Augustus

First Emperor of Rome

By: Adrian Goldsworthy

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Caesar Augustus's story, one of the most riveting in western history, is filled with drama and contradiction, risky gambles and unexpected success. He began as a teenage warlord, whose only claim to power was as the heir of the murdered Julius Caesar. Mark Antony dubbed him "a boy who owes everything to a name," but in the years to come the youth outmaneuvered all the older and more experienced politicians and was the last man standing in 30 BC. Over the next half century, he reinvented himself as a servant of the state who gave Rome peace and stability, and created a new system of government-the Principate, or rule of an emperor. Adrian Goldsworthy pins down the man behind the myths: a consummate manipulator, propagandist, and showman, both generous and ruthless. Under Augustus's rule, the empire prospered, yet his success was never assured, and the events of his life unfolded with exciting unpredictability.

©2014 Adrian Goldsworthy (P)2014 Tantor Media

Stunning biography of Augustus

Great presentation including the background history, culture, societal norms which made the history more meaningful, richer, and placed events in the perspective of those times. George Sugiyama, MD

A Plausible but Uncertain Story

I appreciated the authors intellectual honesty and transparency about conjuncture and verifiable information. I now understand the last BC century and first AD century with a new and helpful clarity.

Informative

A pretty detailed account of his life and reign. As someway of a novice in this area some of the language was hard to get used to and follow. It’s engaging despite being a little difficult in that regard. A very interesting story.

easy to follow well written

very well written book goldsworthy always does an excellent job with any of his Antiquity novels about Roman literature plenty of references to Antiquity Works which makes it very easy to follow and put them into a timeline that's easy to understand

Beautiful.

This was well written and beautifully narrated. After I finished Goldsworthys book on Caesar: life of a colossus, I bragged and retold the story of Caesar to friends and family. Now after listening to the life of Augustus I can hardly wait to do the same.

Grat story

I loved the history of Agustus. I learned a lot about how Rome moved from Julius Cesar and the Republic to the empire.

Well written and narrated about an asshole.

Used his adopted dad's money and name to seize power and kill fellow country men.

Fantastic reading (listening) experience!

After listening to Caesar I couldn't get enough. Adrian Goldsworthy does it again and even exceeded his previous book with this one. He manages to convey a post-graduate class hidden within the joy of reading a novel. I can't wait to read How Rome Fell and honestly I would listen to the Oxford Dictionary if it were read by Derek Perkins, he is the very best narrator in my opinion.

Amazing Biography

Goldsworthy does another amazing job describing the life of a great Roman and its further enhanced by the unabridged audio narration by the wonderful Derek Perkins.

Of Planners and Gamblers!

Much of the time the gambler is more obvious than the careful planner. (William Goldsworthy)

What do you make of a teenager successor to Julius Caesar who dies of old age in his own bed?!