Mortal Republic : How Rome Fell into Tyranny

Watts, Edward J.

ISBN 10: 1541646487 / ISBN 13: 9781541646483

Published by Basic Books, 2020

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Synopsis:

The gripping, definitive account of how the Romans lost their Republic

“An incisive history… The parallels to the present day are striking.” —New Yorker

In Mortal Republic, prize-winning historian Edward J. Watts offers a new history of the fall of the Roman Republic that explains why Rome exchanged freedom for autocracy.

For centuries, even as Rome grew into the Mediterranean's premier military and political power, its governing institutions, parliamentary rules, and political customs successfully fostered negotiation and compromise. By the 130s BC, however, Rome's leaders increasingly used these same tools to cynically pursue individual gain and obstruct their opponents. As the center decayed and dysfunction grew, arguments between politicians gave way to political violence in the streets. The stage was set for destructive civil wars—and ultimately the imperial reign of Augustus.

The death of Rome's Republic was not inevitable. In Mortal Republic, Watts shows it died because it was allowed to, from thousands of small wounds inflicted by Romans who assumed that it would last forever.

About the Author: Edward J. Watts holds the Alkiviadis Vassiliadis Endowed Chair and is Distinguished Professor of History at the University of California, San Diego. The author and editor of several prize-winning books, including The Romans, he lives in Carlsbad, California.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Mortal Republic : How Rome Fell into Tyranny
Publisher: Basic Books
Publication Date: 2020
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: good