Tom Holland’s “Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age” is a sequel to his earlier books, “Rubicon” which covers the fall of the Roman republic and “Dynasty” which recounts the period of the Julio-Claudian emperors. This third volume traces Roman history from the death of Nero, last of the successors of Augustus, to the close of the reign of Hadrian. For people who have read “Rubicon” and “Dynasty” the first section is highly repetitive, but for students unfamiliar with the events contained within them the account of the later republic and the establishment of the principate is essential in setting the overall context. Holland’s treatment of the period from A.D. 68 certainly makes exciting reading as the result of his vivid descriptions of such spectacular events as the great fire of Rome (A.D. 64), the death of Nero four years later, the grisly fate of the fallen emperor Vitellius (A.D. 69), the eruption of Vesuvius and the fate of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae (A.D. 79), the quashing of the revolt in Judaea by the general and future emperor Titus and the grim punishment of the lapsed Vestal Virgin, Cornelia. The drama of the year of the four emperors (A.D. 69) and its enormous significance in Rome history are brilliantly highlighted: the work of Augustus and the Julio-Claudian rulers in restoring peace after the cataclysmic chaos of the late republic had been completely in vain as, to quote Tacitus, “an emperor could be made elsewhere than at Rome”. I was slightly disappointed that the reign of Vespasian was somewhat glossed over. In chapter 3 he has just emerged as victor in the civil war of A.D. 69, but at the start of chapter 4 he is already dead. Although important aspects of his ten year reign are contained within the general discussion of the Flavian dynasty, there was little on his reorganisation of the legions or the opposition he faced from the Cynics and Stoics. It is true that Helvidius Piscus is mentioned, but we hear nothing of Demetrius or C. Tutilius Hostilianus or their philosophy. The treatment of Titus’s short reign and the eventful years of Domitian’s rule are more fully explored and we learn much about Trajan, the “optimus princeps”, though the new province of Arabia Petraea is not named as such; nor is there any detailed account of the codification of the law under Hadrian’s supervision. Everyday life among the plebeians as well as the wealthier citizens offers an important perspective on this period, and Holland examines provincial administration and the financial policies adopted by the emperors. Use is made of such key sources as the writings of Suetonius, Tacitus, Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, Josephus and Juvenal. Wisely, the author informs us of their backgrounds and biases. The book also has very helpful dramatis personae for the various topics, fourteen excellent maps and thirty-three coloured illustrations (e.g. busts of the emperors). There are notes consisting mainly of references to primary sources, a timeline from the establishment of Rome to the death of Hadrian and an up-to-date bibliography. On a point of detail, there is some controversy about the date for the foundation of the city of Rome. According to Simon Price and Peter Thonemann in “The Birth of Classical Europe: A History from Troy to Augustine” (Allen Lane, 2010) different scholars have opted for 753, 751 or 748 B.C. and current thinking dates the revolution against the last king and the institution of the republic at 507 rather than 509 B.C. Putting these minor quibbles to one side, this is a tremendously enjoyable book which I strongly commend.Read full review
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Excellent book
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