'Of all the great men of the ancient world, Augustus is the most elusive. Doing equal justice to his ruthlessness and his statesmanship is a difficult task, but Karl Galinsky manages it with clarity, sympathy, and good sense. Learned but readable, this portrait of the first of the Roman emperors is a brilliant achievement.' T. P. Wiseman, Emeritus Professor of Classics and Ancient History, University of Exeter 'Drawing on a lifetime's research, Galinsky has produced a magisterial summation of Augustus's life, combining precision and clarity with the readability of a best-selling biography.' Carin Green, University of Iowa 'Galinsky's study is the best succinct introduction to the age of Augustus in English. His insightful synthesis of the whole range of evidence (prose and verse texts, monuments, coins, and objects of art) provides an excellent account of Augustus's personal story within the larger context of the political and social conditions of his day.' Harriet I. Flower, Princeton University 'Galinsky's mastery of the material is on display on every page of this new biography of Augustus. Generously illustrated and enhanced by many tools to help the beginner, this will surely become the standard introduction to the life and times of Rome's first emperor.' Carlos Norena, University of California, Berkeley 'Students starting a course on the wider period or Augustus in particular will find this invaluable. Anyone else with an interest in the theme, or who simply wants to gain a glimpse of such a remarkable and important historical figure, can do no better than to start with this short book.' Dr Adrian Goldsworthy, adriangoldsworthy.com Drawing on a lifetime's research, Galinsky has produced a magisterial summation of Augustus's life, combining precision and clarity with the readability of a best-selling biography. - Carin Green, Professor and Chair of Classics, University of Iowa Galinsky's study is the best succinct introduction to the age of Augustus in English. His insightful synthesis of the whole range of evidence (prose and verse texts, monuments, coins, and objects of art) provides an excellent account of Augustus's personal story within the larger context of the political and social conditions of his day. - Harriet I. Flower, Professor of Classics, Princeton University Galinsky's mastery of the material is on display on every page of this new biography of Augustus. Generously illustrated and enhanced by many tools to help the beginner, this will surely become the standard introduction to the life and times of Rome's first emperor. - Carlos Norena, Associate Professor of History, University of California, Berkeley Of all the great men of the ancient world, Augustus is the most elusive. Doing equal justice to his ruthlessness and his statesmanship is a difficult task, but Karl Galinsky manages it with clarity, sympathy, and good sense. Learned but readable, this portrait of the first of the Roman emperors is a brilliant achievement. - T. P. Wiseman, Emeritus Professor of Classics and Ancient History, University of Exeter ...handsomely produced... this is an excellent book, packed with information. Galinsky has done it again, offering a superbly useful volume for a new generation of readers hungering for knowledge about the Augustan milieu and the life of Augustus.
Classical Journal Online ...not only a more rounded picture of Augustus in his milieu, but a good introduction to Roman civilization, made all the more effective because it focuses on a single fascinating personality and a single period of momentous change. The bibliography is judicious and up to date, and the text well-edited and attractively presented. In its undogmatic willingness to canvass other views, and its readable and at times humorous style, it is ideal for college and university courses, and a model of how to combine political and cultural history for a contemporary audience.
BMCR ..Galinsky's narrative focuses more on Augustus himself, his visions and his actions, good and bad, his motivations for them, and their results.
R. I. Curtis, Choice