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Marcus Agrippa: Right-Hand Man of Caesar Augustus Paperback – November 9, 2023
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Marcus Agrippa personified the term "right-hand man". As Emperor Augustus' deputy, he waged wars, pacified provinces, beautified Rome, and played a critical role in laying the foundations of the Pax Romana for the next two hundred years - but he served always in the knowledge he would never rule in his own name. Why he did so, and never grasped power exclusively for himself, has perplexed historians for centuries.
In his teens he formed a life-long friendship with Julius Caesar's great nephew, Caius Octavius, which would change world history. Following Caesar's assassination on the Ides of March 44 BC, Agrippa was instrumental in asserting his friend's rights as the dictator's heir. He established a reputation as a bold admiral, defeating Sextus Pompeius at Mylae and Naulochus (36 BC), culminating in the epoch-making Battle of Actium (31 BC), which eliminated Marcus Antonius and Queen Cleopatra as rivals. He proved his genius for military command on land by ending bloody rebellions in the Cimmerian Bosporus, Gaul, Hispania and Illyricum.
In Gaul Agrippa established the vital road network that helped turn Julius Caesar's conquests into viable provinces. As a diplomat, he befriended Herod the Great of Judaea and stabilized the East. As minister of works he overhauled Rome's drains and aqueducts, transformed public bathing in the city, created public parks with great artworks and built the original Pantheon.
Agrippa became co-ruler of the Roman Empire with Augustus and married his daughter Julia. His three sons were adopted by his friend as potential heirs to the throne. Agrippa's unexpected death in 12 BC left Augustus bereft, but his bloodline lived on in the imperial family, through Agrippina the Elder to his grandson Caligula and great grandson Nero.
MARCUS AGRIPPA is lucidly written by the author of the acclaimed biographies Eager for Glory and Germanicus. Illustrated with color plates, figures and high quality maps, Lindsay Powell presents a penetrating new assessment of the life and achievements of the multifaceted man who put service to friend and country before himself.
- Print length384 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPen and Sword Military
- Publication dateNovember 9, 2023
- Dimensions6.1 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
- ISBN-101399024809
- ISBN-13978-1399024808
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Saul David, University of Buckingham, author of WAR: From Ancient Egypt to Iraq.
“Augustus' ascent and reign are unthinkable without Marcus Agrippa. Surprisingly, there has been no biography of Agrippa in English for some eighty years. Powell's book admirably fills this gap and will be indispensable for anyone with a serious interest in this crucial historical period.”
Karl Galinsky, University of Texas at Austin, author of Augustus: Introduction to the Life of an Emperor
“Marcus Agrippa was one of history’s most intriguing right-hand men. Few played a greater role in the emperor Augustus’ success. In vigorous prose, and with a fingertip feel for Roman politics and war, Lindsay Powell brings Agrippa to life.”
Barry Strauss, Cornell University, author of Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar and the Genius of Leadership
"Powell describes Agrippa as a devoted aide and indispensable deputy without whom Augustus could never have won the civil war to take power or ruled so successfully for so long. He was a talented general on land and a fine admiral at sea, he says, a pragmatic diplomat, a hard-working public official, a generous philanthropist, and a close friend and contemporary of the emperor. Among his topics are the new man in Rome, mastermind of victory at Actium, statesman of the Roman world, the noblest man of his day, and assessment."
ProtoView
"Powell portrays Agrippa in a vivid way, bringing this key figure of the Principate out of the shadow. His book is a fine and original introduction to these troubled years of historical transition, leading the reader through the end of the Republic, the Civil Wars and the birth of the Roman Empire."
Res Militares
"The book really hits its stride with the battle of Actium, which was certainly the highlight of Agrippa's military career... a valuable addition to the library of anyone interested in the formative years of the Roman empire."
United Nations of Roma Victrix (UNRV)
"A terrific book especially for historians and academics who will find a wealth of information in it. A really good effort... Surely the documentation, footnotes, bibliography, will be well received by academics. It's going to be a very valuable reference book on Agrippa. Frankly, probably better than I could have done."
Richard A Gabriel, author & historian
"Thank you for doing such a comprehensive job of bringing the man to the public's attention in your scholarly but highly readable biography."
Commodore D J M Mowlam, Royal Navy
"This is a five star read."
Chris Heath, author
“An exceptionally well written, organized and presented study…”
Midwest Book Review
About the Author
appeared in Military Heritage and Strategy and Tactics. He is author of the highly acclaimed Marcus Agrippa: Right-Hand Man of Caesar Augustus, Germanicus: The Magnificent Life and Mysterious Death of Rome's Most Popular General and Eager for Glory: The Untold Story of Drusus the Elder, Conqueror of Germania, all published by Pen & Sword Books. His appearances include BBC Radio, British Forces Broadcasting Service and History Channel.
He divides his time between Austin, Texas and Wokingham, England.
Product details
- Publisher : Pen and Sword Military (November 9, 2023)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1399024809
- ISBN-13 : 978-1399024808
- Item Weight : 1.18 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.1 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #538,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #224 in Ancient Rome Biographies
- #895 in Ancient Roman History (Books)
- #2,855 in Political Leader Biographies
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
LINDSAY POWELL is a historian and writer. He tells the stories of the important but under-reported personalities and events of history to complete our knowledge and understanding of the past. Lindsay has a particular passion for the military history of the Roman Empire. He scours ancient documents, inscriptions, coins and museums for stories, as well as archaeological, engineering, medical and scientific reports to reveal deeper truths.
He regularly contributes to Ancient Warfare and Ancient History magazines. His articles have also appeared in Military Heritage, Desperta Ferro and Strategy & Tactics, as well as on UNRV.com. His books have been published by Pen and Sword and Osprey Publishing. He is a member of the Classical Association and the Historical Writers' Association, as well as a Friend of The Vindolanda Trust. Lindsay's appearances include BBC Radio, British Forces Broadcasting Service, HistoryHit.TV and History Channel.
His latest book is AUGUSTUS AT WAR. It is a new and penetrating assessment of Caesar Augustus as ancient Rome's military commander-in-chief. With a foreword specially written by Karl Galinsky, it is published by Pen and Sword Books (13 August 2018). "Historians have underestimated Augustus as a military man and in this book I try to set the record of his achievement straight," says Lindsay.
His previous books include BAR KOKHBA WAR for Osprey Publishing, the extraordinary story of the rebel who established an independent Jewish state within the Roman empire and fought Emperor Hadrian between the years AD 132-136. It was an Amazon UK bestseller (July 2017) in three categories: History of Israel; History of Palestine; and Revolutions and Coups.
MARCUS AGRIPPA: RIGHT-HAND MAN OF CAESAR AUGUSTUS is the first book in English since 1937 to describe the life and achievements of this crucially important figure in Roman history. "The contribution of Marcus Agrippa to Augustus' success cannot be understated. In many ways he is the unsung hero," says Lindsay, "but it was clear from my research that he intended it to be that way". Why is the great mystery explored in the book.
He began writing EAGER FOR GLORY when researching the Battle of Teutoburg, AD 9, and learned of the critical role Nero Claudius Drusus (Drusus the Elder) played in establishing the Romans' presence in Germania Magna. He was astonished to find there was no book about him. EAGER FOR GLORY: The Untold Story of Drusus the Elder, Conqueror or Germania is the book he had hoped to find. "I think readers will be very surprised," he says, "at how important this relative of Augustus was in the formation of the early Roman Empire. He was a successful military commander, a gifted governor, a daring explorer, and a monumental builder. He was a loving husband and father, and a man admired by friend and foe alike. In this book I hope to have restored him to his rightful place in the eventful story of Ancient Rome".
The life of Drusus the Elder's son is the subject of Lindsay's latest book GERMANICUS. "Germanicus Caesar was Rome's most popular general who expunged the shame of the 'Varian Disaster' at Teutoburg in AD 9," says Lindsay. The book tells the story of how he was suddenly thrust into prominence, put down a mutiny of the Rhine legions, led military campaigns in Illyricum and Germania Magna, and earned a reputation as a formidable court advocate. Lindsay examines the possible causes of his mysterious death in Syria and follows the tragic fate of his wife and children. "GERMANICUS tells a compelling tale which inspired generations of painters and playwrights down the centuries and is told for the first time in this new biography," says Lindsay.
Writing COMBAT: ROMAN SOLDIER VERSUS GERMANIC WARRIOR, 1st CENTURY AD enabled Lindsay to dive deeper into the German Wars he described in EAGER FOR GLORY and GERMANICUS. Working with acclaimed illustrator Peter Dennis, the author/artist team have produced a dramatic and visually exciting account of the battles at Teutoburg (AD 9), Idistaviso (AD 16) and Angrivarian Wall (AD 16), seen from the perspective of soldiers on both sides of the battlefields.
Connections between the present and the past also fascinate him. Combining a researcher's skill at finding unexpected connections in everyday events and a historian's knowledge of source material, in ALL THINGS UNDER THE SUN: How Modern Ideas are Really Ancient, Lindsay takes a clear eyed and often witty look at modern times through the longer perspective of ancient history and reveals that, as the old adage goes, 'all things under the Sun, there's nothing new'. "Human societies have faced many of the same problems before," says Lindsay, "and if we're smart, we'll learn from the Past and pick the solutions that worked - and avoid those that didn't."
Lindsay divides his time between Austin, Texas and Wokingham, England.
Visit him at http://www.Lindsay-Powell.com/
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There is a lot of speculation. One common gambit: the author notes some event and then mentions that Agrippa might have been there. I have read such phrases in biographies of characters from 800 years ago and back. But so much information is missing that I do not find this overly problematic. The loss of Agrippa's autobiography is a shame (although autobiographies can be unreliable).
The book is told chronologically--from Agrippa's childhood to his death. We learn of the development of his friendship with the young Augustus. Their relationship developed in tumultuous times--war, the assassination of Julius Caesar, the Civil War, the uncertain alliances with Antoninus (Mark Antony) and Lepidus, the war with Antoninus and Kleopatra. . . . And so on. Agrippa at Augustus' right hand. During this time, Agrippa showed considerable developing skill in military matters. After Augustus' quelling of Civil War, Agrippa ended up helping to develop Rome further--from public baths to new aqueducts to public buildings (such as the Pantheon) and so on. And apparently done honestly with many improvements coming from his own purse (he had done nicely with the rewards of war).
Over time, his scope of activity increased as he maintained Augusts' trust. We also see his family life--three wives, several children (he had bad luck with his children surviving long). We learn of physical ailments that may have precipitated his death.
A final chapter tries to make sense of the life of Agrippa. The book is rather short (just over 200 pages long), but there is a lot that we do not yet know about Agrippa's life. I wish that the concluding chapter had helped make greater sense of Agrippa's life and his role in Rome's development, but it is serviceable. A book well worth reading.
Augustus reorganized Roman civil institutions and governance while keeping the forms and outward structure of the res publica. He brought stability, expanded the frontiers, and rebuilt Rome itself into a city of marble. With him from the beginning was Marcus V. Agrippa.
There is a lack of information on Agrippa and Powell combed through available accounts to write a readable, and well researched biography of a indispensable partner in the transformation of Rome in a key moment of history.
The book has turned out to be extremely informative, but tedious, with minutiae. Marcus Agrippa is not for the average individual with little or no knowledge in Roman history.
It is for the person who wants to learn more about the man that built The Pantheon.
My other criticism pertains to the print, it is tiny with minuscule lettering for the maps.
This book does an excellent job of showing how Agrippa rose from obscurity to prominence, specifically the importance of being principled. His solid character allowed Augustus to fully trust and confide him. Principles were just as important 2,000 years ago as they are today and this is a valuable lesson exemplified in the book.
The reason for four and not five stars is I personally did not find the narrative too enticing. Some parts read more like a textbook than a story of Agrippa's interesting. Definitely worth reading though!