The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic - The Storm Before the Storm

The book, The Storm Before the Storm, by Mike Duncan was published in 2017. The impressively well-researched, concise, and scholarly work relates to the stone-throwing, sword-wielding history of Rome during the time period roughly four to seven generations before the birth of Jesus Christ. A stark sense of foreboding begins to dawn on you when you read between the lines. You find the inference "raising an army in Rome was not difficult" has far-reaching implications. In addition, the author provides readers with an excellent English translation of an esoteric Latin quotation attributed to a wise and prominent philosopher at the beginning of each chapter. Insightful, the quotation drives home a major point, gives greater meaning to, and offers a unique perspective for the topic in question in each chapter.
If you are not already a well-versed lover of Latin linguistics, the author takes time to explain the meaning, usage, and function of certain obtuse, archaic, or technical terms, which have evolved or been incorporated into the daily lives of virtually every Roman citizen. You can't help but gain a deeper appreciation of the Forum, the Senate, and the Assembly, as well as many of their principal members and arch-enemies.
Who among us has ever heard of the dangerous exploits and grisly adventures of Gracchus, Marius, Jugurtha, Sulla, Mithridates, Drusus, or Cinna? I certainly haven't, until I began to delve into this particularly interesting book of antiquity. If you haven't heard of these several notable larger-than-life personalities either, and others, of whom the author mentions, you are in for a real treat. The author goes on to elaborate and elucidate, telling their individual stories, which are nothing short of incredible. The conflicted history of these terrible and terrific titans of Western Civilization turns out to be spectacular, overwhelming, and decimating. Yet, at the end of the day, the reader may pause and reflect that something good must have come out of all the strife and chaos they created after all. The possibility of peace, prosperity, and better government, for instance. Greater respect for humanity, human life in general, and personal dignity would only arrive a couple of thousand years later for some, the enlightened and fortunate ones. More drastic changes would be needed first.
R. Royce watched a professional bull-riding event on television. The commentator's advice for the average cowboy was, "You have to point your toes out and dig your heels in, if you want to stay on the bull." Royce had to think about that one for a minute. The object of riding a bull for the cowboy is to stay on top for at least 8 seconds with one hand raised in the air and one hand grasping the leather harness tightly wrapped around the bull's mightily muscular mid-section. Rodeo judges determine his score by how well he rides the bull. What the commentator neglected to mention is that a real cowboy wears silver spurs that jingle, jangle, and dangle on the heels of his boots. When he forcibly digs them into the haunches of the bull, the bull goes absolutely crazy, bonkers. The bull receives quite an unpleasant sensation, if not downright painful. He begins to jump high into the air repeatedly, writhing uncontrollably. He performs the most amazing contortions imaginable. He gyrates and spins around wildly, bucks, twists, and turns--anything to prevent the cowboy from digging the star-shaped metal spur points into the tender flesh of his flanks. So, technically speaking, digging his heels into the haunches of the bull, does not so much help the cowboy stay on the bull better, but it definitely helps him score more points with the judges, should he ride the bull for the required length of time.
Along about that time his friend and cohort Cornelius Korn telephoned. Royce picked up a nearby cell-phone. He told Royce that the dental bridge in his mouth had come loose while he was biting into a casserole entree.
"The bridge is rock solid. It lasted about thirty years and the dentist offered to glue it back in on the spot," he said. But, Korn was more concerned about the strength of the teeth underneath. The dental assistant took some routine panoramic x-rays, and scheduled another appointment for the actual dental work to commence. "The initial shock of losing three teeth at the same time has worn off," Korn continued. But he was still uncertain whether to have the dentist fabricate and install a new bridge, or get an implant and three crowns."
"I'd definitely get a second opinion from the dentist who does implants," said Royce. "He should know if you are a suitable candidate for the delicate procedure."

Duncan is a clear, concise writer with a talent for synthesizing, summarizing and explaining complex subjects. His dry humor is welcome as well. A compelling, engaging read that I devoured in two sittings.

While we all know you can't make direct comparisons between the rise and fall for Rome and the course of American Empire, Mike Duncan has chosen a period in the history of Rome that is of timely interest, that period in which the Republic and its institutions were first seriously undermined. Over several generations, he shows the coarsening of politics and the ascent of the demagogues and generals.
History can be dry, but Mike's style is witty. The events drive the narrative and the game is for high stakes.
I would have likes more complete maps and, perhaps, a who's who. Quibbles. It was a great read.

Reads exactly like his podcast, just hyper focused on this period of Roman history. Very easy to follow and super interesting, especially comparing this time to our time now which gives me the heeby jeebies.

Duncan's approach to history explores the deeply human aspects of the figures he examines and makes them understandable to the contemporary reader. He has a wit to his writing and uses interesting framing devices. This is a great book for anyone looking to learn Roman history.

Cannot wait for the next book. Loved your podcast and love the book. Hopefully the next maybe will be on the 3rd century such a fascinating topic would love to get your full attention on Aurelian and the Severans

Few first-time writers of narrative history can claim to have endured a more rigorous boot camp than Mike Duncan. Duncan created the near-legendary podcast, “The History of Rome.” In some 150 episodes, he took his listeners through the history of the Eternal City, from its origins in murky myth through to the fall of the Western Empire. (He’s since followed that triumph with the still more ambitious, “Revolutions,” an ongoing narration of modern interlocking revolutionary movements, from the English Civil War forward). The same tools that kept millions of listeners riveted to his audio work likewise serve to make “The Storm Before the Storm” such a success.

Those familiar with Roman history will find no surprises here, just an excellent narration of events already well-tread. All the usual characters (The Gracchi, Marius, Sulla, Cinna, etc.) are just where you’d expect to find them, their strengths, weaknesses, and idiosyncrasies on full display. Where Duncan succeeds is in the weave of the narrative, all delivered with his excellent, dry humor and eye for detail. That said, those unfamiliar with the history will likewise find the story highly accessible, which is a feat. Duncan seamlessly incorporates the necessary background information, without letting it bog down his narrative. All and all, an impressive success.

I only have one caveat. Duncan wisely avoids the seductive pitfall of trying to link the ancient history to modern events. These parallels are plain enough to see. A history should aim for a quality of timelessness rather than being bound to a particular moment. While that is all well and good, Duncan doesn’t make enough of an effort to fully offer a thesis of his own about the why of the Republic’s slide into chaos. Of course, the many causes (increased income inequality, swelling urban poverty, failure of unwritten political norms) vein the narrative. However, I found myself wishing Duncan offered a more definitive analysis of these trends. Which factors were cause and which effect? Does he feel any were more or less decisive? Duncan remains fairly silent on such questions. Of course, this is a NARRATIVE history, but even the best of that genre (think Gibbon), don’t shy away from such authorial analysis. Indeed, it is just that argument which makes those works great. Historians don’t merely exist to tell their readers of the past; they are meant to elucidate it as well. Thucydides famously wrote, “Most people, in fact, will not take the trouble in finding out the truth, but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear.” This work could’ve used a dose more of “truth,” even if just an introduction and conclusion. But as storytelling, it succeeds admirably.

Rome's history was always eventful, but as to the fabric of the Republic and its institutions, it hummed along on cruise control for a few centuries, then things got interesting, and then it all went smash. This book is the history of the "interesting" years that set the stage for the final destruction of the Republic and rise of the Empire. It starts with the revolutionary Gracchi brothers, proceeds to Gaius Marius, and ends with the dictatorship of Sulla.

This book is not written by a tenured historian but by a podcaster who specializes in Roman history. Mike Duncan is one of many serious amateurs who produce a very creditable job. He is in the company of the History of the English Language podcast, or the Bell Beaker blogger, folks who might as well have a PhD in the field in that they have done about as much work as a pro, and devoted as much thought. It doesn't look like a mashup of his podcasts, but a retelling based on that research. Perhaps it makes his prose a bit more narrative and less dry than an academic, but he does discuss the motivations and larger picture in addition to telling a smashing story.

Duncan clearly leans heavily on the primary sources. Most of the facts of the history are sourced to various Roman authors, although he lets the reader know when said author is just propagandizing. (Interestingly, this book covers the same period as the popular Masters of Rome series of historical novels by Colleen McCullough. There are many small scenes that I assumed McCullough invented. I see many of them in this history, but with citations to the original authors.) The book also has a decent bibliography.

All in all, this book is a satisfying prequel to any of the many fine histories of Caesar, the civil wars, and the rise of Augustus.

The late Roman Republic is one of the most studied and most familiar periods of history. Even the average American - famously ignorant of history - could probably tell you what happened to Julius Caesar or the name of Cleopatra's lover (thanks in no small part to Shakespeare's plays). But there's surprisingly little attention paid to the period before Caesar, the events that set the stage for the fall of the Republic. Mike Duncan, host of the excellent History of Rome Podcast, takes a stab, writing the first book focused exclusively on the period 130-80 BC I have seen. It's a smart move, not just for a first-time author trying to make a name for himself, but also because it will introduce readers to an important part of Rome's history.

As Duncan argues in the introduction, the 50 years between 130-80 BC helped set the stage for the collapse of the Republic. Domestically, the polarization between conservatives (optimates) and populists (populares) prevented the Republic from undertaking necessary reforms. The Gracchi brothers, two senators who attempted to push redistributive land reform, were ultimately murdered for their efforts. Duncan then chronicles the rising tensions on the Italian peninsula as Italians became increasingly forceful in their demands for citizenship. The Senate eventually caved and granted Italians citizenship (but tried to dilute their voting rights through gerrymandering). Meanwhile, Rome faced a variety of threats on its periphery from tribes and former client states, including in Numidia and Gaul. Roman diplomacy and military force finally quelled these threats after years of fighting. However, Rome was then wracked by civil war as two of its top generals, Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla, fought for the right to lead Rome's armies east against King Mithridates of Pontus. The Senate had appointed Sulla, but the popularly elected Tribune maneuvered to get Marius - darling of the populares - appointed instead. Sulla marched his army on Rome, declared himself dictator, and, after years of civil war, attempted to reform Roman law to enshrine the position of the optimates.

Just as in his podcast, Duncan's writing is clear, accessible, and even sometimes funny. This is a complicated period of Roman history, but Duncan provides enough background for readers to follow along. It might have been helpful to have included a dramatis personae listing all of the major players, but Duncan does enough to distinguish the various Latin names from each other.

The issues Rome dealt with during this period - class conflict, populism, gerrymandering, inequality, polarization, breaking political norms - should be familiar to Americans in the 2010s. Duncan himself notes the commonalities in the introduction to this book, but I actually thought that comparison would have been more effective in an epilogue, after the reader had gained a better understanding of the Roman history. This type of historical comparison could have been really interesting, but as is it just seems more like a way to catch the reader's attention than a sustained analysis. Likewise, Duncan does provide an effective summary of how the problems of 130-80 BC ultimately led to the collapse of the Republic, but he never quite provides a definitive analysis of why Rome took such a turn for the worse during this period. He mentions a few possible reasons, such as the failure of land reform, but I would have liked a more succinct explanation.

Definitely recommended for readers interested in Roman history.

[Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review]

Not like there aren’t a million books out there that cover Roman history, but this book stands out for one particular reason: it’s easy to read.

Mike Duncan separates the timeline and topics and chapters into sections rather like podcast episodes, telling (mostly) complete chunks of the story before moving on (or backwards) to focus on a different person. His writing style is professional but at an easy reading level. So although there are a lot of facts and dates and people to keep track of, he does a pretty good job of helping you keep it straight.

The topic itself is great. It takes place about 150BC through 70BC, with a bit of explanation on the peripherals (e.g. about 3 pages at the end sum up how Julius and Augustus took the Republic to the Empire).

For only a short period of history, there is a LOT happening. …Little of it has much lasting influence, but the laws, arguments, wars, agreements, and alliances shift about every 2 years. It’s hard to believe there were any people LEFT for the Caesars to rule at the end of it. Interesting times for sure.
And frustrating. Just as someone would get in there intending some reform, they’d get killed or ousted (then killed) and someone else would take over.
Rome faced wars on every front, plus the occasional slave revolt, and the not-as-occasional civil conflict. Living there would have been chaotic—RULING there would have been enough to make you scream. As bad as he behaved, you almost wish Sulla had kept control when he had it.

The only part I found confusing in the book as a whole was the intro makes it sounds like he is making a comparison to modern-day events. But then that was it, there was no discussed comparison the rest of the book. Not that I minded, as I’d rather read history and make my own conclusions than be given iffy comparisons, but I thought it weakened the book somewhat.

I hadn’t really listened to his podcast before this book, but I’d like to go listen now. I have more patience for reading than listening though!

A relatively short (265 pages), fast paced and lively account of the Roman Republic from 146 BC (the fall of Carthage and Corinth) to 78 BC (the death of Sulla), covering the period in which the Republic saw major social upheaval, conflict and civil war and in which many of the constitutional checks and balances of the Republic fell by the wayside, setting the stage for the final overthrow of the Republic by Julius Ceasar and his grand nephew, Augustus Ceasar. Duncan makes the case that the decline of the mos maiorum (the "mores") of the Roman Republic in this period of crisis was the crucial factor that led to the final fall a few decades later. WHY the mos maiorum fell apart is a big question, and it is not really answered in this book (a book that really tries to answer that question would probably be much denser and longer than this book) , but is beautifully described, and that is enough to earn 4 stars.
This period of Roman history and its main characters are not as prominent in popular memory as the final crisis of the Republic. Almost every educated person has heard of Julius Ceasar, the ides of March, Antony and Cleopatra, and Augustus, but relatively few people are familiar with characters such as the Gracchus brothers, Gaius Marius and Sulla, which is a tragedy, because their stories are as fascinating (if not more fascinating) than anything that happened in the final crisis of the Republic. if you are not a Roman history nerd and are not already familiar with these compelling characters, then this is a great introduction to the era and its most famous personalities. Colleen McCollough's historical fiction (the "Masters of Rome" series) is far more detailed and richer in texture because in historical fiction she can fill in details where the historical record is silent (she is very careful to stay faithful to the historical record as far as it is known), but if you just want the story that is in the history books, this is a great place to start. Its all in here, the increasing immiseration of the peasant proprietors who were the base of the ancient Republic; the corruption that came with increasing wealth; the fight to extend citizenship to all Italians; the rise (and violent fall) of the Gracchi, aristocrats who championed the cause of the downtrodden; the incredible (and incredibly long) career of Gaius Marius, the "new man" (novus homo) who rose from outsider to outstanding general, savior of Rome and 7 time consul but just could not bear to retire; and last but not the least, the life of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, impoverished aristocrat, brilliant general, harsh conqueror and even harsher dictator, who tried to reform and re-animate the ancient Republic and actually managed to retire at the height of his power, but whose reforms failed to prevent (and whose personal example probably aggravated) the final crisis of the Republic. As you read, you cannot help wondering why 20 famous movies and TV serials have not been made about these people. Marius's escape from Rome alone is worth at least one great movie, with more hair-raising chases, captures, escapes, betrayals and last minute twists of fortune than any fictitious adventure movie could possibly squeeze into one character's life.
Overall, a great read, well worth a look.

The author's story is interesting. His undergraduate degree is in political science, and he never finished a graduate degree in history after a move from Texas to Madison, Wisconsin, interrupted his program. Yet he has steeped himself in Roman history by a passion for reading Roman historians. He wrote and delivered a lengthy series of podcasts on Roman history, from the founding to the end of the Western empire. These podcasts are brief (usually 15 minute) overviews of the key events, players, and economic conditions of Roman history. This book covers the period of turmoil in the late Republic period (the first storm in the title), leading up to the second storm, the overthrowing of the republic by Julius Caesar. The author writes clearly and in a lively style. He has a knack for getting to the heart of complex circumstances and telling interesting stories of key players such as the Gracchi brothers (Tiberius and Gaius), Marius, and Sulla. Much coverage of Roman history concentrates on the period from Julius Caesar through the early period of the empire. In concentrating on late republic period, this book provides some balance to popular Roman history. For readers who would like to broaden their knowledge of Roman history, this book is an enjoyable overview of a key period.

An interesting history of the last days of the Roman Republic which seems to speak to our times today. The book follows the reform movements of the late Roman Republic which were put down violently by the elites trying to keep their traditional power.

In the late years of the Republic more and more power is accumulated into the hands of the wealthy as middle class citizens have no land to farm. The Gracchi brothers try to reform the system as each comes to power and tries to redistibute land to middle class farmers away from large estates being run by slaves captured in Roman Wars. They are each in turn killed by mobs incited by the elites to throw them out of office.

The book then conludes with the rivalry between the Roman Generals Marius and Sulla who's rivalry while saving Rome from it's enemies lead to it's first of several Civil Wars ending only with the installation of Octavian Caesar as Emperor.

The books narrative was easy to follow. The author gives us a general feel for the working of Roman law under the Republic and how the rules were often ignored or reinterpreted to give one faction or another an advantage. The replacement in the labor force of Citizens by foreigners imported to work as slaves seems to be a vital link tto the decline of the Republic. Citizens unable to find work increasingly had to depend on the Senate and the Tribunes to provide Welfare in order to live.

It is indeed a Distant Mirror.

I love almost anything about ancient Rome, and this one started out rather well. Duncan has a light touch -- he has a sense of humor, and he uses modern terms to describe some of the ancient situations he describes. However, the book soon became tedious; somewhere about halfway through I began losing track of the gazillions of names of the various historical characters -- and Duncan throws in way more than he needs. So while I appreciated finding out why all the fuss about Sulla, I felt I was drowning in a sea of detail. I felt as though I was in a "begat" section of the bible or something.

Another off-putting item is his odd writing style -- he begins sentence after sentence with the word "But" -- OK, he sometimes uses "though" or "while", but it's a really annoying feature. Perhaps this is how he speaks (I haven't listened to his podcasts), but it doesn't work in writing.

The Roman Republic began with political rules, both written and unwritten. As a result of foreign conquests society became much more unequal and patriotism declined. Slaves competed with freedmen of the lower classes, and foreign booty and taxes disproportionately benefitted the upper classes. Wars devastated the countryside on many occasions. A milestone of Roman expansion was the end of the 3rd Punic War and the sack of Corinth, both in 146 BC. Reformers and less scrupulous demagogues eventually arose and forced changes in the laws, but while they sometimes achieved power, the upper classes were able to mobilize and arm those economically dependent on them as well as hire mercenaries. As those serving in the army became more professional, serving for much longer periods, their generals were increasingly able to achieve political power through force.

Duncan can be insightful and clear, but for myself the book was too long, getting into unnecessary details; e.g., did Jugurtha require all the attention paid him, or is it just that history provides access to these details. Just one time, to my recollection, Duncan mentions that the number of soldiers engaged in battles tended to be exaggerated by ancient sources, but he repeatedly cites these numbers - I question the logistics required to quickly raise and then sustain ancient armies exceeding 100,000 men and more. I would have appreciated even more emphasis on economics, and some mention of climate and disease and their role: the unreliability of grain supplies is mentioned, but it seems it took the republic too many years to attempt to do something, given that more ancient empires stored grains.

In the audio book, Duncan does a beautiful job as a reader.