New York Times Bestseller: A magnificent novel of ancient Rome and the tragic life of Cicero, who tried in vain to save the republic he loved from tyranny. In this riveting tale, the Roman Empire in its final glory is seen through the eyes of philosopher, orator, and political theorist Marcus Tullius Cicero. From his birth in 106 BC in the hill town of Arpinum, Cicero, the educated son of a … the hill town of Arpinum, Cicero, the educated son of a wealthy member of the equestrian order, is destined for greatness. At a young age, he discovers the legend of the Unknown God, the coming Messiah, and it propels the rising lawyer on a journey of spiritual conflict and self-discovery. From his tumultuous family life to his tenuous alliance with Julius Caesar to a fateful love affair with the Roman empress Livia and, finally, to the political role that will make him a target of powerful enemies, A Pillar of Iron is the story of Cicero’s legacy as one the greatest influences on Western civilization.
Based on hundreds of speeches, voluminous private correspondence, and ancient texts and manuscripts, this bestselling epic brings into focus Cicero’s complicated relationships with his contemporaries, including Caesar, Mark Antony, and Crassus, and brilliantly captures the pageantry, turmoil, and intrigue of life in ancient Rome. According to legendary editor Maxwell Perkins, author “Taylor Caldwell is a storyteller first, last and foremost, and once you begin reading one of her books, you can’t help finishing it.”
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Taylor Caldwell including rare images from the author’s estate.
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Well written novel of ancient Rome, Cicero, Caesar, and the other men and women who played a role in the politics and tyranny of the times. History really comes alive with this magnificent story.
Anything by Taylor Coldwell is worth the read!
Want a preview of what can happen in America..I read this during Brett Kavanaugh’s “TRIAL BY FIRE AND INNUENDO”
Fantastic perspective on a very interesting group of historical figures.
Taylor Caldwell is one of my all time favorites. This book, like all of her books is a great read.
I had no idea of Cicero’s relationship with Caesar. This provided great insight into that era and made me realize that history continues to repeat itself. The parallels to today are scary.
This book is a book for all!
All people l!
All ages!
All time!
Timeless!
Heroic!
A classic among classics!
There were too many irrelevant details to this story to make it totally enjoyable.
A Taylor Caldwell masterpiece. Very informative and educational. Often difficult to read but worth the effort.
I had hoped this would be more of a novel and less of an historic record… didn’t finish it
A very interesting historical novel showing the degradation of the Roman Republic into a mob-controlled democracy. The main character is Cicero, whose biography it is, and there appears to be sufficient research to justify the story. Recommended for anyone who is interested in ancient history but doesn’t want to read the ancients.
I read this years ago & thoroughly enjoyed it. She’s an amazing author
This story of Cicero in ancient Rome could easily have been written about an honest politician (if there is any such thing) who wants only the best for his country in 2017. The quotes from his writings and speeches are so familiar to what is going on today that it is almost eerie. Be aware though, that she uses a vocabulary that will cause you to do lots of looking-up of words. I’m an avid reader and thought I had a good vocabulary, but there were probably more than a dozen in this book that I needed to confirm the meaning of. Overall a very enjoyable book if you llike historic fiction that is really closer to truth.
One of my all-time favorite books
In this current world of current events, it is informative that Rome had so many of the similar events where rulers claim to be for the common people, but are actually for themselves, greed, power, and ego.
boring I didn’t finish it
A slow start to the book and the career of Cicero. But as the boy, Cicero, grows so did my interest in him and his times.