Slide thumbnailOrder NowThe War
that Made
the Roman EmpireAntony, Cleopatra, and
Octavian at Actium
The Wall Street JournalArthur HermanReal Clear BooksVictor Davis HansonA masterfully woven history of the Battle of Actium. [Barry Strauss] is currently the
profession’s most gifted and accomplished classicist in making accessible to general
readers the mesmerizing world of Greece and Rome.The victory at Actium, Mr. Strauss argues in this splendid book, allowed Augustus to
build an empire that lasted for nearly 500 years. The price was the destruction of the
man who dared to oppose him, along with the woman for whom he had risked everything.Praise for The War that Made the Roman Empire
Order NowTen CaesarsRoman Emperors
from Augustus to Constantine
AntiquitasLeaders and Legends
of the Ancient World
No one presents the military history of the ancient world with greater insight and panache than Strauss...
Publishers Weekly
Learn more about Barry
Image
Photo courtesy of Dede Hatch.

Rediscover Antiquity

Image

The War that Made the Roman Empire

In this riveting and exciting history, learn about one of history’s most important and yet little-known wars. Culminating at the Battle of Actium, its outcome determined the future of the Roman Empire.
Raves and Reviews
Image

Ten Caesars

A potent summation of three and a half centuries of the Roman Empire, from rise to reinvention, as seen through the lives of ten of the most important emperors, from Augustus to Constantine.
Raves and Reviews
Image

The Death of Caesar

Julius Caesar was assassinated in the Roman Senate in 44 B.C., the last casualty of one civil war and the first casualty of the next — one which would end the Republic and inaugurate the Roman Empire.
Raves and Reviews
Image

Masters of Command

Tactics and weapons change, but war remains much the same. Understanding the way three of history's greatest generals waged war can serve anyone who wants to apply on and off the battlefield.
Raves and Reviews
Image

The Spartacus War

The Spartacus War tells the extraordinary story of history's most famous slave rebellion. Starting with only seventy-four men, a gladiator named Spartacus incited a rebellion that threatened Rome itself.
Raves and Reviews
Image

The Trojan War

The Trojan War is one of history's most famous conflicts; ten years of battle waged over the beautiful Helen, but is it true? Explore myth and reality to discover intriguing clues to the city's real story.
Raves and Reviews
Image

The Battle of Salamis

In 480 B.C., Greek warships triumphed against an overwhelming Persian armada through a brilliant combination of strategy and deception in the most important naval battle of the ancient world.
Raves and Reviews
Image

Rowing Against the Current

From the awe-inspiring feats of the Greek triremes to the solitary pride of finishing first in a race, Barry Strauss shows us why "there is nothing half as much worth doing as messing about in boats."
Raves and Reviews

    Twitter

    Follow me on Twitter:Follow

    Author, Cornell professor, amateur rower, traveler to Mediterranean places. My new book, THE WAR THAT MADE THE ROMAN EMPIRE, comes out March 22.

    Barry Strauss
    barrystraussBarry Strauss@barrystrauss·
    17 May

    Thanks, @amazon , for making THE WAR THAT MADE THE ROMAN EMPIRE an Editors’ Pick for Best History. And thanks to all my readers!

    RaphfelRalph Schoellhammer@Raphfel·
    16 May

    I wholeheartedly support this recommendation by @CornellHistory! It has been an outstanding (and, hopefully, not the last) conversation with @barrystrauss.

    ... Rome has much to teach us, and, as @nfergus recommended, political leaders should have a council of historians for advice. https://twitter.com/CornellHistory/status/1526185170931425281

    BigRedRuckusBig Red Ruckus@BigRedRuckus·
    15 May

    [email protected] In Person & Zoom Event, Tues 5/17/22
    50 Years Later: Nixon in China http://ow.ly/lLt750J8mcT @rittergaus @Jordanfabian @CornellHistory ... @barrystrauss @tvkatesnow @BasilSmiklePhD @NTConnell @AlyssaVenice @cornellphi @NoNonsenseLawyr @CornellPress @NeverEasy921

    ANTIQUITAS

    Apr / 2022

    Episode 4.3: Love and Sex and the Roman Emperors

    Featured image for “Episode 4.3: Love and Sex and the Roman Emperors”

    Latest Updates

    Featured image for “A Fresh Take on Why Octavian Won the War Against Antony and Cleopatra”
    Apr. 24, 2022

    A Fresh Take on Why Octavian Won the War Against Antony and Cleopatra

    Featured image for ““Strauss is one of my favorite historians, and this may be his best book in a distinguished career. ” – John Wilson”
    Apr. 24, 2022

    “Strauss is one of my favorite historians, and this may be his best book in a distinguished career. ” – John Wilson

    Mar. 30, 2022

    The Battle that Saddled Cleopatra with an Undeserved Bad Rep

    Mar. 28, 2022

    Unions’ Value: from the Ancient World to Today

    Featured image for “Combat Story: The Battle of Actium and the Fight for the Roman Empire”
    Mar. 28, 2022

    Combat Story: The Battle of Actium and the Fight for the Roman Empire

    Featured image for “How Ancient Rome’s Descent into Autocracy Mirrors the Fragility of Our Own Political Systems”
    Mar. 28, 2022

    How Ancient Rome’s Descent into Autocracy Mirrors the Fragility of Our Own Political Systems

    Say Hello

    Please reach out if you'd like to share thoughts on my work or learn more.

    For media inquiries, please contact Angela Bagetta Communications at [email protected] or (917) 686-9206.