Catiline's War, The Jugurthine War, Histories

Apr 20, 2025 12:48 AM

Author:Sallust

Sallust (86–c. 35 bc) is the earliest Roman historian of whom complete works survive, a senator of the Roman Republic and younger contemporary of Cicero, Pompey and Julius Caesar. His Catiline’s War tells of the conspiracy in 63 bc led by L. Sergius Catilina, who plotted to assassinate numerous senators and take control of the government, but was thwarted by Cicero. Sallust’s vivid account of Roman public life shows a Republic in decline, prey to moral corruption and internal strife. In The Jugurthine War he describes Rome’s fight in Africa against the king of the Numidians from 111 to 105 bc, and provides a damning picture of the Roman aristocracy. Also included in this volume are the major surviving extracts from Sallust’s now fragmentary Histories, depicting Rome after the death of the dictator Sulla.

Reviews

This is a ground-breaking book, richly nuanced with titbits of information, insight and understanding

—— Frances Spalding , The Daily Mail

Remarkably perceptive and well-researched ... Virginia Nicholson has produced another extraordinarily interesting work, sensitive, intelligent and well-written

—— Selina Hastings , The Sunday Telegraph

This in an inspiring book, lovingly researched, well-written and humane... the period is beautifully caught

—— The Economist

Brave, humane and honest

—— Hilary Spurling , The Observer

This is a book you are bound to enjoy. The set pieces - the naval review of June 1897, the Jameson Raid, The Kaiser's visit to Windsor, Winston Churchill visiting the fleet, "the spring of the panther" - are dramatically recreated. The pen portraits of the political and naval establishments of Wilhelmine Germany and Victorian and Edwardian Britain are brilliantly evoked with a sharp eye for the memorable detail...Massie keeps his complex story under tight control...Monographers like myself can only envy the sheer sweep of Dreadnought and the author's rich palette of colours so deftly applied. Like Barbara Tuchman's Guns of August this is narrative history at its very best. Financial Times

—— Financial Times

The pleasure of this book for me, in addition to such stimulating details, is that the Holy Roman Empire on the cusp of the 17th century is terra incognita, to be approached with a fresh eye... Rudoph's tolerance deserves a wider audience in our fractious age

—— Chris Frew , Scotland on Sunday

A very readable history... Marshall rightly argues, as an enabler of scientific, artistic and mystical insight, Rudolf has no peer

—— Gary Lachman , Independent on Sunday

It was a magical moment in the history of Western civilization, when anything was possible. Mr Marshall brings it all wonderfully to life

—— Stuart Ferguson , Wall Street Journal

An entertaining description of life at the heart of a Europe stained by the clash of new and old ideas... an enjoyable description of what was an extraordinary epoch

—— Greg Neale , BBC History Magazine

An insightful and perceptive record of a city that revolutionised culture and science

—— Prediction

Fascinating

—— David V Barrett , Independent

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