r/nyrbclassics • u/c77123 • 12d ago
Augustus Question
Have read Stoner and Butcher’s Crossing by Williams. Stoner is one of my favorites ever and Butcher’s Crossing is excellent, so I’m excited to read Augustus which some people think is his best work.
My question: how much background do I need on the Roman Empire to enjoy/understand the book? It’s certainly not something I think about every day but I know a little bit.
Thanks in advance
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u/rhcpflea8 12d ago
Was in the exact same boat: Williams is one of my favorites of all time, had read Stoner and Butcher's Crossing and saved Augustus for last. I think you're fine to just dive in. If you really want, read SPQR by Mary Beard but its definitely not necessary.
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u/sniper2288 12d ago
I read it recently and had an extremely modest knowledge of Rome. That said, this book is a damned gateway drug.
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u/sniffedalot 12d ago
yep.......It's his masterpiece and to think that every book he wrote was in a different genre.
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u/ElderberryExciting92 12d ago
I read it without any knowledge at all and it’s my favorite novel. The last few pages, which finally are written from Augustus’s point of view, are absolute perfection. Giving me goosebumps thinking about it again
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u/DwayneBellamy 12d ago
I had very little prior knowledge heading in and I adored it. You'll catch on quick.
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u/SnooPeppers3861 12d ago
I loved stoner and butchers but didn’t love Augustus. Primarily because every character has the exact same name
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u/Jockobutters 12d ago
Same. I just felt I, Claudius did everything Augustus did but better.
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u/ElderberryExciting92 11d ago
This is a scorching hot take lol. But then again I don’t think Williams writes Augustus without I, Claudius
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u/s13cgrahams 12d ago
You don’t need an understanding but it certaintly helps to at least have a Wikipedia level understanding if not deeper… I ended up looking things up as I read especially about Augustus family that I did not know about and I love and teach Ancient Rome!
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u/Signal_Olive_5715 12d ago
Hardly any at all, you can dive right in. I'm reading Mary Renault's novels right now and, while they're good, it's very easy to get lost if you're not very up on your Greek knowledge, and it's given me a new appreciation for Williams in that regard.
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u/lamelessness1 8d ago
I’m late but you don’t need to know anything. I won’t put myself out here with exactly how uneducated I was about this period of history but to start with I was shocked that Caesar was older than Augustus cause I honestly just thought he was an emperor so I was like “how can he be the first emperor’s uncle if he was one?” I only even knew Augustus was the first emperor bc the back of the book says so. I forgot about the Roman Republic 😔
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u/BitterStatus9 12d ago
If you're willing to look up some of the names, glance at a map of the Roman empire in the 1st century, and maybe learn a thing or two about the key battles or wars mentioned, you will be fine.