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Augustus
In 27 BC, out of the carnage of two civil wars, one man emerged to rule absolutely the Roman world. This man was Octavian, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, and he was perhaps the least likely candidate to return stability to the Republic.
But by AD 14 Octavian had established peace over an empire that stretched from the shores of Britain to Anatolia. Power, prosperity and propaganda had seen him renamed as Augustus, ‘The Divinely Favoured One.’ He had become a God, and had changed the face of the Republic forever.
In 'Augustus' renowned writer John Buchan achieves a remarkable feat of historical biography. His inimitable style for storytelling colours the life of Rome’s first Emperor, whilst remaining a valuable resource for historians.
John Buchan (1875-1940) was the best-selling author of 'Greenmantle' and 'The Thirty-Nine Steps. Besides his much loved Richard Hannay books, he wrote respected history and biography.
359 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1969
About the author
John Buchan
1,777 books479 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
John Buchan was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
As a youth, Buchan began writing poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, publishing his first novel in 1895 and ultimately writing over a hundred books of which the best known is The Thirty-Nine Steps. After attending Glasgow and Oxford universities, he practised as a barrister. In 1901, he served as a private secretary to Lord Milner in southern Africa towards the end of the Boer War. He returned to England in 1903, continued as a barrister and journalist. He left the Bar when he joined Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. During the First World War, he was, among other activities, Director of Information in 1917 and later Head of Intelligence at the newly-formed Ministry of Information. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927.
In 1935, King George V, on the advice of Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, appointed Buchan to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada and two months later raised him to the peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He occupied the post until his death in 1940. Buchan promoted Canadian unity and helped strengthen the sovereignty of Canada constitutionally and culturally. He received a state funeral in Canada before his ashes were returned to the United Kingdom.
John Buchan was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
As a youth, Buchan began writing poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, publishing his first novel in 1895 and ultimately writing over a hundred books of which the best known is The Thirty-Nine Steps. After attending Glasgow and Oxford universities, he practised as a barrister. In 1901, he served as a private secretary to Lord Milner in southern Africa towards the end of the Boer War. He returned to England in 1903, continued as a barrister and journalist. He left the Bar when he joined Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. During the First World War, he was, among other activities, Director of Information in 1917 and later Head of Intelligence at the newly-formed Ministry of Information. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927.
In 1935, King George V, on the advice of Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, appointed Buchan to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada and two months later raised him to the peerage as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir. He occupied the post until his death in 1940. Buchan promoted Canadian unity and helped strengthen the sovereignty of Canada constitutionally and culturally. He received a state funeral in Canada before his ashes were returned to the United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 4, 2020
In Augustus, John Buchan combines his flair for storytelling and skill at crafting clear, precise prose with his love of history and knowledge of the Greek and Roman Classics, which he studied at Oxford University. Whilst Augustus may not have the pace of The Thirty-Nine Steps it is very readable and the book is clearly the product of extensive research, witnessed by the extensive footnotes and references to a range of sources. On publication it was greeted with approval by many eminent historians.
Buchan admires Augustus for his pragmatism, administrative skills and diplomacy whilst acknowledging that at times he could be ruthless in dealing with enemies and perceived threats. As someone who suffered poor health for much of his adult life, I wonder too if Buchan empathised with Augustus who also endured bouts of ill health as a young man.
Conversely, Buchan makes clear his disapproval of Mark Antony, writing that ‘each of his virtues – and they were many – was nullified by some rampant vice’ and summing him up as ‘the classic instance of the second-rate man who is offered a first-rate destiny, and who, in stumbling after it, loses his way in the world’.
I particularly enjoyed the sections where Buchan takes the reader inside the Imperial household, acknowledging the influential role played by Augustus’ wife, Livia. (When I think of Livia it always conjures up a picture of the actress, Sian Phillips, who played her in the TV series I Claudius, opposite Brian Blessed as Augustus.)
Buchan points out interesting parallels between the challenges faced by Augustus and contemporary events (he was working on the book at the same time as Europe was witnessing the rise of Mussolini and Hitler). In the preface to the book he writes ‘The convulsions of our time may give an insight into the problems of the early Roman empire which was perhaps unattainable by scholars who lived in easier days’.
And, at the end of the book, Buchan points out similarities between the two ages: ‘Once again the crust of civilization has grown thin, and beneath can be heard the muttering of primeval fires. Once again many accepted principles of government have been overthrown, and the world has become a laboratory where immature and feverish minds experiment with unknown forces.’ The concept of the thin crust of civilization was one Buchan frequently explored in his adventure novels, notably The Power House.
Buchan admires Augustus for his pragmatism, administrative skills and diplomacy whilst acknowledging that at times he could be ruthless in dealing with enemies and perceived threats. As someone who suffered poor health for much of his adult life, I wonder too if Buchan empathised with Augustus who also endured bouts of ill health as a young man.
Conversely, Buchan makes clear his disapproval of Mark Antony, writing that ‘each of his virtues – and they were many – was nullified by some rampant vice’ and summing him up as ‘the classic instance of the second-rate man who is offered a first-rate destiny, and who, in stumbling after it, loses his way in the world’.
I particularly enjoyed the sections where Buchan takes the reader inside the Imperial household, acknowledging the influential role played by Augustus’ wife, Livia. (When I think of Livia it always conjures up a picture of the actress, Sian Phillips, who played her in the TV series I Claudius, opposite Brian Blessed as Augustus.)
Buchan points out interesting parallels between the challenges faced by Augustus and contemporary events (he was working on the book at the same time as Europe was witnessing the rise of Mussolini and Hitler). In the preface to the book he writes ‘The convulsions of our time may give an insight into the problems of the early Roman empire which was perhaps unattainable by scholars who lived in easier days’.
And, at the end of the book, Buchan points out similarities between the two ages: ‘Once again the crust of civilization has grown thin, and beneath can be heard the muttering of primeval fires. Once again many accepted principles of government have been overthrown, and the world has become a laboratory where immature and feverish minds experiment with unknown forces.’ The concept of the thin crust of civilization was one Buchan frequently explored in his adventure novels, notably The Power House.
June 11, 2024
Went in for Augustus, came out for Agrippa.
May 28, 2016
My, Lord Tweedsmuir could bloody write! What is palpable in these pages is his admiration of Augustus. Not a deferential sort of admiration. Rather, how I feel about Napoleon. Buchan recognises that in Augustus a truly unique will had entered the world. He was feeble, boyish, not as learned or talented as the poets and polemicists of his age. And yet he could govern, he could compel men to his side, he embodied the idea of power, wearing it as naturally as a Gladiator wears his sandals - It is Buchan's projection of Augustus that Brian Blessed captures in the TV series I, Claudius; think of the sudden, capricious changes of expression from the warm and avuncular to 'behave like that again and I will have you exiled or executed.' It is the easiness with which Augustus assumed power that Buchan finds worthy of study. And what you get is a pretty intimate and absorbing portrait.
You pay a quid more for this edition by Third Light Press, but it's the best edition out there. A useful introduction gives a three-dimensional picture of the book; its content Augustus and Rome, its author John Buchan and the context of its production. All quite fascinating.
You pay a quid more for this edition by Third Light Press, but it's the best edition out there. A useful introduction gives a three-dimensional picture of the book; its content Augustus and Rome, its author John Buchan and the context of its production. All quite fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews