Max Gallo is a historian and writer recognized that I had never read but whose aura and reputation made me buy this book a long time ago when I wanted to look into the history of Rome and its characters which names still haunt our times. It is natural that I had studied the divine Julius and this biopic fell very timely. Little connoisseur at the time, the novel rather well controlled in terms of style and history, was quite pleased me and I felt like more information about Caesar. Years passed and I read a lot about Rome. By immersing myself in this Imperator Caesar, I have taken the measure of what is presented to us by Gallo, namely A story of Julius Caesar and not history. Certainly, history depends on the point of view of those who write it, but it seems clear that the author has wanted to take no chances and was content to that of the ancient historians and especially Dio Cassius and Suetonius whose objectivity was not the main virtue to say the least. So what is served here is certainly quite true story about the events but rather bland regarding the character itself is reduced to a political genius to dissolute morals. All this is not very serious or somewhat disingenuous, especially when at length novel we stare at us that his mother and are convinced that he will become what he has become, all this is written, that the Gods protect etc. In the end, Caesar Imperator is entertaining but ultimately neither appropriate for beginners who want to learn about Roman history, as much reading ancient authors cited above that have already drooled on the character and the Julio-Claudian nor obviously connoisseurs who have better and more successful reading. So who is this book for? To those who do not really care to ancient Rome but looking for a good novel in the period to get an idea of the time and the character but do not want more. However, I arrive not to dislike this book because it's still the Gallo and the point of view of historical events, everything is there. You just learn to sort.
