Original sentence: Syme relies on prosopography, especially the work of Friedrich Münzer, to show the extent to which Augustus achieved his unofficial but undisputed power by the development of personal relationships into a "Caesarian" party, then used it to defeat and diminish the opposition one by one
Edited sentence: Even so, Syme's recounting is masterful; he relies on prosopography, especially the work of Friedrich Münzer, to show the extent to which Augustus achieved his unofficial but undisputed power by the development of personal relationships into a "Caesarian" party, then used it to defeat and diminish the opposition one by one