The End of the Roman Republic: The Lives and Legacies of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Mark Antony, and Augustus

Even in his time, Julius Caesar was in many ways larger than life, and because of his legacy as virtual founder of the Roman Empire, much of what was written about – and by – him during his life and immediately after his assassination was politically motivated. His successor, Octavian Augustus, had a strong interest in ensuring that Caesar’s life be painted in a favorable light, while Caesar’s political enemies attempted to paint him as a corrupt, undemocratic dictator who was destroying th...