Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, a pivotal figure in the final years of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire, is the focus of Robert Harris’s new historical novel, "Agrippa." The book explores the life and career of Agrippa, a general, engineer, and statesman who played an indispensable role alongside Augustus, Rome’s first emperor.
Despite Agrippa’s significant impact on Roman history—winning crucial military battles, constructing key public works such as the original Pantheon and important aqueducts, and serving as Augustus’s closest advisor—his life remains shadowed by gaps in the historical record. Notably, Agrippa’s own autobiography, written before his death in 12 B.C., has been lost. The novel imagines what insights that document might have contained, offering a blend of historical accuracy and creative interpretation.
Harris, known for integrating historical figures and events with imaginative narratives, opens the story with Agrippa in his later years, isolated near the Bay of Naples and grappling with a painful wound and personal betrayal. Reflecting back, Agrippa recounts the development of his lifelong friendship with Augustus—then known as Gaius Octavius—beginning from their school days. The two men, one aristocrat and one of humble origins, forged a partnership that would shape Roman history. The novel illuminates Agrippa’s military prowess complemented by Octavius’s political acumen, a partnership cemented by a promise Agrippa made to Julius Caesar himself to protect and support Octavius.
The narrative also explores the complexities and power imbalances within their relationship. Agrippa’s ascent through Roman political and military ranks is portrayed as closely tied to his alliance with Augustus, including personal sacrifices such as divorcing his wife to marry Julia, Augustus’s daughter. This union further intertwined their fates, especially as Augustus named their offspring as his heirs in a move that consolidated imperial authority.
Harris’s portrayal does not shy away from the ethical dilemmas faced by Agrippa, emphasizing moments where he might have opposed the increasing autocracy of Augustus but instead chose complicity for convenience. The novel serves as an examination of political loyalty, ambition, and the erosion of republican ideals during a turbulent period in Roman history.
"Agrippa" combines meticulous historical detail with a deeply humanized rendition of its central figure. Beyond recounting military exploits and political maneuvering, the book invites reflection on the personal costs of power and the role individuals play in larger historical shifts. Harris, drawing on his background in political journalism, appears to present Agrippa’s story as a lens through which to consider contemporary questions about authority and moral responsibility.