“Old certainties have vanished. Laws are flouted, norms discarded. The Senate, once the Republic’s proudest institution, cowers under the shadow of brute force. This is not Washington of today — this is Rome, 27 BCE.”
First-time author and Wilton resident William Twersky has just released his debut novel, My Agrippa: Love, Loyalty, and the Fall of the Republic, described in a press release as “a riveting story that transports readers into a pivotal era of Ancient Rome, illuminating a society on the brink of irreversible transformation.”
Twersky is an historian, classicist and museum professional whose award-winning exhibition design and curation has been written about in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and more.
Now, he has channeled his great passion of sharing history with the public into his first novel that explores class, Stoic philosophy, religion, friendship, family and the turbulent machinery of Roman governance — and will likely resonate for today’s readers with even a casual interest in the challenges facing the public and political institutions of today.
Twersky’s novel brings to life a moment when the very foundations of the Roman Republic were strained to a breaking point. Against this backdrop of political upheaval and revolution, readers will discover not just personal journeys, but the sweeping forces that ultimately reshaped Rome forever.
“In the last decade, many have asked the same question: How did the Roman Empire fall?” Twersky says. “The more relevant question to consider, however, is how the Republic fell. This book is the crescendo of that story, following two individuals who did what they could to preserve the best qualities of Rome, and themselves, despite the monumental shift happening beneath their feet.”
As Rome bleeds itself dry with civil wars and ruthless ambition, two figures who were previously relegated to historical footnotes fight to hold things together. Octavia, sister to Rome’s rising first emperor, and Agrippa, that emperor’s loyal friend and brilliant commander, stand firm against chaos and betrayal. With lyrical prose and cinematic detail, the novel offers both intimate character moments and sweeping narrative momentum.
Bound by loyalty, love and a vision for a better Rome, they navigate shifting alliances and simmering conspiracies from the heart of the capital to the far reaches of the Mediterranean. But as Augustus’ true ambitions come to light, they must face a final question: When power is absolute, how far will loyalty bend before it breaks? This is the story of the fall of the Roman Republic.
Twersky’s publisher called the book “perfect for fans of Robert Graves and Gore Vidal… My Agrippa is a sort of prequel to I, Claudius.”
The book is now available for sale in print and e-book formats on Amazon.