ANY LIST OF acknowledgments must begin with my wife, Brandi, to whom this book is already dedicated. She has been with me every step of the way and been an unfailing source of strength, support, and love. I would also like to thank my children, Elliott and Olive, who have been wonderful through the entire process and who I hope like the book once they learn how to read. My parents, Doug and Liz Duncan, have also provided incredible support not just while the book was being written, but throughout my entire life. Without them this book would not exist. My success is their success.
This book would also not exist without my literary agent, Rachel Vogel, who sent me an e-mail one day asking if I had ever considered writing a book. She then nursed a half-baked idea from infancy to maturity and guided me through the long and convoluted process of selling, writing, and promotion. I could not have asked for a better shepherd through the often baffling world of publishing.
I was also lucky enough to have landed with my editor, Colleen Lawrie, at PublicAffairs. She not only said yes to the project in the first place, but provided expert advice and guidance as we took the manuscript from a blank piece of paper to a completed manuscript. The rest of the team at PublicAffairs has also been fantastic—especially for a first-time author. Managing editor Katie Haigler, publicist Kristina Fazzalaro, copy editor Bill Warhop, designer Linda Mark, marketing coordinator Miguel Cervantes, and marketing director Lindsay Fradkoff were all a pleasure to work with. The book is better for all of their hard work.
For research, I am incredibly grateful to the University of Wisconsin, which is a bastion of enlightened civic engagement. UW offers residents of the state of Wisconsin full run of their libraries and unlimited access to otherwise impossible-to-find academic journals. Without these resources I would have been lost. The Wisconsin Idea of fostering a collaborative educational network linking academics, public servants, and citizens is among the most noble endeavors in the history of western civilization. In 1905, UW president Charles Van Hise said, “I shall never be content until the beneficent influence of the University reaches every family of the state.” I cannot speak for everyone, but the beneficent influence of the university has certainly reached me.
I am also eternally indebted to the community of classical academics and enthusiasts who maintain online databases of ancient literary sources—fully searchable and instantly available. In particular, I relied on the work of the Perseus Digital Library at Tufts University, Jona Lendering and Livius.org, Bill Thayer and his LacusCurtius archives, and Andrew Smith at Attalus.org. This book would have been a poor effort were it not for their efforts.
Finally, I would like to thank every single listener of the History of Rome and Revolutions podcasts, who truly made all this possible. I will remain forever grateful that you have allowed me to turn a passion for history into a career in history. I hope you liked the book.