What people recommend, in their own words, with the receipt.
Economist at the University of Houston; wrote Fully Grown, on why a slow-growing economy is a sign of success, and blogs at Growth Economics.
8 things
Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman RepublicBook Tom Holland
Tom Holland's Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic is a great introduction to the era. He writes in an engaging style, but provides enough information and analysis to make you think.
A personal reading list on the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of Augustus, posted as a break from his usual economic-growth blogging.
growthecon.com ↗·2015-12-10Wrong?
The Roman RevolutionBook Ronald Syme
Ronald Syme's The Roman Revolution is a classic in this area. Written in 1939, it is one of those books that presumes the reader is already educated in classical history. So I'd suggest trying some of the others first before you tackle this one, unless of course you graduated from Oxford in 1917. For all that, it is an excellent book, albeit quite grim.
A personal reading list on the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of Augustus, posted as a break from his usual economic-growth blogging.
growthecon.com ↗·2015-12-10Wrong?
Romes Revolution: Death of the Republic and Birth of the EmpireBook Richard Allston
Richard Allston's Romes Revolution: Death of the Republic and Birth of the Empire argues that you have to understand the nature of Roman social networks to understand what happened to allow the Republic to die.
A personal reading list on the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of Augustus, posted as a break from his usual economic-growth blogging.
growthecon.com ↗·2015-12-10Wrong?
From the Gracchi to Nero: A History of Rome 133 BC to AD 68Book H.H. Scullard
H.H. Scullard's From the Gracchi to Nero: A History of Rome 133 BC to AD 68 is another classic in this arena. A little more accessible than Syme's work, and not a bad intro.
A personal reading list on the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of Augustus, posted as a break from his usual economic-growth blogging.
growthecon.com ↗·2015-12-10Wrong?
LivesBook Plutarch
Plutarch's Lives . One of the classic "original" sources, despite the fact that Plutarch was writing himself from other sources. Regardless, much of the story of this era is based on guys like Plutarch, so it is worth reading.
A personal reading list on the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of Augustus, posted as a break from his usual economic-growth blogging.
growthecon.com ↗·2015-12-10Wrong?
The Civil WarsBook Appian
Appian's The Civil Wars . Again, an "original" source that forms a lot of the basis of later history.
A personal reading list on the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of Augustus, posted as a break from his usual economic-growth blogging.
growthecon.com ↗·2015-12-10Wrong?
Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of CaesarBook Tom Holland
Tom Holland's Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar is really about a different time. He provides some background, but the first part of this book is about how Augustus built his dictatorship into a hereditary dynasty. The second part is about how Augustus' various relatives tried desperately to screw this up. I didn't find this book nearly as engaging as Rubicon.
A personal reading list on the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of Augustus, posted as a break from his usual economic-growth blogging.
growthecon.com ↗·2015-12-10Wrong?
The Collapse of Rome: Marius, Sulla, and the First Civil WarBook Gareth Sampson
Gareth Sampson's The Collapse of Rome: Marius, Sulla, and the First Civil War is not a great book. It's very much "and then this battle happened" kind of history.
A personal reading list on the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of Augustus, posted as a break from his usual economic-growth blogging.
growthecon.com ↗·2015-12-10Wrong?
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