Emperor of Rome: Ruling the ancient Roman world
By Mary Beard ISBN: 978-1805220220 Profile Books (2023) - £30.00
Most people will associate ancient Rome with its emperors. This is hardly surprising. The most iconic archaeological sites, especially those in Rome – the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill, and so on – are associated with the emperors. The most well-known literary sources are concerned, first and foremost, with the actions of the emperor.
seeks to explore the many stories about Roman emperors, from to be emperor” (p. xvi). This is not a dry political theory book, however. Instead, Beard delves into the day-to-day activities of the emperor and those who surrounded him, from slaves to senators, as well as the more political aspects of the empire. As Beard writes, “We understand him [the emperor] better if we understand where he lived, how and what he ate, who took his diction and delivered his letters, or who he slept with” (p. 407).
