Description

Octavian, nineteen and newly orphaned by Julius Caesar’s murder, becomes the heir to Rome and begins the fight to remake the republic into an empire.

Set in ancient Rome from 44 B.C. to A.D. 14, Augustus follows Octavian as he becomes Augustus Caesar, the first Roman Emperor.

After the murder of Julius Caesar, Augustus moves through power struggles, bloody wars, and family strife as Rome is transformed.

Building on impeccable research and vivid character studies, Augustus brings imperial politics to life with a profound humanity.

Publisher Review

"Weir's sympathetic and detailed biography reassesses the life of a woman whose role in public life...has been underrated by historians" * New Statesman * "The finest historical novel ever written by an American" * Washington Post * "It would be easy to over-praise this novel; but there does not seem any adequate reason why this temptation should be resisted" * Economist * "A novel of extraordinary range, yet of extraordinary minuteness, that manages never to sacrifice one quality for the other" * Financial Times * "Williams has fashioned an always engaging, psychologically convincing work of fiction - a consistent and well-realized portrait" * New Yorker *