Julius Caesar had been the subject of controversy since before he was assassinated. An aristocrat, he appealed to the masses and threatened the security of the Roman nobility. Below you will find modern non-fiction works on the life, death, and military and political career of Julius Caesar.
Caesar Study Guide
1. Always I Am Caesar. 2008
Price Grabber
W. Jeffrey Tatum has something on Caesar for everyone, from a refresher on the social and political structure of Republican Rome, to a new slant on the significance of Caesar's famous dying words, to a comparison between Julius Caesar and notable modern leaders. Since the material is taken from public lectures, the prose flows like that of engaging modern professor or storyteller.
2. Caesar - Life of a Colossus. 2006
Adrian Goldsworthy's Caesar - Life of a Colossus is a long, thorough, readable biography of Julius Caesar written by a military historian, who includes great detail on the times and customs of the late Republic. If you aren't terribly familiar with Julius Caesar, Goldsworthy provides you with the events in his fascinating life. If you are familiar, the themes Goldsworthy selects in documenting Caesar's life make it a new story.3. Caesar, by Christian Meier. 1995
A favorite among the biographies of Julius Caesar. Meier's Caesar includes background historical information and explanations of the workings of ancient Roman Republican government.
4. The Last Generation of the Roman Republic . 1995
The Last Generation of the Roman Republic, by Erich Gruen, is about Caesar's generation. It is filled with the nitty-gritty details that are usually glossed over, especially the various laws that were enacted to try to deal with electoral problems. Gruen makes readers re-examine basic assumptions about Caesar, Cicero, and the times. It is an important book, but is definitely not light reading.5. Party Politics in the Age of Caesar. Reissued 1961
In Party Politics in the Age of Caesar, Lily Ross Taylor explains how the political system of the late Republic operated. Although people refer to parties or factions, there is little similarity to our modern conceptions. This is another work whose content is important to know in order to understand Julius Caesar and his times.6. Life of Caesar, by Suetonius
This is not a book, but an online public domain English translation of the Life of Julius Caesar, by the gossipy imperial biographer, Suetonius.7. Julius Caesar: Lessons in Leadership From the Great Conqueror. 2012
Palgrave Macmillan
It's with reservations that I include this book by Bill Yenne. It should help readers when working with the texts in English or Latin written by Julius Caesar on his Gallic Wars and the Civil Wars. Biographical details are better dealt with by authors higher on this list.
