Author Description

The Twelve Caesars is a set of twelve biographies, about the first twelve men who ruled Rome as emperor. The book provides essential insights into life during the fall of the Republic and the early Imperial era. As well as a riveting account of power struggles among members of imperial families, during times when murder could topple thrones and bring the empires crashing down. In this volume you will find Augustus Caesar's early years; his rise to power; his military campaigns against Mark Antony and Cleopatra; Tiberius' accession to power after Augustus' death; Gaius Caligula's brief reign; Claudius' ascension after being passed over several times for succession due to physical disabilities--and how he eventually became beloved by both Romans and subjects throughout his empire; Nero's youthful excesses followed by his steady descent into madness and tyranny; the equally mad, tyrannous beginnings of Galba, Otho and Vitellius; and how Vespasian started out as a commoner only to become emperor. Suetonius was a Roman nobleman and a court official under Emperor Hadrian. It is considered to be one of the major sources on Roman history available today.