The Landmark Julius Caesar: The Complete Works: Gallic War, Civil War, Alexandrian War, African War, and Spanish War Hardcover – December 5, 2017

The Landmark series has set a very high standard for excellence in the area of editions of ancient authors. In my opinion, this volume of Caesar's work edited by noted ancient historian Kurt Raaflaub raises an already very high bar. The volume is worth the (relatively modest) price simply for the introductory essay and the superb maps, but what readers get in addition is a veritable cultural history of the late Roman Republic through the copious and judicious notes, photographs, and explanatory material after the texts. The amount of detail on individuals alone is simply stunning. And let's not forget the text itself. Raaflaub's translations are clear and compelling, and the decision to include all of Caesar's commentaries as well as those frequently published or grouped with them (but not by Caesar himself) was excellent. The book taken as a whole--even leaving aside the superb essays by numerous, eminent scholars of Roman history available at the related website--may very well mark a new era (and a renaissance) in the study of Caesar. Through this volume, students and scholars alike may very well come to realize that Caesar's life, works, and the socio-political world he inhabited form one of the most interesting and valuable periods in European history. I feel some pity for any ancient historian who plans to tackle a Landmark volume after Raaflaub.

A revealing compendium of history, which reveals to a non-Latin speaker what a well-organized state the Roman Republic had achieved before politicians with swelled heads just had to have their way, and by civil war and street riots emplaced an Empire.Julius Caesar's writings encompass a wide spectrum of concerns held by the General/Priest/Consul he embodied, and how he by tactics and strategems advanced the course of the Republic. His generalship alone was a whole universe of troop-raising, discipline, morale-boosting, diplomacy, management of armies (which included shipbuilding and fighting as navies when required), outwitting opposing armies, engineering of weapons, of roads, of earthworks including river diversions, of bridging rivers, and of weapons and tactical hardware - interrupted from time to time by sitting as a judge in law to settle civil cases between Romans. His writings are every bit as good as those of today's thinkers governing western democracies, and frequently more concise and better.It is no wonder that until the 'progressive' 20th century got rolling, a good education would include sufficient Greek and Latin studies that graduates would at least be aware of the examples set by Caesar and other thinkers of the Roman Republic through its nearly 500 year existance, and of some of his successors of the Empire. They are no less pertinent to governance today than they were 2000-plus years ago.The translation is in quite modern English, and includes, Gibbon-style, endless footnotes - some of which are sorely redundant, such as laboring to translate EVERY distance marched into modern English miles, where one introductory note giving the conversion would suffice. Also the author's commentaries on Caesar's motives are too often overdone, when the situation described makes them plain enough. Online references are also given to certain items of the times, though they're only about Wikipedia-strength when it comes to details.

About the book -Its bloody brilliant. Comprehensive, meticulous, well-written, and in my humble opinion, far better illustrated compared to previous publications in this series, with more exhaustive depictions of strategic and tactical movement. It is comparable to A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars by Esposito & Elting. A must have for any Armchair Warrior.About the "Web Essays" everyone is griping about -An "integral part" of this book (the publisher's words, not mine) has been inexplicably excluded from the hardcover and put in thelandmarkcaesar.com. Contrary to the misinformation being spread here, it does not require you to be online to read. Its a 330 page downloadable PDF, which you can simply keep in your kindle or phone, or print it out on a relatively small 2x1 double sided booklet. People are making a mountain out of a molehill. I would take out 0.5 out of my 5/5 if Amazon would allow it, no more.

I purchased the paperback version; I'm not a student or a professor, just a hobbyist of ancient history. This is such a thorough and complete work, yet very enjoyable. The maps, footnotes and appendices, as well as their organization, is the best I've ever seen.

Brilliant. A bit self-serving and so what.

I have all the Landmark translations. They're very much like the old Norton Critical Editions, but much, much better. The translations are excellent, the commentary authoritative, and the notes and appendices thorough. Stick with the hardback editions, though.

Price used was more than it cost new. That upset me. But aside from that very happy with purchase.

To Theodor Mommsen, Julius Caesar is the complete man, and to Friedrich Nietzsche he is the Übermensch (the ideal man). The Landmark Julius Caesar is an invaluable addition to the corpus on Caesar. The magnitude of the man hovers over any attempt to embody him. Had the book been published without reference to, or knowledge of, the essays on the Web, the criticisms exhibited in some reviews fall away. Ignorance may be bliss, but a little knowledge is dangerous.The landmark Julius Caesar is appreciated fully when read not only in conjunction with the WebEssays, but also with the thousands of scholarly works on the man. I have no problem with the 1000 page physical book being supplemented with 300 pages of essays in PDF.

I think this is one of the best books on Caesar. Mountains of information and details on his life and military campaigns. Well researched, for those who are into the details.

Excellent.

This was a gift for my husband. He was very happy with it.

Tiene una excelente presentación y está muy detallado

The Landmark approach results in a hefty volume but one which adds enormous value. The work which has gone into providing context and background to Caesar's Commentaries is outstanding. So much work has been put in that it cannot be fitted into the printed volume with the excess going into a series of highly informative web essays.The translation is clear and flowing whilst retaining the lapidary quality of the original.The narrative is supported by many excellent maps - another of the excellent features of the Landmark approach.The whole package is outstanding value for money.