar problems (see Stacy Schiff's Cleopatra) but the author tries to piece out why primary sources engaged with their subjects in this way. There's a way to write this successfully, painting the unknown without too much speculation.
To spoil the conclusion, Brutus is an enigma. In doing so, this book isn't very interesting or provides any new insights into Brutus or the political assassination of Julius Caesar. It is very dry, even for an academic history, nor did it provide any historical insight, begging the question, who was this for?
Tempest doesn't really take a strong opinion or even try to make a compelling mystery out of what historians try to understand about Brutus. "Everywhere you turn, he could have thought x, y, and z but we will never know." I've read books with similar problems (see Stacy Schiff's Cleopatra) but the author tries to piece out why primary sources engaged with their subjects in this way. There's a way to write this successfully, painting the unknown without too much speculation.
To spoil the conclusion, Brutus is an enigma. In doing so, this book isn't very interesting or provides any new insights into Brutus or the political assassination of Julius Caesar. It is very dry, even for an academic history, nor did it provide any historical insight, begging the question, who was this for?
April 5, 2019
It was a wonderfully written book. Much of Brutus’ original writings are lost to us, but Tempest digs through all the information we have and weighs it carefully to give us a realistic framework to draw our own conclusions about Brutus. There’s lots of history and explanations for why people were connected and why they were motivated.
My favorite bit was the aftermath of the Ides of March. Tempest does an excellent job of piecing together information in the weeks that followed from the perspectives of the ‘Liberators.’ It is the best example of her commitment to explore Brutus in real time rather than in hindsight. She doesn’t force history into broad poetic strokes, while still appreciating the drama and poetry that resulted from this fascinating historical figure.
My favorite bit was the aftermath of the Ides of March. Tempest does an excellent job of piecing together information in the weeks that followed from the perspectives of the ‘Liberators.’ It is the best example of her commitment to explore Brutus in real time rather than in hindsight. She doesn’t force history into broad poetic strokes, while still appreciating the drama and poetry that resulted from this fascinating historical figure.
August 16, 2022
Dit boek werd genoemd in de jaarlijkse publiekscampagne ihkv de 'Week van de klasssieken'. Het geeft een goed inzicht in de uitdagingen waarvoor de onderzoeker wordt geplaatst bij een het onderzoek naar een historisch figuur als Brutus. Hij staat immers bekend als samenzweerder, moordenaar en verrader maar ook als verdediger van de Romeinse republiek. Een strijd die hij verloren heeft, net als zijn leven. De overwinnaars hebben er alles aan gedaan om hem zo ongunstig mogelijk neer te zetten en de primaire bronnen zijn heel schaars. Toch heeft de persoon steeds opnieuw kunstenaars en historici getriggerd. De auteur heeft weer interessante poging gewaagd. Heel instructief en goed leesbaar. Voor iedereen met interesse in de klassieke oudheid.
March 21, 2024
An interesting account of a man who has traditionally only been considered in the light of his relationship with, and murder of, Julius Caesar. It turns out he was quite a complicated man, with noble ideals and, yet, some major character flaws.
I particularly enjoyed his fraught relationship with Cicero and their voluminous correspondence. The period after the murder was also surprisingly interesting. Brutus could never have imagined how his motives would continue to be studied millennia after his actions!
I particularly enjoyed his fraught relationship with Cicero and their voluminous correspondence. The period after the murder was also surprisingly interesting. Brutus could never have imagined how his motives would continue to be studied millennia after his actions!
November 3, 2019
Much of Brutus' life is opaque due to sources either not existing or conflicting, do Tempest focuses less on a 'true account' of the life, than on an account of why the perceptions have so wildly differed and on what that tells us about a man even Cicero clearly found hard to understand despite knowing him well.
The appendices of timelines combined with source breakdown are extremely useful for anyone wanting to carefully pursue events.
The appendices of timelines combined with source breakdown are extremely useful for anyone wanting to carefully pursue events.
January 26, 2021
With the gaps in the historical record far vaster than what survived, it’s not easy writing a convincing biography of an ancient figure. Tempest’s subtle and extremely careful use of primary materials, however, allows her to frame a plausible account of Caesar’s assassin despite the missing pieces and the biases of what remains. Sadly, the story of Brutus and the collapse of the Roman Republic has tremendous resonance for our republic today.
February 4, 2021
Quis es Brute?
Despite the knowledge gaps in many parts of Brutus life, this book does an excellent job in presenting the life of this well-known yet poorly understood figure. Simple assassin and warmonger or the last defender of the Republic? While this book doesn't have the answer, it presents the facts available for both cases.
Despite the knowledge gaps in many parts of Brutus life, this book does an excellent job in presenting the life of this well-known yet poorly understood figure. Simple assassin and warmonger or the last defender of the Republic? While this book doesn't have the answer, it presents the facts available for both cases.
February 26, 2020
Listened to the end and there were many interesting moments. Overall, though, it was like an audio history seminar. This author did painstaking research and included (seemingly) ALL of it in this book.
DD@Phila
DD@Phila
April 25, 2020
A vivid story full of details. Shows the two images of Brutus name. The liberator and protector of democratic values. And the one leading the plot of the assassination of Ceasar. Loved every page of this book.
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June 11, 2025Too many "as we've seen"s and "as we shall see"s, etc., which make this feel quite academic. A more novelistic style might have been more engaging. An interesting narrative nonetheless, and a good study of its subject's complexity.
July 9, 2025
Brutusguys we won... reads super easily for an academic book and is super multifaceted... And as all things haunted by the ghost of the res publica
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June 18, 2018Very good if you like ancient history or to update what you already have known about people from a certain period.
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