The easiest way to become an expert in the end of the roman republic, and later, the end of Ceasar, is to read this series.
Historical novels always walks a line of historical correctness and entertainment, i thought this series managed to provide both, which is an impressive feat considering the extensive amount of information available for this time-period.

This series follows the most important romans and their families for two generations.
The rise to power of the succesful battlecommander Gaius Marius, the following period under Sulla the dictator, the triumvirat between Pompeius Magnus, crassus and Ceasar, Ceasars campaigns in france and germany, his return to rome, and his murder.

Each book ends with an afterword where McCullough explains what she have made up, what is speculation, and what we know.
There are even a lot of authentic drawings based on bustes of the real people in the story.

This is my favorite, non-fantasy, series.
Really fascinating stuff..

all about ceasar in gaul. as a general and the lead up to magnus' death after the civil war. cato and cicero come of really badly as well as pompey and to some extent ceasar. mark antony seems like he'd be a laugh.

octavius' entry was very well written I liked his quote about basically shut the fuck up about your future plans and move in silence I think that is the vibe haha

well, I'm still chewing through roman history. this time we follow caesar after his first consulship, as he fights the gallic wars in spain and france, aka further gaul and gaul across the alps, and then crosses the fabled rubicon as he tries to force the politicians of rome to do their duty to rome, rather than fight petty squabbles, line their pockets with bribes, and hold grudges. we also watch pompey as he is driven to distraction by these same senators, as they try to tell him how to fight his war, yet decline to dirty their hands fighting. reading this, I realize how little things have changed in two thousand plus years, it was like reading about our own "leaders" who shout and shove and squabble as long as they don't have to do anything. beautifully researched and written, this book is a great way to get a feeling of the real rome.

Fifth in the “Masters of Rome” series.

The book is set around 5 years after the previous book with allusions and references to major issues in the interim period (in particular the conference at Luca between the Triumverate). Caesar is in Gaul – finally conquering the province after Vercingetorix unifies the Gaul’s (in this section it is difficult to keep track of the different tribes and their leaders). Meanwhile in the growing chaos in Rome, Clodius is elected a rabble rousing Tribune of the Plebs and is, with Pompey’s implicit blessing, murdered by Milo. Julia dies breaking the link between Caesar and Pompey who, still striving for acceptability, aligns himself with the Boni through marriage and accepts an appointment as sole consul rather than insisting on being made a dictator.

The intransigence of the Boni (particularly Cato) forces the unconfident Pompey into a civil war with Caesar, who to Pompey’s horror and disbelief sweeps through Italy with barely a battle (similarly defeating Pompey’s Spanish army) and takes a Rome abandoned by Pompey (including by mistake the treasury) and then marching with the speed and confidence that defeated the Gauls defeats Pompey (increasingly wary of the war he is fighting and the armchair soldiers of the senate critiquing him and horrified by the barbarities of the turncoat Labienius who McCullough has Caesar effectively sacking for the same reasons) in Greece. The book ends with Pompey’s death in Egypt. The description of the different reactions of the players as the events unfold is excellent although the coverage of the crucial battle at Pharsalus is surprisingly short.

We meet Octavius during the book and learn of Caesar’s growing admiration for him.

Although meticulously researched (the author is reported to have had several thousands books on ancient Rome in her personal library), Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series makes for tough going as fiction. The books are massive and shapeless as stories, and, despite the author's clear fascination with ancient Rome, she sees its leaders as a collection of ninnies and buffoons who "giggle," "squeak," and "purr" their dialogue. Their antics would be regarded as immature even by the standards of an elementary-school classroom. The lone exception is Julius Caesar, whom the author idolizes, although he too is a flat character without dimension beyond being handsome and self-assured.

If you want to read the history of this period as one river of narrative, the Masters of Rome delivers. But if you're looking for any kind of depth or insight into the human condition, you will have to look elsewhere.

This is the fifth book on the fall of the Roman Republic. Starting in Britannia in 54 B.C. it covers Caesar's exploits through 48 B.C. with Pomepy's defeat at the Battle of Pharsalus.

There is a great deal going on in this book and these events are pivotal in the tale of Rome. It covers Caesar in Britannia, his campaign in Gaul and then his crossing of the Rubicon, assumption of the title of Dictator and the eventual defeat of Pomepian forces at Pharsalus.

McCullough does a masterful job of explaining the divisive politics of the conflict between the boni (the Good Men), led by Cato and Pompey, against Rome's greatest son-Caesar. Not only is the story exciting, but she is able to describe his campaigns and strategy very well. It shows that she has an innate understanding of his tactics and strategy.

Yes, there are a few, relatively minor liberties she takes with the actual history-but they are so minor that it is of no consequence. She explains the few changes in her afterword and I agree that she did so to make the story make more sense.

While always entertaining (McCullough is a superb author), this entire series will give the average reader a bird's eye view of the conflict. Her excellent glossary is full of information for the Latin-inept and is quite detailed.

If you've ever wanted to know the whole story, yet found historians like Plutarch or Suetonis to be rather dry-then I would highly recommend you read this series. It truly will give you a sound understanding of these events and the more complex political arguments behind the conflict. She also has a talent for describing the wars that are fought and the methodology behind the actions that make Caesar one of the great generals in history.

Highly recommended.

Read this one rather quickly, so i must have enjoyed it... and i did. Caesar is the character that we have for most of the series seen grow up and into the character we now have at this point in the series.
When you look back at the series we have the establishment for Caesars character right back to the first novel- set decades before his birth but just as fundamental to his story as any event during it. In many ways McCullough has made Caesar a very sympathetic character - especially over the cretins in the senate, like Bibulous, Cato and Pompey. Government is a sham, the Provinces are drained for as much as they can be and almost everyone is at heart self-serving, bigoted and have a deluded idea of their own brilliance. Caesar is their polar opposite and this is very appealing in a character. I have always likes Caesar as a historical figure and i really think this novel series is as close as we ever will of knowing him.
It's sad knowing what is to come.

Historical fiction at its best. This goes for the whole series. McCullough brings it all to life: the characters, the politics, the battle scenes, the cultural dynamics...She does this by weaving in an amazing array of characters, major and minor, who ground every storyline. It is enough of a feat that she writes such compelling narrative. It is even more impressive that she pulls this off while giving us a pretty serious history lesson. She often deviates from the main storyline to offer an anecdote or explanation concerning some arcane item such as the Bona Dea cult, or the function of the crossroads colleges. These threads are woven in seamlessly enough that the pacing doesn't really suffer [edit: My wife differs with me slightly on this - mileage may vary according to appetite for historical detail] . Instead the whole story is enriched along with our appreciation of various facets of the historical context.

McCullough offers a rich, immersive experience in a foreign world full of wars, loves, and political machinations. The characters are complex and compelling, causing us to care about them despite often being repulsed by their morality/amorality. This series is a must-read for enthusiasts of Roman History and historical fiction, and I believe it will reward the investment of many others as well. Give it a try.

A la autora le sigue dando bastante pereza describir las batallas y se centra mucho en la política y las relaciones interpersonales entre senadores, aún así, ha sido de los libros de la saga que más me ha gustado. Bastante curiosidad por ver como evoluciona el tema hasta la traición a César.

Al nivel, altísimo, del 1o de la saga.
Una verdadera delicia.
Absolutamente imprescindible.

De Bello Gallico e De Bello Civili, tutto in un solo libro dal rigore storico impeccabile, almeno per quel che ho avuto modo di controllare. Si può avere qualche perplessità sulle preferenze palesi dell'autrice, che ovviamente hanno guidato la caratterizzazione dei suoi personaggi. Catone è odioso e rigido, Cicerone pavido, Pompeo geloso e insicuro...mentre Cesare è perfetto, quasi sovrumano e sempre nella ragione in ogni scelta che fa. Ma questo è il bello e il brutto del leggere romanzi invece che saggi. Altre perplessità non ce ne sono. Cesare era davvero un genio e il libro è stato fantastico.

Collen nos da un gran retrato de esta figura tan idolatrada y criticada, si bien hace una representación bastante heterosexual de esta figura el resto de la historia de respira y lee con suma facilidad... Podría decirse que se siente la genialidad del hombre y se palpa su imperfección.