The Sword of Rome

Book excerpt: The fascinating biography of the ancient Roman military commander and politician who led the Siege of Syracuse during the Second Punic War. The military exploits of Marcus Claudius Marcellus were largely unmatched in the Roman Middle Republic. As a young soldier in the First Punic War, he won a reputation for his skill in single combat. In his first consulship, he slayed the Gallic chieftain Britomartus in single combat, thus earning the spolia opima, an honor which had only been earned twice before, once by Romulus himself. Marcellus defeated the hitherto-invincible Hannibal in a small battle, then led an army to conquer Syracuse in an epic two-year siege—which was achieved despite the ingenious defensive measures of the inventor Archimedes. Yet, despite his great success as a warrior and commander, Marcellus met with considerable political opposition in Rome. This thrilling biography offers an insightful perspective on the military and political struggles of the Roman Middle Republic and the role of military successes in the aristocratic culture of the time. Sword of Rome was previously published as Sword of the Republic.