Originally published on June 29, 2016 (Episode 63)
Introduction
Anyone who has tackled Latin, even if only for a semester, knows that Gaul was divided into three parts. This is because for decades—really, for centuries—Latin students have been nurtured on Caesar’s Commentaries on the Gallic War. But was Caesar really a historian—or was he something else?
Adrian Goldsworthy joins me to discuss Caesar’s Commentaries: their reliability, their value to historians, and what they reveal about Caesar himself. We also explore whether Caesar can truly be considered a historian, or whether his writings were better understood as political propaganda.
About the Guest
Adrian Goldsworthy is a historian and novelist, author of Caesar: Life of a Colossus (Yale, 2008), and numerous other works on Roman history. He has also written six historical novels set in the Napoleonic Wars.
For Further Investigation
Adrian Goldsworthy, Caesar: Life of a Colossus (Yale, 2008)
Adrian Goldsworthy, Augustus: First Emperor of Rome (Yale, 2015)
The Landmark Julius Caesar: The Complete Works, ed. Kurt Raaflaub (Vintage, 2019)
Listen & Discuss
Were Caesar’s Commentaries history or propaganda?
How do we evaluate the truth of “participant observers” in history?
If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend who thinks a lot about ancient Rome—or who survived a semester of Latin.
