Caesar Era -- Famous People and the Era

Author: (American) Will Durant
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: Caesar was a Roman general, dictator, and statesman. During the period of the Chinese Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, he decisively and irreversibly changed the course of history in the Greek-Roman world. He gave the Roman state and the Greek-Roman world a respite, continuing in the East for over six hundred years and in the relatively backward West for over four hundred years. Without him, the elements of ancient Greek culture could not have possessed enough strength to exert a decisive influence on Christianity and Islam; without him, ancient Greek culture could not have permeated the regions known as the Middle East by the Westerners for seven centuries; without him, Rome and the Greek-Roman world might have been subjugated by the barbarian tribes coming from the West and the Parthian Empire coming from the East before the beginning of the Christian era. He is regarded by the Western world as "truly worthy of being the supreme great man."
Reasons to Read This Book:
Though not likable, he is highly attractive, and both in the past and now, he can captivate people. He applied his intelligence to warfare, enabling his soldiers to win, thus earning their admiration. Behind the scenes, he was considered a "master" and a "genius" in manipulation, public relations, administration, and command. His magnanimity toward his defeated political rivals revealed his greatness in character. He was not only seen as a "masterful public speaker" but also possessed a genius for writing. Although his writings were written for propaganda, they had "excellent literary value" and were often appreciated as "brilliant works of art."
Recommended for the following groups to read this book:
Scholars or enthusiasts of the Roman Empire, scholars or enthusiasts of East-West communication, scholars or enthusiasts of Greek-Roman culture, scholars or enthusiasts of biographical literature, and students from primary to secondary school.
This book is adapted from the relevant content of Will Durant's classic "The Story of Civilization, Volume III." It describes the era named after Caesar in clear, fluent language and a novel and original style. It is not just an ordinary history book but a life story and intellectual history full of wisdom and personal insights. The author, taking the stance of "learning from others," strives to make this "Roman history" a "history of our own," a "history of our own struggles," and a "prelude to our future work."
The New York Times called this book a "highly recommended good book," The New Yorker believed it had "a keen appreciation for this great era," The American described it as "stylistically unique," and Library Journal praised it as "stylish and full of wit."