Betrayal of a Republic: Memoirs of a Roman Matrona

by Joost Douma

Overview

Based on historical facts, Betrayal of a Republic: Memoirs of a Roman Matrona recounts the demise of the Roman Republic as seen through the eyes and reflections of Cornelia Africana, mother of the Gracchi brothers and a woman at the zenith of power and influence in the Republic. In her final years, an aging Cornelia looks back on her life and that of her sons who tried to save the Republic. The story is even more compelling for the parallels it offers with current superpower politics, the rise of strongmen, financial scandals, the shrinking of the middle class, and questions about the future of our democracy.Joost Douma studied classical Latin and Greek in high school and history and philosophy at the University of Amsterdam. He is the founder of the Dutch National Science Center, NeMo, in Amsterdam.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781592111589
Publisher:	Histria Books
Publication date:	09/01/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Joost Douma studied classical Latin and Greek in high school and history and philosophy at the University of Amsterdam. He is the founder of the Dutch National Science Center, NeMo, in Amsterdam. His extensive research for Betrayal of a Republic was conducted over a nine-year period, at relevant sites including Spain, Italy, and Turkey.

Table of Contents

Prologue 9

Part 1 Senatus consultum ultimum (Final decree of the Senate) 13

Part 2 Lex Sempronia Agraria (The Agrarian Law Sempronia) 33

Part 3 Alma Mater (Nourishing Mother) 103

Part 4 Corruptio optimi pessima (Corruption of the best is the worst) 115

Part 5 Γνωθι σεαυτóν (Know thyself) 137

Part 6 Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who will guard the guards themselves?) 193

Part 7 Hades 217

Postscript 229

Chronology 231

Sources 237

Editorial Reviews

I’ve read journal-like narratives before, but none have been done this well. The Roman frame of mind and its vices come alive in Douma’s fictional memoir. The prose is lyrical and historically immersive as a mourning mother reevaluates life, fate, and the mistakes made in her lifetime.

Historical Novel Society