Augustus

by John Williams · 1972

Winner of the 1973 National Book Award, Augustus is a historical novel by John Williams that chronicles the life of the founder of the Roman Empire. Told through an epistolary format consisting of letters, dispatches, and memoirs, the narrative follows Octavius Caesar from his youth, following the murder of his uncle Julius Caesar, through his rise to power amidst the political machinations of Rome. The novel explores the life of a man who navigates civil war and complex alliances to become the first Roman emperor, offering a psychologically convincing portrait of a historical figure.