05-17-2010, 05:23 PM
I am looking for recommendations for texts regarding Sulla, the civil wars of the pre-Pompey era (i.e. Sulla/Marius, Sulla/Cinna, Sertorius), and the Roman army during that period. In general, I am seeking to learn more about and better understand the careers and personalities of the two great rivals of the period, Sulla and Marius, as well as their lieutenants, Lucullus and Cinna, and how they were able to manipulate/convince their respective armies to work and function in their favor, in favor of their respective agendas. To give you an idea of where I am going, I have recently read the following texts on or related to the subject:
Keaveney, Arthur. Sulla: The last republican (2nd ed.).
Keaveney, Arthur. The Army in the Roman Revolution.
Flower, Harriett I. Roman Republics.
Lendon, J.E. Soldiers and Ghost.
Syme, Ronald. The Roman Revolution.
Generally, I am seeking scholarly material that avoids the more simplistic, parrot-like repetitive narratives. Although such texts may at times offer insights, they are, in my opinion, in general too concerned with retelling the events, often in a disjointed, almost haphazard manner. One I can think of in particular was Richard Holland's Augustus: Godfather of Europe, which attempted to assert the idea that Augustus was, politically, the heir of Sulla in the vein of Syme and Keaveney, but failed to communicate even the simplest ideas in a logical and thematic manner, never fulfilling this thesis.
I am currently considering staring Erich Gruen's The Last Generation of the Roman Republic, but aside from addressing Syme's arguments in The Roman Revolution otherwise appears to only cover the period following Sulla to the war between Octavian and Antony/Cleopatra. Any thoughts on this? Or what about Tom Holland's Rubicon? Any thoughts or suggestions? I'm open to all and both.
Keaveney, Arthur. Sulla: The last republican (2nd ed.).
Keaveney, Arthur. The Army in the Roman Revolution.
Flower, Harriett I. Roman Republics.
Lendon, J.E. Soldiers and Ghost.
Syme, Ronald. The Roman Revolution.
Generally, I am seeking scholarly material that avoids the more simplistic, parrot-like repetitive narratives. Although such texts may at times offer insights, they are, in my opinion, in general too concerned with retelling the events, often in a disjointed, almost haphazard manner. One I can think of in particular was Richard Holland's Augustus: Godfather of Europe, which attempted to assert the idea that Augustus was, politically, the heir of Sulla in the vein of Syme and Keaveney, but failed to communicate even the simplest ideas in a logical and thematic manner, never fulfilling this thesis.
I am currently considering staring Erich Gruen's The Last Generation of the Roman Republic, but aside from addressing Syme's arguments in The Roman Revolution otherwise appears to only cover the period following Sulla to the war between Octavian and Antony/Cleopatra. Any thoughts on this? Or what about Tom Holland's Rubicon? Any thoughts or suggestions? I'm open to all and both.