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Ancient Lives
Crassus: The First Tycoon
The story of Rome’s richest man, who died a humiliating desert death in search of military glory
“A perfectly paced biography.”—Tom Holland, Times Literary Supplement
Marcus Licinius Crassus (115–53 BCE) was a modern man in an ancient world, a pioneer disrupter of finance and politics, and the richest man of the last years of the Roman republic. Without his catastrophic ambition, this trailblazing tycoon might have quietly entered history as Rome’s first modern political financier. Instead, Crassus and his son led an army on an unprovoked campaign against Parthia into what are now the borderlands of Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, losing a battle at Carrhae which scarred Roman minds for generations.
After Crassus was killed, historians told many stories of his demise. Some said that his open mouth, shriveled by desert air, had been filled with molten gold as testament to his lifetime of greed. His story, skillfully told by Peter Stothard, poses both immediate and lasting questions about the intertwining of money, ambition, and power.
“A perfectly paced biography.”—Tom Holland, Times Literary Supplement
Marcus Licinius Crassus (115–53 BCE) was a modern man in an ancient world, a pioneer disrupter of finance and politics, and the richest man of the last years of the Roman republic. Without his catastrophic ambition, this trailblazing tycoon might have quietly entered history as Rome’s first modern political financier. Instead, Crassus and his son led an army on an unprovoked campaign against Parthia into what are now the borderlands of Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, losing a battle at Carrhae which scarred Roman minds for generations.
After Crassus was killed, historians told many stories of his demise. Some said that his open mouth, shriveled by desert air, had been filled with molten gold as testament to his lifetime of greed. His story, skillfully told by Peter Stothard, poses both immediate and lasting questions about the intertwining of money, ambition, and power.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published November 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 26, 2025
Money Can’t Buy Everything
Peter Stothard's book Crassus: The First Tycoon offers a compelling exploration of Marcus Licinius Crassus, one of Rome's most influential yet enigmatic figures. Stothard, a seasoned historian and journalist, crafts a nuanced portrait of Crassus, moving beyond the traditional narrative that often casts him merely as the richest man in Rome and a failed military leader.
The book delves into Crassus' life with an impressive level of detail, examining his rise from a relatively obscure noble family to becoming one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Roman history. Stothard's portrayal is well-rounded, acknowledging Crassus' financial acumen, political maneuvering, and the controversial methods he used to amass his fortune, such as real estate speculation and exploiting the aftermath of Sulla's proscriptions. Stothard's writing is engaging and accessible, making complex historical events understandable without sacrificing depth. He provides a vivid account of Crassus' role in the First Triumvirate, alongside Julius Caesar and Pompey, and his ambitious but ill-fated campaign against the Parthians, which ultimately led to his death at the Battle of Carrhae. The author also explores Crassus' motivations, suggesting that his insatiable greed was driven by a deeper need for recognition and a desire to match the military and political achievements of his peers.
One of Crassus: The First Tycoon's strengths is its ability to place Crassus within the broader context of Roman society and politics. Stothard effectively illustrates how Crassus' life intersected with significant events of the late Roman Republic, offering insights into the complex dynamics that eventually led to the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. However, some readers might find that the book leans heavily on interpretation and speculation, especially regarding Crassus' inner thoughts and motivations. While this approach adds a psychological dimension to the biography, it occasionally strays into conjecture, which may not satisfy those looking for a strictly factual account.
Overall, this is a fairly well-researched and thought-provoking biography that brings a fresh perspective to one of Rome's most misunderstood figures. Stothard successfully humanises Crassus, presenting him not just as a symbol of greed and ambition, but as a complex individual whose actions shaped the course of Roman history. This book is a valuable read for anyone interested in the history of Rome, the nature of power, and the individuals who wield it.
Peter Stothard's book Crassus: The First Tycoon offers a compelling exploration of Marcus Licinius Crassus, one of Rome's most influential yet enigmatic figures. Stothard, a seasoned historian and journalist, crafts a nuanced portrait of Crassus, moving beyond the traditional narrative that often casts him merely as the richest man in Rome and a failed military leader.
The book delves into Crassus' life with an impressive level of detail, examining his rise from a relatively obscure noble family to becoming one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Roman history. Stothard's portrayal is well-rounded, acknowledging Crassus' financial acumen, political maneuvering, and the controversial methods he used to amass his fortune, such as real estate speculation and exploiting the aftermath of Sulla's proscriptions. Stothard's writing is engaging and accessible, making complex historical events understandable without sacrificing depth. He provides a vivid account of Crassus' role in the First Triumvirate, alongside Julius Caesar and Pompey, and his ambitious but ill-fated campaign against the Parthians, which ultimately led to his death at the Battle of Carrhae. The author also explores Crassus' motivations, suggesting that his insatiable greed was driven by a deeper need for recognition and a desire to match the military and political achievements of his peers.
One of Crassus: The First Tycoon's strengths is its ability to place Crassus within the broader context of Roman society and politics. Stothard effectively illustrates how Crassus' life intersected with significant events of the late Roman Republic, offering insights into the complex dynamics that eventually led to the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. However, some readers might find that the book leans heavily on interpretation and speculation, especially regarding Crassus' inner thoughts and motivations. While this approach adds a psychological dimension to the biography, it occasionally strays into conjecture, which may not satisfy those looking for a strictly factual account.
Overall, this is a fairly well-researched and thought-provoking biography that brings a fresh perspective to one of Rome's most misunderstood figures. Stothard successfully humanises Crassus, presenting him not just as a symbol of greed and ambition, but as a complex individual whose actions shaped the course of Roman history. This book is a valuable read for anyone interested in the history of Rome, the nature of power, and the individuals who wield it.
December 23, 2022
Crassus is best known as the richest man of Rome and member of the First Triumvirate together with Caesar and Pompey.
This short biography is nice and concise, but it can only be so short because it assumes good prior knowledge. There is an enormous amount of information condensed in the few pages and it is certainly not for beginners, but a good way for amateur enthusiasts to refresh their memory and knowledge of this fascinating period in Roman history, covering roughly the period from the end of the Sulla-Marius rivalry to the beginnings of Caesar's reign and the beginning of the end for the Republic.
The book starts when Crassus is already in his sixties, preparing for his military campaign against the Parthians. Flashbacks paint a good picture about his early career, the internal politics in Rome and his rivalry with Pompey.
One shortcoming is that I would have liked to know more about why Crassus became so rich. The focus is really on the power politics of the times and much less on the day to day life of this 'first financier'. It would have been interesting to learn more about this. Still, it continues to surprise me how much we know of this period.
This biography is part of a series by Yale University Press called Ancient Lives that has already covered Cleopatra and Demetrius. I will certainly try those out, but hope they are less dense as my knowledge of those periods is virtually non-existent.
Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Nethalley in exchange for an honest review.
This short biography is nice and concise, but it can only be so short because it assumes good prior knowledge. There is an enormous amount of information condensed in the few pages and it is certainly not for beginners, but a good way for amateur enthusiasts to refresh their memory and knowledge of this fascinating period in Roman history, covering roughly the period from the end of the Sulla-Marius rivalry to the beginnings of Caesar's reign and the beginning of the end for the Republic.
The book starts when Crassus is already in his sixties, preparing for his military campaign against the Parthians. Flashbacks paint a good picture about his early career, the internal politics in Rome and his rivalry with Pompey.
One shortcoming is that I would have liked to know more about why Crassus became so rich. The focus is really on the power politics of the times and much less on the day to day life of this 'first financier'. It would have been interesting to learn more about this. Still, it continues to surprise me how much we know of this period.
This biography is part of a series by Yale University Press called Ancient Lives that has already covered Cleopatra and Demetrius. I will certainly try those out, but hope they are less dense as my knowledge of those periods is virtually non-existent.
Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Nethalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2025
This book by Peter Stothard was a good read on one of the wealthiest persons who ever lived in Rome.
147 pages to the point and not a swamp of dates and obscure names and places.
When Marcus Licinius Crassus was killed, his worth is estimated at 200 million Sesterces. This translates to between 1.5 and 2.7 billion US dollars.
The question that always comes to mind even in today's world, is when your wealth and the power it brings, reaches this incomprehensible place, Why not stop?
As a young officer, he supported Lucius Cornelius Sulla during the civil war (83-82) between Sulla and the followers of Gaius Marius a powerful Roman general.
After the suicide of his father and brother to avoid capture by Marius, Crassus fled to Spain to raise an army of 2500 soldiers and returned to Rome to help Sulla seize power in 82BC
Crassus began to crave the public admiration that came with major conquests, which was highly valued in Roman political life.
When Sulla seized power in Rome and began his proscriptions (confiscation of rival citizens' property) around 82–81 BCE, Crassus made his first fortune by purchasing the forfeited property of Sulla's victims at extremely low prices.
This would place him around 32-34 years old when he started building his massive fortune.
Crassus was in his 50s and early 60s when he significantly expanded his already considerable wealth.
With all his successful campaigns and investments, accumulation of land, slaves and power he made his fatal error.
Ancient Parthia is primarily modern-day Iran, with its historical core region corresponding to Khorāsān in northeastern Iran. The Parthian Empire's territory also included parts of modern-day Iraq, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and other surrounding areas at its greatest extent.
The Romans considered Parthia a major, at times frustrating, but powerful rival with which they shared a contentious border for centuries.
Crassus set his mind on taking Parthia.
Ultimately, Crassus's ambition and poor tactical decisions, including ignoring advice to use a safer route through Armenia with his legions, led to the disastrous Roman defeat at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC, where he was killed.
After defeating the Romans at the Battle of Carrhae, the Parthians decapitated Crassus and allegedly poured molten gold down his throat as a mocking gesture toward his known greed.
If this was done while he was still alive and not beheaded yet is not known.
His severed head was then presented to the Parthian king, Crassus throat and mouth packed with solidified gold.
There is still some debate about the treatment of the remains of Crassus.
Four Stars
147 pages to the point and not a swamp of dates and obscure names and places.
When Marcus Licinius Crassus was killed, his worth is estimated at 200 million Sesterces. This translates to between 1.5 and 2.7 billion US dollars.
The question that always comes to mind even in today's world, is when your wealth and the power it brings, reaches this incomprehensible place, Why not stop?
As a young officer, he supported Lucius Cornelius Sulla during the civil war (83-82) between Sulla and the followers of Gaius Marius a powerful Roman general.
After the suicide of his father and brother to avoid capture by Marius, Crassus fled to Spain to raise an army of 2500 soldiers and returned to Rome to help Sulla seize power in 82BC
Crassus began to crave the public admiration that came with major conquests, which was highly valued in Roman political life.
When Sulla seized power in Rome and began his proscriptions (confiscation of rival citizens' property) around 82–81 BCE, Crassus made his first fortune by purchasing the forfeited property of Sulla's victims at extremely low prices.
This would place him around 32-34 years old when he started building his massive fortune.
Crassus was in his 50s and early 60s when he significantly expanded his already considerable wealth.
With all his successful campaigns and investments, accumulation of land, slaves and power he made his fatal error.
Ancient Parthia is primarily modern-day Iran, with its historical core region corresponding to Khorāsān in northeastern Iran. The Parthian Empire's territory also included parts of modern-day Iraq, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and other surrounding areas at its greatest extent.
The Romans considered Parthia a major, at times frustrating, but powerful rival with which they shared a contentious border for centuries.
Crassus set his mind on taking Parthia.
Ultimately, Crassus's ambition and poor tactical decisions, including ignoring advice to use a safer route through Armenia with his legions, led to the disastrous Roman defeat at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC, where he was killed.
After defeating the Romans at the Battle of Carrhae, the Parthians decapitated Crassus and allegedly poured molten gold down his throat as a mocking gesture toward his known greed.
If this was done while he was still alive and not beheaded yet is not known.
His severed head was then presented to the Parthian king, Crassus throat and mouth packed with solidified gold.
There is still some debate about the treatment of the remains of Crassus.
Four Stars
December 13, 2022
Peter Stothard's 'Crassus' is a new biography written for Yale University Press's Ancient Lives series, which aims to prove that the lives of ancient thinkers, rulers, warriors, and politicians are still relevant today. Given the turmoil in the world economy, there might perhaps be no more fitting subject for such a series than Crassus.
Since the days of Plutarch, if not before, Marcus Licinius Crassus has been viewed as the ultimate exemplar of folly and dishonesty in the super-rich. The financier of Rome's Late Republic, member of the unofficial Triumvirate with Caesar and Pompey, and suppressor of Spartacus's rebellion, he is perhaps best remembered as the loser at Carrhae when - after watching his son's untimely death - he has his own head removed from his body, later (according to rumour) to be used as a prop in a Greek play. It is a well-known story and therefore a difficult challenge to breathe new life into this long-dead man.
Yet Stothard's book is clever. In a manner much befitting a subject whose head ended as a stage prop in a Greek tragedy, this story of Crassus is told as if it were an ancient Greek play. It has all the necessary elements: the harmatia of the protagonist - that fatal flaw in someone otherwise favoured by fortune; the hubris and nemesis; that peripeteia when realization dawns that retreat and defeat are the only option; and heaps of dramatic irony as the audience watches how each chapter or 'scene', each stage in Crassus's life leads to this one conclusion. Aristotle would be proud.
It might, however, be a bit too clever for its own good. It was only on the second reading that I noticed all the similarities between the structure and style of this book and of an Aristotelian tragedy and began really to appreciate it as such. It is not narrative history of the likes of Tom Holland and is not, therefore, such an easy read, while the arrangement and focus of the chapters can lead to some glaring examples of repetition.
Despite this, it really is worth persevering. Within its pages are some perfectly pitched one-liners that will, no doubt, be quoted for years. It provides a new and interesting way of presenting this usually two-dimensional man. It educates and makes a point. It succeeds in everything it aims to achieve. It proves that Crassus's life was, in fact, a real-life, Roman version of a Greek tragedy.
Since the days of Plutarch, if not before, Marcus Licinius Crassus has been viewed as the ultimate exemplar of folly and dishonesty in the super-rich. The financier of Rome's Late Republic, member of the unofficial Triumvirate with Caesar and Pompey, and suppressor of Spartacus's rebellion, he is perhaps best remembered as the loser at Carrhae when - after watching his son's untimely death - he has his own head removed from his body, later (according to rumour) to be used as a prop in a Greek play. It is a well-known story and therefore a difficult challenge to breathe new life into this long-dead man.
Yet Stothard's book is clever. In a manner much befitting a subject whose head ended as a stage prop in a Greek tragedy, this story of Crassus is told as if it were an ancient Greek play. It has all the necessary elements: the harmatia of the protagonist - that fatal flaw in someone otherwise favoured by fortune; the hubris and nemesis; that peripeteia when realization dawns that retreat and defeat are the only option; and heaps of dramatic irony as the audience watches how each chapter or 'scene', each stage in Crassus's life leads to this one conclusion. Aristotle would be proud.
It might, however, be a bit too clever for its own good. It was only on the second reading that I noticed all the similarities between the structure and style of this book and of an Aristotelian tragedy and began really to appreciate it as such. It is not narrative history of the likes of Tom Holland and is not, therefore, such an easy read, while the arrangement and focus of the chapters can lead to some glaring examples of repetition.
Despite this, it really is worth persevering. Within its pages are some perfectly pitched one-liners that will, no doubt, be quoted for years. It provides a new and interesting way of presenting this usually two-dimensional man. It educates and makes a point. It succeeds in everything it aims to achieve. It proves that Crassus's life was, in fact, a real-life, Roman version of a Greek tragedy.
October 9, 2023
Pentru cei care nu se gândesc zilnic la Imperiul Roman, merită amintit faptul că Crassus, acest tycoon cum îl numește autorul, a făcut parte din "Primul Triumvirat", acționând ca o contrapondere pentru ceilalți doi colegi ai săi: mai faimoșii Iuliu Caesar și Pompei cel Mare. A fost considerat, de asemenea, cel mai bogat om din Roma și a rămas celebru pentru felul tragic în care s-a sfârșit viața sa, undeva în deșerturile Parției, ca recuzită într-o piesă de teatru.
Scriitorul englez, jurnalist și critic, se pare că a scris această operă la "comanda" Universității Yale ca parte dintr-o serie mai largă în care sunt descrise scurt, clar și la obiect, viețile antice ale unor personalități alese mai mult sau mai puțin aleatoriu (Cleopatra, Ramses, Demetrius, Julian Apostatul). La o primă analiză, seria ar putea fi cuprinsă în colecțiile Osprey, calitatea scriiturii și veridicitatea informațiilor tinzând în acea direcție. Lipsit însă de povara acelui model, autorul își împarte cartea strategic, alcătuind un fir narativ palpitant, cu unele antiteze și metafore istețe. Practic, avem la îndemână o sinteză foarte fină a izvoarelor istorice disponibile despre Crassus, Stothard cunoscând și înțelegând suficient perioada încât să-și poarte cititorii cu ușurință printre meandrele epocii Republicane târzii fără a-i plictisi sau rătăci pe aceștia.
Scriitorul englez, jurnalist și critic, se pare că a scris această operă la "comanda" Universității Yale ca parte dintr-o serie mai largă în care sunt descrise scurt, clar și la obiect, viețile antice ale unor personalități alese mai mult sau mai puțin aleatoriu (Cleopatra, Ramses, Demetrius, Julian Apostatul). La o primă analiză, seria ar putea fi cuprinsă în colecțiile Osprey, calitatea scriiturii și veridicitatea informațiilor tinzând în acea direcție. Lipsit însă de povara acelui model, autorul își împarte cartea strategic, alcătuind un fir narativ palpitant, cu unele antiteze și metafore istețe. Practic, avem la îndemână o sinteză foarte fină a izvoarelor istorice disponibile despre Crassus, Stothard cunoscând și înțelegând suficient perioada încât să-și poarte cititorii cu ușurință printre meandrele epocii Republicane târzii fără a-i plictisi sau rătăci pe aceștia.
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September 1, 2023Shakespeare gave us an abiding image of Caesar. Pompey promoted himself as the second coming of Alexander the Great. But when it comes to the mysterious third man who pulled the strings and turned the gears of politics in first-century BC Rome, Marcus Licinius Crassus has only himself to blame for historical obscurity.
Eighteen years after rising to the public’s attention for ending Spartacus’ revolt, Caesar’s one-time banker and Rome’s former head of state departed for the Tigris and Euphrates with mad imperialist designs of annexing Parthia to Rome. An otherwise comfortable life of wealth and privilege ended with Crassus’ head being used as a prop on a Parthian stage. Peter Stothard profiles the life of this arrogant, ego-inflated, posh middle-aged Roman in Crassus, his slim, unapologetically top-down biography of Caesar and Pompey’s lesser-known but no-less-influential contemporary.
Stothard styles Crassus history’s ‘first tycoon’, but from the details of Crassus’ life, it’s hard not to regard him as an archetypal antihero and classical-era dinosaur: a real-estate mogul who acquired his wealth by profiting off collapsed tenements in Rome, a womaniser ‘accused of seducing a Vestal Virgin’ and a businessman who was particularly ‘innovative when understanding human capital’, so Stothard says, noting Crassus’ penchant for ‘buying and training the smartest of the enslaved’ to be his property managers. If historical writing has shifted attention from the privileged and powerful in recent years, hovering over the lives of outsiders and the disenfranchised, Crassus yanks that pendulum right from its socket.
Read the rest of the review at HistoryToday.com.
Douglas Boin is Professor of History at Saint Louis University and the author of Alaric the Goth (W.W. Norton, 2020).
Eighteen years after rising to the public’s attention for ending Spartacus’ revolt, Caesar’s one-time banker and Rome’s former head of state departed for the Tigris and Euphrates with mad imperialist designs of annexing Parthia to Rome. An otherwise comfortable life of wealth and privilege ended with Crassus’ head being used as a prop on a Parthian stage. Peter Stothard profiles the life of this arrogant, ego-inflated, posh middle-aged Roman in Crassus, his slim, unapologetically top-down biography of Caesar and Pompey’s lesser-known but no-less-influential contemporary.
Stothard styles Crassus history’s ‘first tycoon’, but from the details of Crassus’ life, it’s hard not to regard him as an archetypal antihero and classical-era dinosaur: a real-estate mogul who acquired his wealth by profiting off collapsed tenements in Rome, a womaniser ‘accused of seducing a Vestal Virgin’ and a businessman who was particularly ‘innovative when understanding human capital’, so Stothard says, noting Crassus’ penchant for ‘buying and training the smartest of the enslaved’ to be his property managers. If historical writing has shifted attention from the privileged and powerful in recent years, hovering over the lives of outsiders and the disenfranchised, Crassus yanks that pendulum right from its socket.
Read the rest of the review at HistoryToday.com.
Douglas Boin is Professor of History at Saint Louis University and the author of Alaric the Goth (W.W. Norton, 2020).
October 28, 2024
Stothard delivers a good distillation of all we know about Crassus in this short biography. The major problem is simply that we don’t have all that much to go off of, excepting Plutarch. Nevertheless, this book is superbly elevated by Stothard’s marvelous description of the Battle of Carrhae. If you’re familiar with the surrounding historical context, this is a good book to refresh yourself on “the first tycoon.”
December 5, 2025
Brief history of Crassus the wealthiest man in Rome and a triumvir with Caesar and Pompey. He started a fight and lost it all. I have heard his story many times but it is always brief. This book is also brief, <200 pgs, but it does contain a few more details that I had read elsewhere. Next I need to find a Bio on Lepidus that is worth reading.
August 3, 2024
Convoluted uninspiring narrative
October 23, 2024
What an amazing book! So well-written, fast paced, dynamic and a perfect depiction of the chaos and ruthlessness of the Late Republican World.
December 12, 2022
Short and to the point. Good intro to Crassus, parts of his history and motivations but very light on detail. Could have done with more investigation into how Crassus and his image have been rendered throughout (Romand and beyond) historiography as well as the impact of Carrhae on the wider development of the Roman Empire (there are only ever subtle hints at it).
May 28, 2023
audio narrated by Julian Elfer 3hrs 47m
excellent piece of historical biography.. It doesn't take ten plus hours to relate the 'known' facts about someone's life and the relativity. Came here from "the Parthian" which is about Crassus hunting Sparticus.
excellent piece of historical biography.. It doesn't take ten plus hours to relate the 'known' facts about someone's life and the relativity. Came here from "the Parthian" which is about Crassus hunting Sparticus.
January 15, 2023
Provided a good understanding of the internal Roman politics leading up to the change from Republic to Empire. The final battle tale in Parthia was exciting and well explained. After a string of horrible decisions, Crassus got outwitted by his counterpart who strung together 1000 camels to continuously resupply archers, something the Romans could not have conceived. That, combined with the Parthian cavalry’s skill, led to a rout and the elimination of Crassus. Without him to balance Pompey and Caesar, civil war and the end of the Republic was soon to follow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2023
Just ok. Crassus is the least known of the Triumvirate of the Late Republic so this book likely fills th gap between all that is written about Pompey and Caesar. It moves quickly and feels jumpy at times but it is informative and tries to stick to the source material. Previous knowledge of the characters and the time period is definitely helpful as it is not a thorough biography (probably for the better). If you are looking for a quick read that will teach you something new about a largely forgotten man, then it is worthwhile.
August 25, 2024
A short succinct historical overview of the man as well as character study
Any review of this book would have to start out by emphasizing that it is part of Princeton University Press’ “Ancient Lives” series. As such it is relatively short, at only about 150 short pages. Hence the book would not be of great interest to those seeking an in-depth academic tome on the man. As the introduction to the book states in the preface, written by the editor of the series, “Ancient Lives unfolds the stories of thinkers, writers, kings, queens, conquerors, and politicians from all parts of the ancient world. Readers will come to know these figures in fully human dimensions, complete with foibles and flaws, and will see that the issues they faced – political conflicts …. tensions between the private and public self – have changed little over the course of millennia”. For readers seeking this, in the context of Crassus, the book succeeds. Considering the paucity of books on the topic (shamefully), however, there are not too many options.
Despite the fact that it provides a decent overview, the book still does have a few weaknesses. These are primarily due to the brevity of the book. One is the too short chapter of his role in the suppression of the Spartacus revolt. There is too little emphasis, in this reviewer’s opinion, as to how ruthless and willing Crassus was to sacrifice so many of his fellow Roman citizens by waiting for the revolt to become very large, dangerous and destructive before he did anything to crush it. The second major problem involved the climax, Crassus’ end at the battle of Carrhae. Considering this was the climax of Crassus’ life, as well as a radically different battle than Romans were used to fighting (as the author correctly points out albeit in too succinct of a manner), not to mention a very fitting end, it was not covered in the length it deserved. For readers interested in a more in-depth history and analysis of this battle, this reviewer highly recommends Osprey Publishing’s Carrhae 53 BC: Rome’s Disaster in the Desert, as well as Gareth Sampson’s “Defeat of Rome in the East: Crassus, the Parthians, and the Disastrous Battle of Carrhae, 53 BC”.
The book is what it is, thanks to its too short length. Nevertheless, still a four star.
Any review of this book would have to start out by emphasizing that it is part of Princeton University Press’ “Ancient Lives” series. As such it is relatively short, at only about 150 short pages. Hence the book would not be of great interest to those seeking an in-depth academic tome on the man. As the introduction to the book states in the preface, written by the editor of the series, “Ancient Lives unfolds the stories of thinkers, writers, kings, queens, conquerors, and politicians from all parts of the ancient world. Readers will come to know these figures in fully human dimensions, complete with foibles and flaws, and will see that the issues they faced – political conflicts …. tensions between the private and public self – have changed little over the course of millennia”. For readers seeking this, in the context of Crassus, the book succeeds. Considering the paucity of books on the topic (shamefully), however, there are not too many options.
Despite the fact that it provides a decent overview, the book still does have a few weaknesses. These are primarily due to the brevity of the book. One is the too short chapter of his role in the suppression of the Spartacus revolt. There is too little emphasis, in this reviewer’s opinion, as to how ruthless and willing Crassus was to sacrifice so many of his fellow Roman citizens by waiting for the revolt to become very large, dangerous and destructive before he did anything to crush it. The second major problem involved the climax, Crassus’ end at the battle of Carrhae. Considering this was the climax of Crassus’ life, as well as a radically different battle than Romans were used to fighting (as the author correctly points out albeit in too succinct of a manner), not to mention a very fitting end, it was not covered in the length it deserved. For readers interested in a more in-depth history and analysis of this battle, this reviewer highly recommends Osprey Publishing’s Carrhae 53 BC: Rome’s Disaster in the Desert, as well as Gareth Sampson’s “Defeat of Rome in the East: Crassus, the Parthians, and the Disastrous Battle of Carrhae, 53 BC”.
The book is what it is, thanks to its too short length. Nevertheless, still a four star.
February 27, 2025
A Masterfully Written Biography
This book was fast paced, yet delivered with great suspense. Here are my takeaways
- A lot of his success came from Sulla's purges and proscriptions which allowed him to confiscate properties. He was clever and kniving, had a healthy sense of strategy and patience, but certainly wouldn't be considered a great financial thinker by today's standards. These were people who were being executed, jailed, or exiled based on political affiliation and Crassus took advantage of this to secure lots of cheap real estate. I can't say I have much respect for this business tactic.
- Loan Arbitrage: Crassus made a lot of money borrowing at low interest rates, loaning at higher interest rates. He executed this form of loan arbitrage at a scale not imitated by anyone else in ancient Rome.
- Training slaves into white collar workers: he had his slaves educated and trained into white collar workers, a few of them eventually earning freedom. This shows that Crassus did not share the reductive mindset of seeing slaves as sub-human or incapable of intellectual endeavor. While I obviously do not support slavery, I admire him giving slaves the ability to "move up" a corporate hierarchy
- Massive overreach with the Parthian campaign. Crassus was extremely insecure about his "lack" of military achievement. I put lack in quotations because he defeated the Spartacus rebellion. While his Roman contemporaries did not consider it to be an impressive achievement - the rebellion had defeated scores of Roman consuls and legions so this hints that he was in fact an impressive military tactician. However, his desire for recognition caused him to take on far too much risk with the Parthian campaign and in the end that was his downfall. He could have easily enjoyed his wealth and achievement into his late age.
Arguably he had everything - an heir, limitless wealth, and was at the very minimum number 3 in terms of power in the republic (triumvirate). He lost it all chasing glory. A cautionary tale.
This book was fast paced, yet delivered with great suspense. Here are my takeaways
- A lot of his success came from Sulla's purges and proscriptions which allowed him to confiscate properties. He was clever and kniving, had a healthy sense of strategy and patience, but certainly wouldn't be considered a great financial thinker by today's standards. These were people who were being executed, jailed, or exiled based on political affiliation and Crassus took advantage of this to secure lots of cheap real estate. I can't say I have much respect for this business tactic.
- Loan Arbitrage: Crassus made a lot of money borrowing at low interest rates, loaning at higher interest rates. He executed this form of loan arbitrage at a scale not imitated by anyone else in ancient Rome.
- Training slaves into white collar workers: he had his slaves educated and trained into white collar workers, a few of them eventually earning freedom. This shows that Crassus did not share the reductive mindset of seeing slaves as sub-human or incapable of intellectual endeavor. While I obviously do not support slavery, I admire him giving slaves the ability to "move up" a corporate hierarchy
- Massive overreach with the Parthian campaign. Crassus was extremely insecure about his "lack" of military achievement. I put lack in quotations because he defeated the Spartacus rebellion. While his Roman contemporaries did not consider it to be an impressive achievement - the rebellion had defeated scores of Roman consuls and legions so this hints that he was in fact an impressive military tactician. However, his desire for recognition caused him to take on far too much risk with the Parthian campaign and in the end that was his downfall. He could have easily enjoyed his wealth and achievement into his late age.
Arguably he had everything - an heir, limitless wealth, and was at the very minimum number 3 in terms of power in the republic (triumvirate). He lost it all chasing glory. A cautionary tale.
November 22, 2022
Cracking first rate read on Marcus Licinius Crassus, the lesser known of the triumvirate formed with Pompey and Julius Caesar. Lesser known probably because he was not so much renowned for his battlefield exploits than the other two, he preferred the shadows and finance was his strength. Many would know him due to the film Spartacus and Laurence Olivier's portrayal of him. Peter Stothard's sublime account of his life one can sense that Olivier was not far off in his interpretation of the man. Stothard wrote an excellent concise account of the fates of Caesar's assassins and he repeats it again -- quality not quantity is the watchword. Crassus's vanity and a desire to achieve something on the battlefield worthy of being welcomed back to Rome with a Triumph -- not accorded to him for the defeat of Spartacus -- drives him to his death and many of his men in faraway Parthia. Had he taken the advice of one of his officers and a future assassin of Caesar Cassius he might have salvaged something. However, he ignored it and worse he also dismissed a warning from an emissary of his Parthian opponent when Crassus turned down an offer of being free to leave and said he would give his answer once he was embedded in the royal city of Seleuceia. A memorable phase it is too: 'Vagises held out a soft hand, palm upward, laughed and said: "Hair will grow here, Crassus, before you see Seleuceia."' It was a Parthian insult which essentially meant as hair cannot grow on a man's palm it conformed to the Greek word adunaton that something cannot happen until something impossible happens 'deserts freezing over, dogs climbing pear trees.' Crassus would never see Seleuceia. As Stothard remarks Crassus did get his Triumph but not in the way he imagined it. His head with his mouth stuffed with molten gold was used as a stage prop in a play after being presented to the Parthian king Orodes. Greed and wealth only gets one so far. A memorable book.
April 27, 2024
Not quite a straight biography, not a novel based on the life, Stothard’s is an illuminating glimpse of the motives and events that shaped the career of Marcus Licinius Crassus. Although the lives of his more famous contemporaries – Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompey (the Great) are famously written and documented in both fiction and serious biography, Crassus remains a shadowy figure, known only for two horrific incidents: the brutal quelling of the slave rebellion led by Spartacus, in which he personally oversaw the crucifixion of over two thousand of the remnant of the defeated army; and his own death in Carrhae. In some accounts, his death was brought about by pouring molten gold into his mouth, like something out of ‘The Game of Thrones.’
Stothard’s account humanises Crassus without unduly romanticising his life. His birth, youth and training, the death of his father and his brother, his skills, talents and military successes are passed in review, as well his choices in life: between two bloodthirsty tyrants, Gaius Marius and Sulla, he chooses Sulla. Later, he takes Caesar on as protégé, finances him and helps him in his meteoric rise. Crassus’s desire to be seen as more than a financial mogul or political financier, a boss-behind-the-scenes causes his tragedy at Carrhae. Crassus's great limitations in leadership skills and man management was the immediate cause of his death, while complete ignorance of the region, the customs and sensitivities of the people was a matter of indifference, if not of contempt, not for Crassus only, but for Rome; the result was the total annihilation of seven Roman legions, with twenty thousand men killed and ten thousand taken prisoner by inferior numbers, by an almost unknown desert tribe, by untrained warriors who were mounted on horses and camels, and fought with bow and arrow, not hand to hand in martial fight.
Stothard’s account humanises Crassus without unduly romanticising his life. His birth, youth and training, the death of his father and his brother, his skills, talents and military successes are passed in review, as well his choices in life: between two bloodthirsty tyrants, Gaius Marius and Sulla, he chooses Sulla. Later, he takes Caesar on as protégé, finances him and helps him in his meteoric rise. Crassus’s desire to be seen as more than a financial mogul or political financier, a boss-behind-the-scenes causes his tragedy at Carrhae. Crassus's great limitations in leadership skills and man management was the immediate cause of his death, while complete ignorance of the region, the customs and sensitivities of the people was a matter of indifference, if not of contempt, not for Crassus only, but for Rome; the result was the total annihilation of seven Roman legions, with twenty thousand men killed and ten thousand taken prisoner by inferior numbers, by an almost unknown desert tribe, by untrained warriors who were mounted on horses and camels, and fought with bow and arrow, not hand to hand in martial fight.
October 14, 2024
Booksellers’ shelves are crowded with unsold histories of Ancient Rome, especially the fragile period from the First Triumvirate to the reign of Augustus.
For this reason, Stothard’s seemingly novel and straightforward concept—a retelling of events through the point of view of Crassus, the First Triumvirate’s least-known member—bears enormous appeal.
Unfortunately, “Crassus: The First Tycoon” fails at nearly every turn to make good on its author’s ambitious premise. The work’s shortcomings include remarkably light source notes, swift and inadequate examinations of the few events for which Crassus is barely known, and an overall plot organization that, like the warlord aristocrat’s last days in the Parthian deserts, wanders without direction.
The life of Crassus may merit its own modern treatment—just not this one.
For this reason, Stothard’s seemingly novel and straightforward concept—a retelling of events through the point of view of Crassus, the First Triumvirate’s least-known member—bears enormous appeal.
Unfortunately, “Crassus: The First Tycoon” fails at nearly every turn to make good on its author’s ambitious premise. The work’s shortcomings include remarkably light source notes, swift and inadequate examinations of the few events for which Crassus is barely known, and an overall plot organization that, like the warlord aristocrat’s last days in the Parthian deserts, wanders without direction.
The life of Crassus may merit its own modern treatment—just not this one.
March 20, 2024
A very short book about the career and disastrous end of one of the triumvirs, the rich one, of Julius Caesars and Pompey's first Triumvirate. There are a lot of interesting connections explained between Crassus and Sulla, Crassus and Caesar, Pompey of course, Cicero,too, the Senate etc. The author has some connection to Mary Beard , author of the book SPQR.
Perhaps the most interesting detail are the details of the desert battle where Crassus was slain on the Syrian border. Crassus' two leutenants were his son, who died a day or so earlier, and another Roman who kept a detailed diary in part in imitation of Caesar and in part to documents all his criticisms. That was the Cassius who a decade later was one Caesar's assassins and a key conspirator.
Perhaps the most interesting detail are the details of the desert battle where Crassus was slain on the Syrian border. Crassus' two leutenants were his son, who died a day or so earlier, and another Roman who kept a detailed diary in part in imitation of Caesar and in part to documents all his criticisms. That was the Cassius who a decade later was one Caesar's assassins and a key conspirator.
July 27, 2025
Roman history is so full of ostentatious generals and emperors that some of the most influential characters are relegated to footnotes. Crassus is one of those figures and Peter Stothard's biography is an excellent window into this man who lurks behind some of the most famous historical events of Rome: Pompey the Great, Julius Caesar, Cassius (one of the instigators of Caesar's assassination), the Sulla/Marius Civil War all become the backdrop to Crassus's story of wealth and oligarchy.
There is much here to help understand how singular this man was in Roman history while also highlighting points with modern relevance. There is no moralizing here, though, just a well crafted portrait of one of the more elusive figures of Roman history.
There is much here to help understand how singular this man was in Roman history while also highlighting points with modern relevance. There is no moralizing here, though, just a well crafted portrait of one of the more elusive figures of Roman history.
November 9, 2025
This is a very interesting account about Crassus and his incredible business acumen that made him the richest man in the Roman Empire, although it was through appropriating land and estates following the proscriptions of unfortunate people during the purges of Sulla. His ambition to become lauded as a military success, the equal of Pompey and Julius Caesar, was his undoing when he declared war on Parthia and lost the battle of Carrhae. Peter Stothard's depiction of Crassus delves into his motives and shows how he enabled himself to become Consul together with Pompey and Caesar but financially backed and promoted Caesar. The chapters of this book are a reasonable length, precise and not protracted which makes it a very enjoyable read.
February 4, 2024
I'm always a little sceptical about biographies on individuals from the distant past, usually because of how little we know. What we really know about Cleopatra, for instance, would fit onto one side of A4 paper. So, a biography on Crassus at over 100 pages...Well, as suspected, there is a lot of padding, and the author has a tendency to spend as much time discussing Pompey and Caesar as he does Crassus. To be honest you would probably learn as much about Crassus from Wikipedia (check the sources) as you would here - possibly more. But hey, this biography is better than nothing and fills a gap on my shelf.
October 28, 2023
Drawing mostly on Plutarch, Stothard delivers a detailed (as much as possible) account of Crassus' economic and political rise in the Caesar, Sulla, Pompey environment. His interaction with these rivals, and his bid for advancement, politically and militarily in a dangerous environment, is described with more detail than most knew existed. Stothard is British and some of his idioms and sentence structures can be a bit challenging for the American audience. However, this short history of one of Rome's most interesting characters is a gift from Peter Stothard.
November 26, 2023
Maybe a worse score just because I was reading another book at the same time but just not the best. I went to Michigan vs Ohio State this weekend and had a blast. I also met a few of my girlfriends college and high school friends that I hadn’t met yet. It was fun. I wrapped spoken presents today too which is cool to get done early. I have so many secret Santa’s and gifts I had to get but I got all my shopping done early! Talkin ink.
June 6, 2024
really interesting book, im certainly no expert on the ancient past however i like to think i have somewhat armchair knowladge on it, although some people will probably disagree with me on this who read this book, however i generally liked the book overal and thought it had some key interesting points about the man himself and about why is a strong figure in ancient rome, this may not be a scholor written level book, but it is a interesting one none the less
February 23, 2025
This book gave a fair but brief overview of Crassus' life. However, the brevity came across as cursory at times. I am aware that sources are scarce for pieces of Crassus' life, but there were multiple instances where depth could have been added and wasn't.
I was not familiar with this famous ancient lives series and will be avoiding it in the future. At this point in my life, I am not looking for light introductory readings on topics I am seeking out.
I was not familiar with this famous ancient lives series and will be avoiding it in the future. At this point in my life, I am not looking for light introductory readings on topics I am seeking out.
January 24, 2023
Author seems more concerned with using the most grandiose of vocabulary than to tell the story of Crassus. For a book titled “The First Tycoon” I know little of his financial innovations, and one would be already familiar with the stories told in this book if they had prior knowledge of Caesar, Pompey and Cicero.
August 12, 2023
This is a book about the difference between politics and war. The central message is a topical one - even if someone is good at amassing wealth and political clout, they may be very bad at war. The book is short and leans rather heavily on Plutarch, as it must. I think a longer, fictionalised account, could have more impact.
August 22, 2023
I wanted to learn more about Crassus after enjoying Robert Harris's Cicero Trilogy, in which the First Tycoon features as one of the main villains. I didn’t learn too much in this book given that most of it was already covered by Harris. Nonetheless, this is a well-written biography of one of Ancient Rome's most fascinating bad guys with an absolutely gorgeous cover to boot.
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