The Twelve Caesars"The personalities of the twelve caesars of ancient Rome have profoundly impressed themselves upon the world. They formed the theme of that most readable of biographers, Suetonius. He had a lot to say about their sexual and other aberrations, and one of the purposes of the present book is to try to penetrate the fog of picturesque rumor and estimate how seriously the various stories can be regarded. But this is only one part of a general attempt to discover what sort of men these astonishing Caesars were. They bore perilous responsibility of governing an empire comparable in gigantic magnitude and diversity to the United States today. It is a matter of perennial concern to investigate how the potentates who wield such vast might, and the men who advise them, cope with their tasks, or fail to cope with them. To what extent, for example, are we justified, after a study of the scorching pages of Tacitus, in applying to the Roman caesars Lord Acton's saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely? This is one of a number of questions, relating to their exercise of authority, to which Michael Grant--calling in additional sources of information, such as coins and inscriptions--endeavors to answer."--Jacket |
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Actium adopted advisers Agrippa Agrippina the younger already ancient Antony army Augustus autocratic Battle of Bedriacum became Berenice brass coin brother Burrus Caecina Caligula Capreae Cicero Civil Claudius Claudius's coin British Museum coinage command consuls consulship death declared dictator Dio Cassius displayed Domitian Drusus Drusus Caesar elder emperor empire failed father favour fear felt Flavian freedmen friends Gaius Galba Gaul Germanicus Germany governor Greek heir historian honour imperial Italy J. C. Rolfe Jewish Julia Livilla Julius Caesar knights later legionaries legions lived Lucius Messalina military Moreover Mucianus murder Nero Nero's never Nevertheless Octavian Otho Otho's palace Piso Pliny plot political Pompey praetorian guard praetorian prefect provinces reason reign Republican revolt Roman Rome ruler rumours Sabinus seemed Sejanus senate senatorial Seneca showed soldiers subsequently successful successor Suetonius Tacitus throne Tiberius Tigellinus tion Titus traditional trans troops Twelve Caesars Vespasian Vitellian Vitellius wife writing young