This series is really history at its best. Caesar's Women (Book #4) continues the story and while for me, it was maybe not as exhilarating as the previous books, it was still fascinating. The personal battles, intrigue and revenge, murder and mayhem spliced with the constant and continuous reach for power. Great stuff!! 5 star book.

My two major disappointments with Colleen's usual brilliant depiction of the late Roman republic:
1) Skipping over Cicero's Cataline oration
2) Only a passing reference to Ceasar hauling Cato out of the senate during one of his filibuster attempts. It was a bigger deal and deserved more than a couple of lines.

Now she clarifies in her author's notes why she chose to portray Cicero the way she did, and it makes a lot of sense. And Ceasar I believe was the closest thing to a human superhero who ever lived, endowed with absolutely everything a man of that time could desire. But this glossing over his very real faults and mistakes (which were of course quite rare) is a bit disconcerting.

But other than that, brilliant as always, well researched as always, and a great read as always. I'm sure going to miss Ceasar in the next two books after the fifth one. The way she has imagined him is just...words fail. Colleen won't though, so check it out.

Quarto appuntamento di questa saga che diventa sempre più sfacciatamente Cesarecentrica. L'autrice difatti nutre una preferenza sfacciata per Cesare, presentandolo come una sorta di semidio (come crede lui stesso di essere) con il mondo ai suoi piedi, specie quello femminile. Le varie conquiste di questo "amante di Roma" fanno sì che la lettura diventi molto più leggera e scorrevole rispetto alle precedenti, ma ogni tanto possono leggermente irritare o far roteare gli occhi. Non mi piace per nulla il personaggio di Servilia e in generale i personaggi svaniscono dinanzi a Cesare, a parte un paio di siparietti tra il comico e l'assurdo di Clodio che, in questa epopea quasi mitologica, non hanno guastato.
A dirla tutta, nel terzo avevo simpatia per Cesare, ora non proprio. Effettivamente, tutti i personaggi della McCullough, prima o poi, finiscono per guastarsi ed essere inghiottiti da Roma. Un quadro spietato e realistico, anche se da un lato mi sarebbe piaciuto empatizzare di più con qualche personaggio.
Rimane un ottimo romanzo storico di una bellissima serie.

3.75 stars.

In this fourth book of the Masters of Rome series, Gaius Julius Caesar finally takes center stage. This novel follows the beginnings of his political career, and focuses especially on his battles in the Roman Forum. Also, as the title suggests, Colleen McCullough explores his relationships with the most important women of his life.

So far the first two books remain my favourite of this series. This is probably because, as much as I love Caesar as a historical figure, I am not yet completely sold on his characterization by McCullough. Don't get me wrong, he is fascinating; but, while I think she did a splendid job with Sulla, Caesar still feels a little too perfect for me. However, I do appreciate that she began to explore his darker side, and I hope to see more of it in the next novels. What I really enjoyed were his relationships with other characters in the book: his mother Aurelia (definitely one of my favourite of the series), Pompeius and Crassus. His conversations with Crassus, especially, were among my favourite parts of the book.

Most of the action takes place in the Roman Forum, and these scenes were interesting to read too. Some parts felt a little dense and repetitive, but for the most part I was highly entertained by the ferocious oral battles. I loved reading about the different political factions and political strategies. The Catilina conspiracy was probably my favourite part.

I think I will pick up the next book soon. I am very excited to see how McCullough tackles Caesar's most famous acts!

Not the kindest of people to read on....the powerful men of ancient Rome and a historically conscientious take on their personal lives.

But a great read. Very academic, very dense, very enjoyable!

Well-developed fictional series.

Десять лет Цезарь торчит в Риме, строит политические многоходовочки и заводит разнообразные отношения с множеством женщин.

It's my first book by this author. I only knew the "Masters of Rome" series was pretty famous, so I was excited to find this one for only 150¥. I can't say it was such a great read, though. The author had done her research, all the political and religious machinations and liaisons are explained at length, there are maps, plans, even portraits (a lol factor, definitely), there is a lot of detail (actually info overload), but... The characters (especially women) had a very modern feel to me, and all the motivations and inner thoughts were always so clearly described as to leave absolutely no space for any mystery or doubt.
It was as if I were watching one of these ridiculous movies which are set in ancient times, but in which all the columns and floors are dazzlingly white, and there is plenty of light everywhere. No suspense, no feeling that these people were living and thinking in a different way. Also, no real character development (maybe except Clodius), and good guys (Caesar & his friends & family) always good and successful, others always bad. Hmm. But the intrigues got and held my attention, so I read to the end, hence 2 stars. The best part was about the Bona Dea scandal, I loved it, so one more star.
But I don't think I'd like to read more of this particular author. She has a very simple and at the same time heavy style, and loves info dumps. And everything is about all those rich and influential people, which is boring to me. So I don't know. Maybe if I find another book from this series really cheap?

I found this to be a hard read - all the politics and the long complicated names. But I did enjoy it. I am in awe of the depth of knowledge of the author. Maybe if I had started with book #1 (and not #4) it would have been easier, but I have had this volume sitting on my shelf for years, probably decades, and it fit my aim of clearing some “chunksters” from my TBR list. It does have a very useful glossary of pertinent Roman terms, but I longed for a detailed character list. It would have helped me so much. I suspect I will try book 1 at some point, but right now I need something fun and easy to read.

This 1996 novelization of Caesar’s political career in Rome spans a ten year period from 68 to 58 B.C., during which he made significant strides in amassing power within the oligarchical rule of the Senate which existed during the waning years of the Republic. When people think of Caesar, they think of his assassination first, then of his military triumphs and then only pay scant regard to his career as a politician, navigating the curious ins and outs of the Senate, the Consulship, the curule aedileship, the formation of the first triumvirate and his election as Pontifex Maximus. What they totally ignore is his subtle work as a social reformer, who wished to settle the glaring inequities of wealth distribution, land ownership and the provision of Roman citizenship. Even McCullough’s broadly sympathetic retelling of the story of these years largely fails in this regard.

She does spend a lot of time on his two wives, Pompeia and Calpurnia, the political strategy behind his marrying his daughter Julia to Pompey and his long-standing affair with Servilia. Admittedly, these political/romantic affairs are relatively more engaging than the thorny issues of breaking of the power of the oligarchs over land and government, but Michael Parenti’s The Assassination of Julius Caesar really changed my way of looking at this most interesting (except for maybe Sulla and Marius) of all Roman historical figures.

As always, written in a very flowing style which is as engaging in narrative as it is easy to read. McCullough certainly did her homework and showed her facility as a writer in all seven of her novels in this series.

Highly recommended.

What was Julius Caesar like before he conquered Gaul, crossed the Rubicon and met his fate on the Ides of March? The women in Caesar's life play a large role in the story--his mother, wife, daughter, lover--but the bulk of the plot is taken up with intrigue in Rome and conquest abroad during the waning days of the Roman Republic.

Caesar's Women written by Colleen McCullough details Gaius Julius Caesar's rise to power in Roman government and society. Set between the years of 68 B.C.-58 B.C., the novel chronicles his political successes as well as his relationships with certain Roman noblewomen. It gives readers an insight into Caesar's personal life and the world behind Roman politics.

Beginning in June of 68 B.C, Caesar returns home from Spain determined to make a name for himself. He, along with the support of his mother Aurelia, attempts to dominate the Roman Senate. Caesar competes for power against the likes of famous Roman senators such as Cicero and Cato, who form part of an elite conservative faction called the boni that seek to destroy Caesar. Using his wit and foresight, Caesar outmaneuvers his enemies and strengthens his bonds with his allies. In the ten years that Caesar remains in Rome, he is elected Pontifex Maximus, chief priest and head of the Roman state religion, and forms the First Triumvirate.

Along with his public victories, the novel also reveals Caesar's private and intimate life. He is a well-known ladies' man. One of his main conquests, Servilia Caepionis, is a keen and spiteful aristocrat who begins a long-term affair with Caesar. She is the wife of a Roman senator and the mother of Brutus, who will one day assassinate Caesar. Even though Caesar dislikes Servilia, he is intrigued by her intellect and perverse ambition. She becomes his permanent mistress. However, he shows her no love or kindness. He even takes on other lovers and remarries. He views these women and Servilia as disposable.

Despite being cruel with his lovers, Caesar is an affectionate father and patriarch. He adores his beloved daughter Julia, spoils his third wife Calpurnia, and highly respects his mother Aurelia. He even consults with his mother on certain political and social matters. When he assumes the role of Pontifex Maximus, Caesar becomes the legal guardian of the Roman Vestal Virgins. He treats them with tenderness and kindness. Even though Caesar cares for the women under his protection, he still keeps them at a distance. He loves them but he is a very practical and ambitious man. He even marries his daughter to Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in order to secure his political ties.

Caesar becomes a senior consul of the Roman Senate and forms the First Triumvirate. When his term of consul ends, he becomes proconsul of Italian Gaul. With this office, Caesar sets out to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming one of Rome's most powerful men. In his wake, he leaves behind his devoted and loving women. They are Aurelia, Julia, Vestal Virgins, Calpurnia, and Servilia. All these women lament his departure and wait with great anticipation for his return.

Gaius Julius Caesar is the main character of this novel. He is intelligent, charming, ruthless, and meticulous. He is a thinker and is very disciplined with his emotions. Born into a patrician family known as the Junii, Caesar knows he is destined for greatness. He grows up in Subura an area mainly filled with foreigners, Jews, and lowly Romans. As a child, he forges a friendship with Lucius Decumius, who introduces Caesar to the everyday Romans. As a result, almost everyone in Rome regardless of status knows and loves Caesar. Unlike most Romans of his class, Caesar does not discriminate. He values a man's abilities instead of his ancestry. Regardless of class and race, he will form alliances with individuals that can serve is ultimate goal of becoming Rome's greatest First Man

At the age of twenty, he wins the Civic Crown for his outstanding valor. This gives him entrance into the Senate immediately instead of at the age of thirty. It also permits him to speak in the Senate even if he has no office. Caesar never abuses this privilege. Instead, he simply wears the crown as a visible reminder of his strength and power. He chooses to watch instead of talk. This gives him key insight into the boni faction and how he will defeat them. From the beginning, the boni and Caesar are enemies. The Boni is a Latin term that translates to "the good men." They are an ultraconservative group of men in the Senate and the Assembly. Usually led by Cato and Bibulus, they are Caesar's enemies.

Despite the boni, Caesar is politically ambitious. He does not hesitate to use his daughter Julia to strengthen his political ties with Pompey. He divorces his wife Pompeia in order to preserve his reputation and he marries Calpurnia to secure Lucius Piso's loyalty. The most important thing to Caesar is power. He loves his family and enjoys his affair with Servilia, but his career always comes first. He never allows anything to distract him from it. He is responsible creating and forming the First Triumvirate in Rome.

Servilia Caepionis
Descended from the ancient Servii family, Servilia is a highly intelligent and ambitious Roman aristocrat. She has been married twice. Her first husband was Brutus's father Marcus Junius Brutus the Elder, who was killed by Pompey. Her second husband, Decimus Junius Silanus, is a handsome but frail senator in Rome. Servilia deplores his weakness and runs the household. A domineering woman, Servilia is known for her cruelty to her slaves and obsessive control over her son. She is determined to make Brutus a powerful and influential Roman. Since she is a woman, she cannot attain political greatness. As a result, she grooms her son for it. All her attention is focused on him and she completely dismisses her daughters. She even poisons her brother Caepio in order to enhance Brutus's wealth and status.

Neither her husband nor Cato can subdue her. When she becomes pregnant with Caesar's child, she boldly informs her husband of it without fearing any consequences. She tells him that she has been discreet and orders him to recognize the child as his. Silanus sees the logic of it all and accepts it. Whenever Cato tries to assert his authority over her and Brutus, Servilia unnerves him by insulting his ancestry and his family. She even scratches and scars him. She is a fearless and practical woman, who is very good at recognizing a person's weakness and then exploiting it for her own gain.

Her only weakness is Caesar. Never before as she met a man that can dominate her. She is both intellectually and physically enamored of him. Their sexual relationship is a kin to a chess match. Each one always trying to outmaneuver the other. It is also very physically rough, with Servilia fighting to be on top. This is precisely why Caesar keeps Servilia as his constant mistress. She never bores him and he secretly views her as an equal.

Despite her negative depiction, the reader must remember that Servilia lives in a world where women have no rights or power. They are the man's property. She has to use her sexual prowess and intellect to survive.

Marcus Tullius Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero is a famous Roman writer, speaker and lawyer. He is married to a wealthy and noble plebeian wife, Terentia and is known for always buying art that he cannot afford.He lacks noble ancestry and descends from a wealthy family from the country. Through his gift of words, he is able to rise in the Roman government and aligns himself with the boni faction. The boni faction does not consider Cicero one of them, but they will use him when necessary. They get him elected as senior consul in order to block Catilina's bid for power. Cicero is an example of how wealth and intellect can prove just as powerful as a noble birth.

Even though Cicero is very intelligent, he is highly influenced by his wife, the boni, and his desire to become a great statesman. He allows his judgment to be clouded. As consul, Cicero is very worried about the present economic crisis affecting Rome. When he hears of a plot to cancel debts, he immediately assumes that it will result in a revolution. He gets the Senate to issue a Senatus Consultum Ultimum decree, which gives the Senate supreme authority. He uses it to execute Catilina and his co-conspirators without a trial. Cicero firmly believes that Catilina wishes to march on Rome and become another dictator. Having seen what Sulla, a previous dictator, did to Rome, Cicero does not want it to occur again. He thinks he is going to be considered Rome's savior. Instead, he incurs the wrath of Caesar as well as other prominent aristocrats and senators. In the end, Cicero is forced to flee Rome for fear of being charged with murder.

Publius Clodius
Publius Clodius is an aristocrat from the Claudii clan. He is a wild, wealthy, and ambitious man. He forms a revenge list consisting of everyone who at one point in life has humiliated him or worked against him. He enjoys living on the fringes of society and forms friendships with soldiers and lowly Roman citizens. He uses his intellect to stir mutiny amongst his brother-in-law Lucius Licinius Lucullus's armies, costing Lucius his command over the Eastern Provinces. After he is circumcised by the Arabs as a form of punishment, Clodius returns to Rome.

In Rome, he marries the wealthy heiress, Fulvia and sets out to become Rome's First Man. However, his immaturity and irrational behavior hinder him. He violates the sanctity of the Bona Dea celebration resulting in a trial and the death of his unborn child. At his trial, Cicero testifies against him, which puts him on the revenge list. Clodius bribes his way to an acquittal. He legally renounces his patrician status in order to become a plebeian. He realizes he has a lot of clout with the lower classes and can gain power in the Assembly than he ever could in the Senate. He runs for tribune of the Plebeian Assembly, wins, and gets elected as President of the College of Tribunes of the Plebs. With the help and guidance of Caesar, Clodius passes controversial legislation which benefits Caesar. Clodius also makes it illegal to execute Roman citizens without a trial. This new law is what prompts Cicero to flee. Clodius respects Caesar and aligns himself with him in order to increase his own power.

Aurelia
Aurelia is the mother of Caesar and the matriarch of the family. She is the epitome of a Roman aristocrat: modest, respectable, and highly intelligent. She lives to serve her son and her family. Despite being a woman, Caesar listens to her advice and respects her opinion. Aurelia is very politically astute. She warns Caesar about the boni, suggests that Julia marry Pompey, and secures her son's marriage with Pompeia. When his debts begin to mount, she advises him to run for the position of Pontifex Maximus. She campaigns for her son by talking to the wives of priests and senators. Her main goal in life is to help make her son powerful. Aurelia knows when to speak and when to keep quiet. She uses her skills of logic and rationality to persuade people.

Aurelia also protects and preserves Caesar's good name. Knowing that Pompeia is running in questionable circles, Aurelia assigns her most trusted servant to watch over her. She also never lets the wife out of her sight. In addition, she raises Julia like her own daughter. Julia's mother dies when she is a baby, and Aurelia teacher her what it means to be a proper Roman woman. She dresses her in simple clothing, teaches her how to mend and sow, and encourages her love of reading. She also reminds Julia that her purpose in life is to secure a powerful marriage that will help strengthen her father's political career.

Marcus Porcius Cato
Marcus Porcius Cato is the half-brother of Servilia. He is the grandchild of Cato the elder and his second wife Salonia, who was a former slave. he is a plebeian who strongly supports the old strict Roman customs and traditions. When he was a soldier, he lived very sparingly, ate nothing rich, and only drank water. With his family, he is extremely traditional. Even though he is wealthy, he demands that his wife Atilia take care of the household and sow the family's clothes. Cato criticizes anything that is flashy or opulent. He is a plebian, part of the boni and an ardent enemy of Caesar and Pompey. He along with the boni constantly veto and block any legislation Caesar and Pompey attempt to pass. He tries to prevent Caesar's election to Pontifex Maximus and proconsulship of Italian Gaul. He always delivers long speeches in an attempt to delay government proceedings.

Cato is known for being stubborn and morally strict. He divorces his wife when he learns of her infidelity with Caesar and orders that she never be allowed to see her children again. After this scandal, he throws himself into learning all about accounting. As elected quaester, he launches a war against the Roman Treasury to rid it of corruption. His campaign is so successful that even the boni fear he may be going to far. Cato willing sacrifices his political career. His actions help his popularity in the lower classes but no one from the first or second class will ever vote for him again. He kills any possibility of running for higher offices but he gains the reputation of being incorruptible.

Marcus Licinius Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus is Caesar's good friend. He is an aristocrat and former military general who now engages in commercial activities and owns a lot of property. He is considered one of the wealthiest men in Rome, and frequently tries to lend money to Caesar. He also always supports Caesar in the Senate.Due to wealth and friendship with Caesar, the boni do not like him. Jealous of his wealth, the boni criticize his lending practices and his real estate ventures because it is not considered Roman.

Crassus at one point shares the consulship of the Senate with Pompey. Both he and Pompey share a mutual dislike of one another, but put aside their differences when Caesar proposes that they form a triumvirate. Caesar convinces Crassus to join them by appealing to his business sense. Before anything else, Crassus is a business man who enjoys making a profit. With Caesar and Pompey, he can put forth his tax reform legislation in the Eastern Provinces, which will yield a lot of money.

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus better known as Pompey the Great is a successful military commander who has conquered more land for Rome than any Roman leader before him. He even takes over Lucius Licinius Lucullus's campaign to subdue Roman's Eastern Provinces when his soldiers mutiny. Pompey is a very wealthy and popular man who openly declares himself Rome's First Man.

*re-read review: simply, see below*

And that's it for the series. Dealing with a decade of Caesar's political machinations in Rome, this is a cross between the political wonkery of The West Wing and the rough and tumble of House Of Cards. Only Colleen McCullough could make the Roman Forum so spellbinding as she writes exchanges such as:

Cato: "The morals of Rome are so depraved I resist everyday the urge to go home and hang myself."
Crassus: "Go Cato! Resist no longer!"

After this, the series becomes predictable (Caesar conquers Gaul but not the Ides Of March, and the Republic tumbles into disorder) and finally, almost unreadable (Mark Antony and Cleopatra). Because I'm just not that interested in Egypt.

But as historical fiction goes, the first four in this series are, I think, unsurpassable.