A dramatic account of the fateful year leading to the ultimate crisis of the Roman Republic and the rise of Caesars autocracy

When the Senate ordered Julius Caesar, conqueror of Gaul, to disband his troops, he instead marched his soldiers across the Rubicon River, in violation of Roman law. The Senate turned to its proconsul, Pompey the Great, for help. But Pompeys response was unexpected: he commanded magistrates and senators to abandon Romea city that, until then, had always been defended. The consequences were the ultimate crisis of the Roman Republic and the rise of Caesars autocracy.

In this new history, Luca Fezzi argues that Pompeys actions sealed the Republics fate. Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, including Ciceros extensive letters, Fezzi shows how Pompeys decision shocked the Roman people, severely weakened the city, and set in motion a chain of events that allowed Caesar to take power. Seamlessly translated by Richard Dixon, this book casts fresh light on the dramatic events of this crucial moment in ancient Roman history.