The Roman History: The Reign of Augustus

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

Following Rome's long road to peace after decades of civil war, Cassius Dio provides the fullest account of the reign of the first emperor in Books 50 through 60 of his  Roman History .

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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

348 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 230

About the author

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

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

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

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

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Udy Kumra · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Andrada · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

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

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

[Mick Barnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

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

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

[Andrew Reece · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassius Dio's History Narrates Octavian's Ascension From Ruthless Triumvir To The Divine Augustus.

The Greek historian & statesman Cassius Dio was born in 163 or 164 A.D., in the Roman province of Bithynia. The son of Cassius Apronianus, who was himself an imperial governor & consul of considerable esteem, Dio was instructed in the fine art of diplomacy from a very young age. It is believed that Cassius Dio first came to Rome in the year 180 A.D. during the chaotic reign of the madman Commodus, son of the famed Marcus Aurelius. Dio held the quaestorship in 188 or 189 which heralded his official entry into the Roman senate.

Cassius Dio weathered the rise & fall of numerous Roman emperors throughout his long life, among them Pertinax, Septimus Severus, Caracalla, & Elagabus. He originally wrote his signature historical work, 'The Roman History' as a series of 80 books spanning the time period beginning in 1200 B.C. with Aeneas' arrival to Italy, continuing with Rome's foundation in 753 B.C. all the way to Dio's own second consulship in the year 229 A.D. It was an undertaking that consumed roughly twelve years of Dio's life to research & compose. Not all of the 'Roman History' has survived to present day, unfortunately much of it is fragmented or lost altogether.

This edition by Penguin Classics is as the title states a selection of 'The Roman History', & not a translation of the entire manuscript. 'The Roman History : The Reign Of Augustus' includes Books 50 - 56 of Dio's monumental literary work. Originally published in 1987, it features translation work completed by Ian Scott-Kilvert & a fantastic introduction at the beginning of the volume written by John Carter, who is himself an expert on Augustan-Era Rome if the short synopsis on his life at the beginning of the book has anything to say about it. I can't say enough about how wonderfully informative & engaging I found the introduction to be, it contains an in-depth analysis of Augustus' reign & what set his rule apart from the men who followed in the years after his death. The introduction also includes an entire section devoted to Cassius Dio himself which discusses his background the kind of man he was & the work he did in his life & how we believe his writing style was influenced by all of these factors. The text of 'The Reign Of Augustus' contains copious annotations in the form of detailed notes at the back of the book as well as a Chronological Table with key events of Augustus' era in Roman history divided into three separate sections : 'Rome', 'The East' & 'The West' which is helpful in assisting those first learning the period. Accompanying this is a list of Roman consuls by year from the year 43 B.C. to 15 A.D. followed by a collection of beautifully-drawn maps depicting every area of the Roman empire in the age of Augustus. The provinces of Hispania (Spain), Germania (Germany) & Anatolia (Western Asia) all have maps which in addition to being pleasant to look at are also immensely helpful to the reader when reading up on Augustus' & Marcus Agrippa's exploits in expanding the Roman principate as a visual aid.

The base manuscript of Cassius Dio's 'The Roman History' is as I mentioned earlier very much incomplete due to large sections of the work being lost to history. Books 36 - 54 are, thanks to the efforts of scholars & historians, virtually all complete & free of 'lacunae' (gaps in the text), as are Books 57 - 60. Books 55 & 56 both have very-noticeable gaps in the original manuscript & this was remedied through an in my opinion most ingenious solution. There were two Byzantine-era historians, Joannes Zonaras & John Xiphilinus who lived during periods when the entirety of Dio's work was accessible & they wrote summaries that included material covered in Book 55 & 56. There are bracketed passages in 'The Reign Of Augustus' which denote to the reader that they have been inserted to provide a more cohesive, unbroken narrative. Book 50 commences in 32 B.C. as tensions between the young then-Octavian & his ally-and-triumvir Marc Antony boil over into all-out civil war, setting the stage for the climactic Battle of Actium that ultimately seals Antony's doom. Book 56 runs all the way to 14 A.D. where Augustus dies at his house in the small Italian village of Nola.

Surprisingly, Cassius Dio does a remarkable job of making his history feel less like a simple school exercise & more like an epic saga depicting the death of republican Rome & the rise of the Augustan principate. How does he accomplish this? He employs conventions that many historians have leveled criticism at him for, first & foremost the utilization of dramatic 'speeches' delivered by important characters in his narrative widely believed to be utterly fictitious. The introduction informs us that what likely occurred was that Cassius Dio used what he knew of the basic character & personalities of people like Marcus Agrippa, Marc Antony, Augustus' wife Livia & Gaius Maecenas & imagined what might have been spoken by that particular individual. He then inserted their long-winded soliloquies before or during key events in his story to not only add dramatic flair but reinforce the significance of the events taking place.

My own personal opinion of Cassius Dio held next to other classical historians is most assuredly a positive one. His narrative is actually compelling to read, it's interesting & the writing flows with a unique style & grace that makes the reader forget that he or she is reading a history book written almost 2,000 years ago by a man who didn't even witness firsthand let alone live through the events he was writing about as Dio lived close to 150 years after the rise of Augustan Rome. When compared with historians such as Cornelius Tacitus, Cassius Dio's work is much smoother, more polished. Tacitus, at least the translation I read, is overly verbose with what he includes & extremely confusing due to what he does not include in his histories such as any form of delineation regarding the numerous barbarian tribes which populate Germania, Pannonia or Gallia. Dio takes the time to provide explanations for these terms, probably with help from the wonderful translation by Scott-Kilvert. Sallust's histories are written with a more formal feel to the overall composition accompanied by pessimistic, somber undertones pervading his narrative. Mankind's harsh nature is fully visible in Sallust's work; there's virtually no optimism to speak of. I'd probably consider Sallust to be slightly more adept with regards to his language than Cassius Dio, but not by any considerable degree. They were both senators & very educated men which becomes noticeable upon reading their written works. From the little exposure I've had to Livy I'd venture to opine on Cassius Dio's writing style falling somewhere between his & that of Sallust. Titus Livius was in my estimation just as talented a writer as he was a historian. The limited amount of Livy's 'Ab Urbe Condita' I've read often is permeated by an underlying, dark morality he probably intended the reader would learn from Rome's folly & seek to prevent from reoccurring in future. The tone of the language Livy uses is less formal than that of Sallust, he adopts the style of a storyteller weaving an epic saga as opposed to that of an instructor delivering a lesson to a student of Roman history. Livy was unique in the sense that he assuredly was not a politician, he was a full-time career writer who also had a friendship with Augustus himself, the two men were practically the same age & probably enjoyed each other's company.

Cassius Dio's work is similar to Livy's but in my opinion, his background as a politician gives his history a slightly different structure than that of his predecessor. Dio's perspective is that of a senator, so topics such as the reorganization of Rome's controlled territories into Imperial & Senatorial Provinces under the control of the newly-appointed 'Propraetors' & 'Proconsuls' & the famous debate between Maecanas & Agrippa on forms of government become extremely important parts of the story he tells us. Dio also mentions or alludes to many laws instituted or of significance during the Augustan era such as 'Lex Saenia', 'Lex Papia Poppaea', 'Lex Julia de maritandis ordinibus' & the 'Lex Voconia'; his narrative also contains terms correlating to Roman society such as the senators' right of 'ius annuli aurei' & the status of 'ignis et aquae interdictio' which denoted banishment from the republic. I'd fully expect a man with a strong political background to compose a history that places subject matter relative to his occupation at the forefront which Dio definitely does do. Compared to historians like Suetonius or Ammianus Marcellinus, both of whom provide generous helpings of humor & sarcasm in their history, Cassius Dio is much more reserved in his narrative, which probably is a reflection of his vocation as a politician & governor.

One of the reasons I have such admiration for Augustus from a historical standpoint is due to what he managed to accomplish in his life being so impressive. He was ruthless when he had to be, his alliance with Antony was necessary in the aftermath of Caesar's assassination & the proscription era which followed. When Antony would not accept his rule, Octavian did not hesitate to go to war with him after the remaining conspirators had been eliminated as threats to the Roman state. But not only was Augustus harsh when the situation mandated he also was very cognizant of the simple reality that more than anything else the common folk of Rome desired a peaceful existence free of conflict. They didn't really care under whose rule they lived & Augustus' strategy after neutralizing his opposition reflected his intelligence as a diplomat. While he made himself indispensable to the function of the Roman government Augustus allowed many of its aspects to remain undisturbed, earning him the respect of the equestrian noble class. The men Octavian relied upon were no less impressive; Marcus Agrippa was a shrewd tactician & seasoned battle commander in addition to being a veteran soldier with humble origins, his family was neither rich nor powerful prior to taking up Octavian's cause. Gaius Maecenas was a different kind of man entirely. He was an immensely wealthy Etruscan nobleman with powerful connections & tremendous influence whom did not require a title or a position to be effective in furthering Augustus' will, making him particularly of use to the monarch while solidifying his power base.

All told I can't say enough good things about 'The Roman History : The Reign Of Augustus'. The translation is fantastic, the introduction is engrossing & the supplemental material is invaluable. The content in this book serves as a wonderful companion piece to the Roman imperial biography on Augustus Caesar, 'Augustus' by Patricia Southern as well as being immensely relevant in every regard. I'd also recommend 'The Annals' by Cornelius Tacitus as well as the compilation of Sallust's works, simply entitled 'Sallust' for both a comparison between all three historians' writing styles in addition to the time periods covered correlating with what's covered here.

[Carlos Montes · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

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

[Tony Blackmore · Rating 2 out of 5]

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

[Susanne Knudsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Heather Domin · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Marcos Augusto · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

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

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Jarod · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Jay Waghray · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original

[Abigail]

Y'know technically this is like 4 books in one

[Maan Kawas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, I highly recommend

[Mads Floyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Augustus.

[Mario Cianfarani · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Joseph Washkevich · Rating 5 out of 5]

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