The Robe

Book Description

A Roman soldier, Marcellus, wins Christ's robe as a gambling prize. He then sets forth on a quest to find the truth about the Nazarene's robe-a quest that reaches to the very roots and heart of Christianity and is set against the vividly limned background of ancient Rome. Here is a timeless story of adventure, faith, and romance, a tale of spiritual longing and ultimate redemption.

Customer Reviews:

As always, the book is SO MUCH better than the Movie.......2007-04-15

What a great find, I remember loving the movie when I was a young girl. This was a wonderful way to tell the story of Jesus, after the crucifiction and through the eyes of the people he had lived with and taught and healed, and a good reminder of what the Christian religion is truly about.

Marcellus and Demetrius were wonderful heros, I adored Diana, hated the evil Roman Emporers and thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself into the life and times of that era. I noticed some other reviewers claimed there were historical inaccuracies in the book which distracted them from enjoying it as much as I did. Not knowing enough about the various rulers of those times I can't comment on that, except that since the book was written in 1945 perhaps the known history was different than what is available now.

The book is quickest in pace at the beginning and the end, with a large slower period in the middle while Marcellus travels through Israel learning about the life of Jesus. However, I enjoyed the slower pace and reminder of the many wonderful things that happened at this time.

All in all a great read and highly recommended, with the caveat that if you are an agnostic or of non-christian faiths you might not appreciate it as well. Also a good choice for a younger teen reader, as you won't find the abundant gratuitous sex that you find in more current novels.

Journey of Faith.......2006-11-07

My grandmother first introduced me to this book and in my humble opinion, it is one of the best books ever written. It was first published in 1942 although it is truly a timeless piece of work. The story is simple and follows the journey of a Roman soldier, Marcellus, who was responsible for overseeing the crucification of Christ. After the crucification, Marcellus, along with his faithful servant Demitruis, embark on a journey to discover more about the man that was crucified. Marcellus is naturally skeptical of the "miracles" that Christ performed during his time although he appreciates the teachings of Christ. The book follows the journey of faith that Demitruis and Marcellus follow, and the effects of this journey upon Marcellus and those he loves. Along the way, Marcellus meets many of Jesus' followers that cause him to question everything he knows and believes in. Hollywood made a cheesy movie version of this story with Richard Burton that was truly awful. Do not let the movie version keep you from reading this book because it truly is a beautiful retelling of the story of Christ and Douglas is a master story teller. He writes at a level that is not seen in today's crush of books that tend to follow the latest trend in selling books. Instead, he has an expansive vocabulary and draws you into a world that is fascinating and real despite the age of the story. Watching a non-believer come to grips with who Jesus was and what He meant to the world is a fascinating journey, for believers and non-believers alike and "The Robe" is truly a work of art.

Tremendous Story.......2006-11-05

Great retelling of the story of Jesus from the point of view of one of the men who crucified him.

It doesn't get any better than this ..........2006-02-27

As a classic many recognize in the movie version, I'd have to say to anyone that has seen the movie and not read the book, you're missing a lot. The movie is a cheap imitation of a novel that sucks you in from page one and doesn't let go until the end. Rarely do I read a book more than once ... I have read this book several times. Some authors have the inherent ability to draw you into the world they've created. Some authors possess the uncanny talent to make you really know the characters - love them or hate them. Some authors can make you feel as though you're walking side by side with the characters, living with them and enduring their emotions, seeing the things that they see. Some authors just have IT, and Lloyd C. Douglas is one of them.

The sweeping pageantry of one man's quest to find truth in a world corrupted is a quest that will stay with you long after the final page has been turned. Without giving too much away, the quick synopsis would be this: The story begins with Marcellus Gallio, the son of the rich Roman Senator Marcus Lucan Gallio, being commissioned to take command of the Roman fort at Minoa (Gaza). His trusted slave and friend, Demetrius, makes the journey with him, and they find at the fort a desolate scrap of land and a group of ruthless ruffians who don't take kindly to leadership. Marcellus takes firm control at Minoa, and it is from here that he and Demetrius end up in Jerusalem during Passover. It is at this particular Passover that Jesus is tried under Pontius Pilate and crucified. The detachment from Minoa, lead by Marcellus, is ordered to execute Jesus. During the Crucifixion, the officers get drunk to avoid the harsh reality of the task they've been assigned. They start to gamble and at one point, they gamble for Christ's robe. Marcellus wins, and his acquiring the Robe sets off a chain of events that leads to his eventual search for the truth behind the man who wore it. At first, as a man who does not believe in religion or in supernatural occurrences, Marcellus is skeptical of the miracles Jesus performed. He is especially skeptical when told of the Resurrection. At every point, he is searching for logical ways to explain the miracles. His transformation from a skeptic to a believer is logical in its progression and one that is miraculous to behold. Nothing comes across as choppy or unbelievable, and the change in Marcellus's character is a slow evolution over time.

In addition, I like that Jesus is not actually portrayed as a corporeal character in the book. Everything that deals with Him is after the Crucifixion, and Marcellus must learn about Him through the Disciples and the people who knew Him. Through their conviction, Marcellus discovers the truth and the belief he has sought.

This novel is the complete experience of everything a novel is supposed to be: Excellent characterization, believable, intriguing plot and conflict, solid sense of time and place, and a climactic ending of triumphant redemption that will leave you in tears. At the end, you're almost sad to turn the last page, disappointed to leave such a world - such an experience - behind. Though only my opinion, I cannot speak highly enough for this book and for this author who has completely revolutionized my opinion of what a novel is supposed to be.

Great in scope and depth, thought-provoking.......2006-02-07

I had barely even heard of The Robe before I encountered this book at the bookstore. I've still never seen the movie. I had actually been searching for a book that was 'circa Jesus' whether or not it actually involved Jesus, just to better understand the politics of the time and enjoy some historical fiction, a genre I've always loved.

The Robe came as the answer to my search. It is the story of a young Roman's discovery of Jesus, though the story does alternate at times with Demetrius' and Diana's situations. There's a long exposition--useful, since this world is completely alien to us today--and it builds up to Marcellus winning the Robe. As Marcellus discovers the Robe, his attitudes begin to change, as do the attitudes of those who oppose his interest and support it.

The character development is wonderful--Demetrius, Marcellus, Senator Gallio, Diana, and even Lucia all develop and change throughout the course of the novel. There are some threads that are seemingly dropped to be left behind forever--the Demetrius/Lucia question, for example. Marcellus does seem to grow to appreciate Diana's beauties and her qualities as a woman too soon--for a boy who grew up knowing her as his "kid sister's best friend." I'm not sure that Simon Peter would have been quite so keen on the idea of converting Gentiles--either Douglas wasn't aware of his tendencies, or believes that he reconciled to the idea when in Rome, spurred by the interest of the Gentiles. Also, there's not really a sense of time--at all. Everything after the introduction of the Robe seems to happen all at once--no waiting, constant action and movement. However, these little nitpicky ideas of mine are miniscule when compared to the depth of the plot and the expanse it covers.

I love the idea of picking up the pieces after Jesus is gone and following his disciples in their formation of a new church--lost, alone, all muddling their experiences together to create the picture of Jesus, all piecing together their puzzles without the help of written material like the Gospels. It's a great idea--and could be easily botched--but Douglas makes it perfect. Also, he introduces perspectives of the time--questions like, "Why are all these people so excited when Jesus is dead?" Since we have the benefit of hindsight and the Gospels, it would be harder to imagine that question actually had to be asked. Also, Douglas is perfect at presenting a truly Greco-Roman perspective on a weird, unknown, Jewish sect centered in the middle of nowhere in crappy Palestine compared to the glory, water fountains, plumbing, acqueducts, baths, games, sports, military, and civilization of Rome.

When I finished this book, I immediately wanted to turn over and start again. Douglas covers strange, ancient worlds and ideas in depth, while also maintaining the scope of the problems of the Empire and the politics of the day. It's great--certainly the best I've read, and, dare I say it, better than Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. It's an oldie but goodie.

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A comprehensive view of Caligula
Poor Structured, poorly executed
Caligula's Iconography and Coinage
Caligula and Confusion
the title belies the theme...

Caligula: The Corruption of Power
Anthony A. Barrett
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0300074298

Book Description

Was the Roman emperor Caligula really the depraved despot of popular legend? In this book-the first major reassessment of Caligula`s life and career in over fifty years-Anthony A. Barrett draws on archaeological, numismatic, and literary evidence to evaluate this infamous figure in the context of the system that gave him absolute power.

Customer Reviews:

A comprehensive view of Caligula.......2006-10-11

Barrett takes a very stoic view of Caligula. This view is much different than the crazed man that is typically written about. Caligula is treated with an almost indifferent attitude, that does not yield any myths about the man we have heard about throughout time. What we see is an educated man, that typically made well thought out decisions. Barrett's Caligula is drawn from historical of Caligula's day, and other documentation that was written about him during his life.

Barrett's style lends itself a bit to the dry side. While many points are typically well documented, the book is not an easy read. Paragraphs are of uniform size, long, and informative. Unless you like this style of reading, this may not be your best choice.

The book gives a very well rounded view of Caligula, history portray's him as one of Rome's most Infamous rules. In fact, he wasn't an extreme ruler, and others after him would adopt some of his tactics. From a historical perspective this book is an excellent resource, and I would recommend it if you are looking for an indept study of Caligula and his times.

Poor Structured, poorly executed.......2005-12-31

While I fully understand Professor Barrett's reason for writing this book, i.e. to give a fully rounded and balanced perspective of the reign of the first century Roman emperor Caligula, I have to say it was poorly structured and poorly executed. Professor Barrett obviously does not wish to demonize his subject by listing lurid (and possibly spurious?) details of his reign, yet he has leaned so far in the other direction that he has given us an almost Pollyannish view. I realize that we are looking back at the reign of Caligula through the haze of almost 2000 years of history and I realize that many of the people who have written on his reign were either hostile to him or simply working with incorrect information, but are we to believe that they all wrong? We all know why Caligula is such a compelling figure from history: because of the tales of the horrific nature of his reign and the debate as to whether he was, in fact, insane. Professor Barrett would have us believe that Caligula was simply a "conceited, ill-mannered, and rather irresponsible young ruler." I find it hard to believe that Caligula was murdered after four years in power simply because he was ill-mannered. The book starts with promise but goes downhill from there. Professor Barrett moves through Caligula's four years in power so fast, the reader never gets a sense, positive or negative, of what his reign was really like. While chapters discussing his campaigns in North Africa, Germany and Great Britain should be important parts of the book, the author spends so much time discussing people, places and events peripheral to the story and debating the historians that the reader comes away, at best, confused. Other chapters were discussed in this same, confusing way. Moreover, why were chapters discussing relations with the Jewish people and Roman structures that Caligula built placed at the very end of the book instead of at the beginning where they could put his reign into perspective? I looked forward to reading a book that would shine a light on Caligula from all sides but this book is definitely not it.

Caligula's Iconography and Coinage.......2005-09-06

I found that this book most suprisingly has one of the most detailed and exhaustive bibliographies on obscure and hard to find references for Julio Claudian numismatists and iconographers. You don't need college to have a greater understanding of princeps Gaius Caligula. Worth the price of the book.

Joe Geranio

Caligula and Confusion.......2005-07-16

While I must admit that this book is a must read for those interested in the politics and extravagences of the Roman Caesars, this book does little to "prove" what the author intends to prove: that Caligula was just a victim of circumstances. The author goes out of his way to show the reader that good ole little boots did nothing that his cohorts did not do as well (see references to Augustus, Tiberius, and Claudius). The author tries to put a certain spin on the rumour mill of the day pertaining to Caligula by stating that Selonicus, Dio, et al. have a grudge againt him and that is why they were unappealing in writing about him. The bottom line is that Caligula was a depraved, sick human being given the power of a god and much more than willing to accept and play the role. Any justification for his actions would be irresponsible and not accepting of the true facts.

the title belies the theme..........2005-05-20

The title seems to be a bit of a misnomer for the title of Barrett's book. The reason is that while he does exploit much of Caligula's corruption, it is in essence a refutation of much of the traditional teachings about Caligula's madness and depravity. In fact, Barrett seems to discredit these common views, thereby substantially ameliorating the conventional perception of Caligula's corruption.

Point being: This is a common theme throughout the book, that of contradiction. He cites example after example from Suetonius, Dio, et al of egregious behavior by the ruler, yet invariably discredits virtually each and every bit of fact on the matter by impugning the interest of the original sources' claims.

Being merely a casual fan of the Caesars, this was not the book for me. While copiously researched and quite well-written, it reads too much like a dissertation and not enough like a book. I would highly recommend studying up a bit on Caligula for the lay reader before tackling this book. I must admit i did find much of it interesting and compelling, and for the scholar or avid Roman reader, this book seems to posit some contrarian views as well as comprehensive history and context which could greatly benefit your knowledge. But if you are just looking for an overview on C's life and a pleasurable read with a little more sizzle about his "corruption", I would recommend looking elsewhere.

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A Crazy comes to the Roman throne.
"Let them hate me as long as they fear me"
A Disappointing Caligula
It is impossible to say how "mad" Caligula was
This book accepts historical evidence too uncritically.

Caligula: Emperor of Rome
Arthur Ferrill
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

A Crazy comes to the Roman throne........2006-11-16

This is a nice introductory text to the third Roman Emperor Caligula. Ferrill does not mince words. He labels Caligula a crazy man. I think historians sometimes look at all angles and miss the clear cut focus of what some people are. Ferrill does not do this. In his opinion, Caligula had few redeeming qualities and it was fortunate he was murdered in his 3+ year rule.

This is a nice short read of this infamous man. Ferrill does a good job on the analysis of the man. It is too bad some want to find a redeeming characteristic in this individual.

"Let them hate me as long as they fear me".......2005-11-01

When one hears the name of Caligula, the most common reaction is to associate him with the notions of craziness and evil. I believe this partly accurate, but to go from that to saying that nothing he did was based on reason is a bit farfetched. This is what Ferrill does, and the main problem with his book is that even though he says in the introduction that he will prove his point, the only proof he provides is of the type "I believe these historians and not these others".

It seems to me that it is very hard to find a balanced view of the life of Caligula, since other historians, like Barrett, are on the other side of the spectrum, and may give the controversial figure too much "merit". So I guess the process for really understanding "Little Boots" involves reading different sources and drawing your own conclusions. And this is one of the aspects in which this book can help, since even though the author fails in proving his point, he presents a brief description of what different authors believe about various important episodes in the life of the emperor. This can certainly help the reader in her quest for further enlightenment.

It is obvious that some works require reading if one is interested in the life of Caligula, and I am in the process of doing that. I am currently working on "The Twelve Caesars" by Suetonius, who is the author Ferrill refers too most often in search for support; arguing that since he lived at the time (which is not entirely true, since he was born three decades after the reign of Caligula) he knows better. The main source on the other side of the issue seems to be Barrett, whose work I have browsed but need to reread more thoroughly.

Even though Ferrill does not deliver what he promises, his book does add some value to the discussion and therefore I rated it as an OK read.

A Disappointing Caligula.......2000-07-29

This book should have been much better. Mr. Ferrill does not follow his own advice to treat ancient historians with caution. He believes every word and is highly critical of scholars who have rationalized the life of Caligula to what has been written about him. There is no doubt that Caligula's reputation has suffered from hostile writers and Mr. Ferrill cannot be objective enough to see beyond the smokescreen. He tries to provide evidence that Caligula was crazy before his illness and comes up with his spending large amounts of the money Tiberius left. This is a dubious argument and only proves that Caligula had no idea of the value of money.

Rather than discuss the evidence pro and con on the many points Ferrill resorts to the device that Caligula was crazy so we cannot expect an irrational person to be reasonable. This is simply a cop-out. The madness of Caligula is one of a gradual disintegration of the emperor's mind but Ferrill does not give any idea why this is true or what illness is at work. In the brief discussion of Caligula declaring himself a god, there is no discussion of the concept of the emperor's numen.

Having read a great deal about Caligula I can say that "Caligula:Emperor of Rome" expresses a minority opinion. Mr. Ferrill does not to mention obvious contradictions in Suetonius' life of Caligula that cast him in a favorable light. Ferrill even says that even if some stories by ancient historians are "untrue or greatly exaggerated, there can be little doubt that Caligula was one of the cruelest rules Rome ever had." What is certain to me is that Mr. Ferrill cannot persuade us by logic so he must resort to stepping around the difficult question of who Caligula was and what he did.

One cannot contradict the fact that Caligula was a ruthless autocrat who was provocative in what he said and did. Without a doubt, the turbulent childhood he experienced left a mark on his character. However, Caligula is more complex that the stereotypical mad monarch presented in this book. Mr. Ferrill is correct in suggesting that it is possible for someone who is mad to become an emperor but it is also true that one does not have to be insane to be cruel.

It is impossible to say how "mad" Caligula was.......1999-04-27

Arther Ferrill's main purpose seems to refute modern authors like Balsdon and Barrett who have whitewashed Caligula. In that he is successful. Even if Caligula did not do everything Suetonius says, he seems to have been capricious, tyrannical and at least unbalanced. Tacitus's version is lost, but elsewhere in his writings he constantly refers to Caligula as "mentally disordered", of a "horrible character" and whose impulses "shifted like a weather-cock". Balsdon and others probably went too far in discounting Suetonius and Tacitus, and Ferrill restores the balance, but goes too far. It is absolutely impossible to determine whether, for instance, Caligula committed incest with his sisters or not, and it is as futile for Ferrill to say categoricallly "yes, he did" as it was for others to say, "no, he did not". Ferrill also says categorically that Caligula was "mad". Caligula was probably unbalanced, not surprising given the events of his life, something that Ferrill correctly emphasizes. But who can say that he was "mad" in a clinical sense? Ferrill should be a little more skeptical. But altogether this book was necessary to challenge the whitewashers.

This book accepts historical evidence too uncritically........1997-11-17

Ferrill's book makes interesting reading as a chronicle of Caligula's supposed crimes, but as that only. He spends much of the book recounting stories by Suetonius that have no other historical backing. Suetonius's credibility is questionable, and Ferrill should have tried to prove that Suetonius was trustworthy before he accepted the man's work without question. Nevertheless, I agree with many of Ferrill's conclusions; he just didn't back them up enough.

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A sympathetic attempt

Caligula
Allan Massie
Manufacturer: Sceptre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0340823143

Customer Reviews:

A sympathetic attempt.......2005-07-29

Massie's effort at the third Claudio-Julian Emperor, Caligula, one of history's atypical evil leaders is presented in a sympathetic slant here, more pages devoted to understanding the plight of a man upon whom greatness was thrust, but who was ill-equipped to deal with leading the world's greatest empire than actually detailing the nature of his brutality. Caligula, an emperor, whom for Massie at least, used the Empire as his plaything, floating in a fantasy world and he never sniffed a glimmer of the reality it really meant.
The story is narrated as unofficial biography at Agrippina's request, by an anonymous man of senatorial rank who became Gaius' closest confidante. Massie runs through the complexities of the Julio-Claudian family and the ptolemaic murders that went on as each side of the family fought for political pre-eminence after Augustus' death. He moves through the Roman world of Tiberius, all the time seeking to explain the reasons behind Caligula's paranoia and desperate need for people to like him. Mothers and fathers, uncles and aunts are all portrayed as either heroically felled by evil relations (such as Germanicus) or as politcal vipers scheming to get puppets on the imperial throne whom they could control. It all moved towards a manipulated, ever fearful leader who was never comfortable on the imperial throne Augustus had created out of the republican ashes.
Massie takes us through the usual Suetonian stories about Caligua, from his gallivanting across the Bay of Baiae, ensuring his horse, Incitatus, became a consul, the nightly trips to the Subaru, to his incestuous love for Drusilla (whose death removes the only person he ever really loved and trusted) at the same time seeing it through the inextricably entwined narrator whose own life it shaped by the understandable madness - his loss of his wife, Caesonia the prime example - that assails Caligula. Midway Agrippana almost apologies for his behaviour when she says: "Gaius is the most cursed of all. He destroys everything he touches. It's his madness. It can't last." (p169)
By the end Caligula's brief tenure is over, ended at the point of a praetorian sword, Claudius is emperor and our narrator is in exile. This is Massie's Apologia for Caligula, an attempt to redress the Suetonian image of the man who should never have been king which has been further confounded by films such as `Caligula' and you come away with a slightly sour taste of a twenty first century apology for everything. Namely, it was is upbringing that was reponsible for the man he became. All sense of justice and culpability is removed and familial problems are the root cause. There is an acceptance that personal responsibility is not an option and that he was a product of the system. Somehow, it doesn't quite hold water. Massie's style is as languid as ever and he protrays a world of decadence and fantasy that doesn't bring ancient Rome to life but certainly acts as an apology for the image that history has created of Caligula.

The Art of Forgetting: Disgrace and Oblivion in Roman Political Culture (Studies in the History of Greece and Rome)

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The Art of Forgetting: Disgrace and Oblivion in Roman Political Culture (Studies in the History of Greece and Rome)
Harriet I. Flower
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Caesar's Calendar: Ancient Time and the Beginnings of History (Sather Classical Lectures)

ASIN: 0807830631
Release Date: 2006-11-22

Book Description

Elite Romans periodically chose to limit or destroy the memory of a leading citizen who was deemed an unworthy member of the community. Sanctions against memory could lead to the removal or mutilation of portraits and public inscriptions. Harriet Flower provides the first chronological overview of the development of this Roman practice—an instruction to forget—from archaic times into the second century A.D.

Early memory sanctions were employed by political families in an effort to preserve their social standing or limit the embarrassment caused by a disgraced relative. Bans in the Late Republic, however, turned into punitive measures used against political rivals. By the imperial period, emperors imposed postmortem disgrace in attempts to control elite dissent or its image, but they could also become subject to such posthumous sanctions themselves. Flower explores Roman memory sanctions against the background of Greek and Hellenistic cultural influence and in the context of the wider Mediterranean world. Combining literary and legal texts, art and archaeology, this richly illustrated study contributes to a deeper understanding of Roman political culture.

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Amazing as always

Which is more dangerous, insane people or insane societies?

What a play!

Great stage work from a master

To tell the reader what he WILL find in this book!

Caligula and Three Other Plays
Albert Camus
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Rebel: An Essay on Man in Revolt

No Exit and Three Other Plays

The Myth of Sisyphus: And Other Essays

Happy Death

The First Man

ASIN: 0394702077
Release Date: 1962-02-12

Customer Reviews:

Amazing as always.......2005-08-02

Albert Camus is as good at writing plays as he is at everything else he does. Whether you are new to Camus or not, you will definately enjoy this.

Which is more dangerous, insane people or insane societies?.......2004-11-29

Camus does an excellent job of contrasting individual insanity and collective insanity in his play Caligula. Basically, Caligula is insane. He is a despot who holds the lives of his subjects in his hands. At times, for very arbitrary reasons, he kills or executes someone from his court. This seems arbitrary and frightenging. Yet, Caligula is contrasted against sane military officers who engage in terrible acts of war where thousands upon thousands of civilians and soldiers are killed. So who is insane? Is it the dictator who might execute someone in his court for very trivial reasons or is it the rational military general who kills thousands and thousands of persons in rational and supposedly justified warfare? Camus reveals to the careful reader that societal evil is far more dangerous than individual evil. This is a wonderful thoughtful classic play that demonstrates Camus' ability to bring complex concepts to dramatic life.

The Misunderstanding, another play in this volume, is another complex drama. An innkeeper and her old maid daughter kills guests of the inn when they are able to discern that the guest's death can not be tracked. They rob the guests which supplements their income. They long for the return of the beloved son of the innkeeper who has been gone for years and years without contact. As you might expect, the son returns to the inn and is murdered by his mother and sister. The deed is revealed when his wife arrives and finds him missing. Camus here deals with the concept of objectification of others so that violence may be done to them without remorse. When the innkeeper and her daughter find they have murdered the long lost son, they are beside themselves with grief. But yet they have murdered many innocent travelers without remorse because they have been able to divorce themselves from any thoughts that these travelers were fellow humans. A simple play with a simple point, yet it points to a terrible feature of human existence, that we can commit unspeakable horror on others once we have convinced ourselves that they are no longer human beings. Camus recognized that prejudice kills, it is not beneign.

I appreciate Camus' ability to make a point without preaching or overstating. I strongly suggest this book of 4 short plays.

What a play!.......2002-07-05

The cover of Caligula shows an abstract horse bucking, and that is just what Caligula does to us. It knocks us off our high-horse by bringing us face-to-face with death. Only (and I do not choose that word lightly) a true understanding of death can put lives in perspective. Sure Caligula is a despot who could have the life of any of his subjects, but the fact-of-the-matter is that our lives can end at any second. Caligula teaches us not to take life for granted, which is something that is all to easily done in this era. This theme also exists in State of Seige. The other two plays, The Misunderstanding, and The Just Assasins are more subtle, but they also deal with idea that we take petty concerns and ideas too seriously, and fail to look and the big picture. I should also add that the language and passion of the plays are exceptional.

Great stage work from a master.......2000-08-21

Encompassing the doctorine of the Ubermensch cast alongside the dictatorship of Hitler, Camus creates an absurd, absolute ruler whom the people are at his beck and call. Every whim, be it for food or a specific person's death for the merge specticle of it, are just some of the scenes depicted in this play. It forces the question of whether one would rather possess a ruler who is consistant in all actions, thought, etc. or one who is willing to contradict him or herself for the good of the people. This is a complex work whose depths it seems may never be compeletly explored. Often overlooked due to the potency of his prose, Camus has produced yet another masterwork.

To tell the reader what he WILL find in this book!.......1999-08-03

Camus' raw talent. There isn't anything negative to say about Camus, other than he died too young. If he'd lived through the 60's, he'd at the most give Sartre a good run for his money.

I love Camus simply because he's the only writer/philosopher who 'beats you up' with the truth, and comforts you with the notion, that he too has done this to himself. He doesn't try to replace your religion or your belief, or even question your place in the world. And he certainly didn't trade in one 'ism' for another like his Toad-faced contemporary!

Read this! It's wonderful. Camus sums up life's absurdities simplier than Kierkergaard and a tad bit kinder--maybe even sublte--than Nietzsche (who in my estimation is the one and only TRUE existential----maybe Che Guevara is a close second)

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Caligula! what else can i say?

Based on the movie

Gore Vidal's Caligula: A Novel Based on Gore Vidal's Original Screenplay
William Howard
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Caligula: Divine Carnage: Atrocities of the Roman Emperors

The Persian Boy

Caligula (Unrated Version)

Rome - The Complete Second Season

Rome - The Complete First Season

ASIN: 0446827010

Customer Reviews:

Caligula! what else can i say?.......2006-10-26

So obviously I'm a huge fan of Malcolm McDowell and i just had to see the movie caligula. It was acctaully good, i'm not one to bash alot of sex in movies just as long as theres still a plot. The book is great if you just want to be horny all day but it lacked the in-depth inside caligula's mind the reader would hope for. BUT it did however make things with tiberius Alot clearer and expanded his character more. Although it spent like half the book talking about Tiberius and caligula's trip. Personally i wanted more information on ceasonia (hope i spelt that right) I love her shes awsome. Plus i had no idea Drusilla was older than Caligula. Anyhow If your a huge fan this novel is a must, i also suggest 'Caligula: divine carnage' that's also a really good read if you like knowing about all the sexual acts and the nitty gritty of rome.

Based on the movie.......2004-11-13

This book, released in 1979, one year before the movie was released in the US, is based on the movie by the same title, with the lead role being played by Malcolm McDowell. As to be expected, there are some differences between this book and the movie. This book was re-released in 1980, after the US release of the movie, with a picture of Malcolm McDowell as Caligula on the cover. If you're a fan of the movie, this book is a must read and you must visit caligulathemovie.com

Caligula (Lancaster Pamphlets in Ancient History)

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Caligula (Lancaster Pamphlets in Ancient History)
Sam Wilkinson
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Reference | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Biographies & Memoirs | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Caligula: The Corruption of Power

ASIN: 0415341213

Book Description

Sam Wilkinson provides an accessible introduction to the reign of Caligula, one of the most controversial of all the Roman Emperors. Caligula's policies have often been interpreted to be those of a depraved tyrant. This study provides a reassessment of this controversial reign by scrutinizing the ancient literary sources that are so hostile to Caligula, and by examining the reasoning behind the policies he enforced. Key topics discussed include:
* Caligula's early life and accession to power
* Caligula's relationship with the Senate
* how far Caligula's domestic and foreign policies can be judged to be a success
* why Caligula was assassinated in AD 41, only four years after his accession to power.

With a guide to primary and secondary sources, a chronology and a detailed glossary, Caligula is an invaluable study of the reign of this fascinating Emperor.

Caligula: Divine Carnage: Atrocities of the Roman Emperors

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Like watching a Hollywood movie
Historically Inaccurate Pornography
Obscene Drivel
Not for Children or the Squeamish
An absolutely riviting depiction of evil ever written.

Caligula: Divine Carnage: Atrocities of the Roman Emperors
Stephen Barber , and Jeremy Reed
Manufacturer: Solar Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0971457816

Book Description

Caligula is the most notorious of the Roman Emperors, a vile degenerate who seduced his own sister, installed a horse in the Roman Senate, turned his palace into a brothel, married a prostitute, tortured and killed innocent citizens on whims, and committed countless other acts of madness, cruelty and deviancy. Award-winning writers Stephen Barber and Jeremy Reed document in full the atrocities of Caligula and also the other mad Emperors, including the deranged Commodus and Heliogabalus, the teenage ambisexual sun-god. Also included is a bloody history of Gladiators and that depraved circus, the Roman Arena. This is a shocking catalogue of ancient perversity and decadence.

The greatest history of Caesaral carnage ever written. -- Bizarre Magazine

Customer Reviews:

Like watching a Hollywood movie.......2007-07-12

This is worth reading for entertainment. It is not boring by any stretch and you may find that you finish this book far sooner than you would have thought.

The authors do not offer any real proof of any claim within. The stories of the excessive emperors are too fantastical to be true.

The book has all the charm of a Hollywood movie. It is exciting, grotesque, shocking, and sinfully enjoyable.

I did not purchase this book for its historical accuracy. That being said, it is as enjoyable as watching a gladiator movie.

Historically Inaccurate Pornography.......2005-09-16

After visiting Rome and walking through the Flavium Coliseum I wanted to learn more about what actually took place in the Roman Empire. Movies such as Gladiator added to my curiosity ensuring that I visited the Coliseum while I was in Rome. The tour guide touched on some of the things that happened in the Coloseum but did not go into great detail. The tour guide mentioned that during the games in the Coliseum that people would have sex on the upper portions of the Coliseum. Later on in my tour through Italy the tour guide pointed out the pipes for houses in Pompeii. They were all made of lead. The tour guide went on to explain how the lead in the pipes resulted in lead poisoning and then mentioned a few of the examples in history where the lead poisoning caused people to go crazy. Specifically he mentioned how Caligula would refer to his horse for advice on wether or not a person should be executed. If the horse moved his head in one direction the person was spared, if the horse moved his head in another direction the person was exucuted. Needless to say nothing about this was mentioned in this book which I am sure is due to this piece of information lacking any sexual characteristics. I bought this book with the intent of learning more about Caligula. From the coments the tour guide made about sex in the Coliseum I knew there would probably be some lurid descriptions of what took place. I should add that I failed to read the reviews before purchasing this book. From what I do know from other books that I have read and several documentaries I have viewed through several channels (History, Discovery, ETC), this book is completely inaccurate. If you read the quotes from this book that some reviewers have put in their reviews, you can see just how absurd this book really is. I am probably dumber now than I was before I started reading this book. I realize that when an author is going to delve into the decadent lifestyles there are only so many words to describe certain acts. In the case with this book the authors freely choose the most degenerate words out of the few available. Then those words are used repetively throughout the entire book. This book has been mislabeled into the history category when it belongs in the fiction category. I find it very hard, as the author would lead us to believe, that the entire Coliseum was engaged in sexual acts; comitted these sexual acts in certain postions; and timed these acts to coincide perfectly with the victory and execution of a Gladiator. We're talking thousands of people here, the equivalent of a football stadium. If this book was made into a movie it would put all other porn films to shame. This book seems to be one of a series of books on interesting historical figures that are surrounded by violence. I will be sure to avoid everyone of those books. Don't waste you time with this book if you are looking for something with historical substance. If you are looking for sexual fantasy set in Ancient Rome than this is the book for you.

Obscene Drivel.......2005-08-27

Just a flick through this vile publication in a library was enough to bring the same conclusion as most readers have done in these reviews. Were the details of torture and mind reeling lifestyles to be true, all semblance of credibility is lost in the gleeful writing style. This really is the pits. I suppose some rather empty, sad lunies will revel in it but - hey -get a life.

Not for Children or the Squeamish.......2005-07-27

This book is more porn than history- I found it fairly disturbing. I would not recommend it.

An absolutely riviting depiction of evil ever written........2005-06-09

Now this is a book that will keep you up at night. Torture? The Romans spent all of their leasure time thinking about how to improve it. Let me tell you, you do not want to of crossed any of the people depicted here. Words cannot describe the content in this book. But it is worth while to get and read. Here is but one of the more noteworthy passages:

"...christians were exposed to the mauling of wild beasts of every description, so that the skin and meat was gradually eaten or clawed away from their bones as they clung to the hideous vestiges of life. Many of these beasts were specially trained to sexually violate and sodomie their prey before dismemberment; female prisoners doused in civet grease were often raped half to death by feral dogs or buggered by baboons beneath the spectator's gae before being duly devoured..."

I don't think that anything that I can say can do this book justice. It is a very powerful and disturbing book.

From Caligula to Constantine: Tyranny & Transformation in Roman Portraiture

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From Caligula to Constantine: Tyranny & Transformation in Roman Portraiture

Manufacturer: Michael C Carlos Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ancient & Classical | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1928917011

Book Description

For centuries after their reigns, the "bad" emperors of Rome have captured the popular imagination, their legends inspiring novels, works of art, and films. From Caligula to Constantine explores how these and other notorious figures of Roman history were portrayed during their lifetimes, and the reaction to their deaths. In a world without mass media, portraits in stone, bronze, and other materials broadcast the ruler's image throughout the empire, exalting him and representing him in the best possible light. When an emperor was overthrown, the portraits could themselves suffer a violent fate. When an emperor or empress was condemned, a portrait could be simply removed and discarded; it could be deliberately disfigured; or it could be removed and reworked to represent someone else. From Caligula to Constantine focuses on the "bad" emperors and empresses of Rome, exploring their legends, their personalities, and their representation in sculptures, gems, and coins. END

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