Historical fiction author Fiona Forsyth joins Zoë Routh to explore how power, political ambition, and cultural context shaped leadership during the final years of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.
Ancient Rome was a world where political influence depended on military loyalty, family connections, strategic alliances, and the ability to navigate deeply established social expectations. Some leaders challenged these structures and reshaped the political system, while others recognised the dangers but lacked the power to prevent change.
What determines whether a leader can influence the system around them? Is it political intelligence, access to resources, personal relationships, or the willingness to challenge established rules?
Drawing from her extensive knowledge of Roman history and historical fiction, Fiona explores the experiences of Ovid, Cicero, Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Servilia. Together, Zoë and Fiona examine how military strength, political positioning, and behind-the-scenes influence determined who gained power, who maintained it, and who ultimately lost it.
The conversation reveals striking parallels between ancient Roman politics and modern leadership, particularly the growing influence of wealthy individuals operating outside traditional political structures and the importance of understanding how power operates beyond formal authority.
Summary
Ancient Rome teaches much about the extremes of power and leadership:
Cultural Context and Leadership - How social expectations, traditions, and political structures can constrain or enable an individual's ability to exercise influence.
Ovid and the Risks of Power - Why Rome's celebrated poet was exiled by Augustus and what his experience reveals about living under unpredictable political authority.
The Fall of the Roman Republic - How powerful military commanders developed personal armies and challenged the political traditions that had governed Rome for generations.
Cicero and the Limits of Influence - Why political intelligence, persuasive speaking, and awareness of systemic problems were not enough to prevent the Republic's collapse.
Augustus and Political Strategy - How military strength, personal branding, strategic relationships, and careful management of authority helped Augustus establish a lasting political system.
The People Behind the Throne - How Agrippa, Maecenas, and Livia supported Augustus and exercised influence within carefully defined political relationships.
Servilia and Hidden Power - How an influential Roman woman used family connections, political intelligence, and strategic relationships to shape decisions without holding formal authority.
Ancient Rome and Modern Leadership - What the rise of powerful business figures and technology billionaires reveals about influence outside traditional political structures.
Thought-Provoking Questions for Leaders, focusing on:
How much does my cultural context influence what I can achieve as a leader?
Am I aware of the unwritten rules and expectations shaping decisions within my organisation?
Do I have the relationships and resources needed to create meaningful change?
Can I recognise when an established system is no longer working?
What happens when individuals accumulate influence outside formal leadership structures?
Who holds power behind the scenes in my organisation?
Am I building relationships that strengthen the organisation or merely protect my own position?
How can I exercise influence when I do not have formal authority?
Am I thinking beyond immediate decisions to consider the long-term consequences of change?
Fiona Forsyth reflects on:
Ovid's Exile and Political Vulnerability - How one of Rome's most celebrated poets was banished by Augustus in AD 8 for what Ovid described as a poem and a mistake, leaving historians uncertain about the true reason.
The Rise of Personal Military Power - How figures such as Marius, Sulla, and Julius Caesar challenged traditional Roman political structures by developing armies loyal to individual commanders rather than the Republic.
Cicero's Political Limitations - How Cicero recognised the Republic's decline but lacked the military strength and willingness to operate outside established political rules that characterised Caesar and Augustus.
Augustus and the Art of Consolidating Power - How Augustus learned from his predecessors, used his connection to Julius Caesar, and combined military force with effective political positioning.
Strategic Allies and Distributed Influence - Why Augustus relied on Agrippa, Maecenas, and Livia, allowing trusted individuals to exercise influence while maintaining his own position.
Servilia's Political Intelligence - How Servilia navigated the aftermath of Julius Caesar's assassination, advising Brutus and Cassius while maintaining relationships across competing political factions.
The Power of Cultural Expectations - How Roman traditions, family obligations, social hierarchies, and gender restrictions influenced who could exercise authority and how.
Modern Power Beyond Politics - Why wealthy business leaders and technology billionaires offer an interesting comparison with powerful Romans who stepped outside established pathways to influence.
Roman Society and Cultural Differences - How slavery, public arena violence, and the limited political power of ordinary citizens reveal the differences between ancient Roman society and modern expectations.
Historical Fiction and Understanding Power - How Fiona uses historical evidence and the gaps within it to explore political relationships, human behaviour, and the consequences of power through her novels.
Key Quotes
“We think of Augustus as an individual. Underneath, he was willing to give other people power, bits of it.” - Fiona Forsyth
“We are now seeing, I think, a phenomenon where men, and they are all men, outside of that traditional power track are rising to have a huge influence on the world without having to be a senator or go through any political system.” - Fiona Forsyth
“I'd love to say that the ordinary people of Rome had power. They don't. They have very little power throughout this period.” - Fiona Forsyth
“Augustus learned how to master the art of hard power, where you had a loyal army at your back and you could coerce people into following your agenda.” - Zoë Routh
“They just took an action and didn't really think about how do we need to actually steer the ship now?” - Zoë Routh
Questions Explored
How does cultural context constrain or liberate leadership?
Why was Ovid exiled by Augustus, and what does his experience reveal about political power?
How did personal military loyalty contribute to the fall of the Roman Republic?
Why did Cicero struggle to prevent the political changes he recognised were coming?
What made Augustus more successful than Julius Caesar at consolidating and maintaining power?
How did Agrippa, Maecenas, and Livia contribute to Augustus's political success?
What influence did ordinary Roman citizens have over political decisions?
What parallels exist between ancient Roman power structures and modern business and political influence?
How did Servilia navigate political relationships and exercise power without formal authority?
What can modern leaders learn from ancient Rome about political intelligence, relationships, and systemic change?
Take Action
Examine Your Leadership Context - Consider how cultural expectations, organisational traditions, and unwritten rules influence your decisions and opportunities.
Understand How Power Operates - Identify the relationships, resources, and informal networks that determine who has influence within your organisation.
Recognise the Limits of Awareness - Learn from Cicero's experience that recognising problems does not automatically provide the authority or resources needed to address them.
Build Strategic Relationships - Reflect on how Augustus relied on trusted allies and consider how strong relationships can support effective leadership.
Look Beyond Formal Authority - Learn from Servilia's ability to influence decisions through relationships, political intelligence, and careful coordination.
Question Established Structures - Consider whether existing systems continue to serve their intended purpose and how emerging sources of influence may affect them.
Plan Beyond Immediate Change - Examine the long-term consequences of major decisions and ensure there is a clear direction after a significant leadership transition.
Go Deeper:
Explore Zoë’s books: https://zoerouthauthor.com
Enter the Power Games giveaway here
Learn more about Power Games: https://zoerouthauthor.com/products/power-games-paperback
Key Moments
00:00 Introduction and Welcome to the Show
00:33 Weekly Leadership Question: Cultural Context and Power
00:49 Planet Zoë: Manuscript Editing and Book Title Help
01:35 Power Games Giveaway Winners
02:55 Meet Fiona Forsyth
04:19 Why Ancient Rome?
05:36 Studying Latin and Reading Roman Writers
07:29 Who Was Ovid?
12:07 Why Augustus Exiled Ovid
17:31 Power and the Fall of the Roman Republic
21:48 Cicero, Political Influence and Ruthlessness
23:26 The Catiline Conspiracy and the Limits of Legal Power
25:31 Cicero Watches the Republic Collapse
26:55 How Augustus Reshaped the Roman Republic
28:42 Agrippa, Maecenas and Livia: Power Behind the Throne
30:31 The Power of Ordinary Romans and the Grain Supply
31:22 Ancient Rome: What Feels Modern and What Feels Alien?
32:25 Technology Billionaires, Political Power and Modern Parallels
36:18 Servilia: The Master Strategist Behind the Scenes
41:25 Fast Three: Surprising Roman History
42:14 Cicero's Political Influence and Cutting Insults
46:34 Fiona Forsyth's Historical Fiction and Ovid Mystery Series
49:55 Final Thoughts, Power Games Giveaway and Next Guest
Related episodes on Power and Leadership
419: The Great Man, Hidden Hands and Buried Code - What Ancient Rome Teaches Us About Power
389 Navigating Power: Balancing Influence and Integrity with Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau
About Fiona Forsyth
Born in Dover in the south of England, I now live in Warrington in the UK.
I went to Oxford to study Classics and taught at The Manchester Grammar School for twenty-five years. I also ran the school’s bookshop - the best job in the place.
When my husband took a job in the Middle East running the Qatar Foundation schools, the family was ready for a challenge. I had a blast, and started writing a series of books I had been mulling over for years – the story of Rome’s change from Republic to Empire in the first centuries BCE and CE.
Since moving back to UK and formally retiring, I am now writing my eighth historical novel set in the world of ancient Rome. And yes, I have a cat.
About Zoë Routh
Zoë Routh is a leadership futurist, podcaster, and multiple award-winning author. She works with leaders and teams to navigate future horizons.
She has worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and the Boardroom jungles, Zoë is an adventurist! She facilitates strategy and culture sessions with audacious teams.
Zoë's fourth leadership book, People Stuff - Beyond Personality Problems: An advanced handbook for leadership, won the Book of the Year at the Australian Business Book Awards in 2020. Her fifth book is a near future science fiction dystopian novel, The Olympus Project.
Zoë is the producer of the The Future of Leadership Podcast dedicated to asking “What if…?” and sharing Big Ideas on the Future of Leadership.
Zoë is an outdoor adventurist and enjoys telemark skiing, has run six marathons, is a one-time belly-dancer, has survived cancer, and loves hiking in the high country. She is married to a gorgeous Aussie and is a self-confessed dark chocolate addict.