Roman Imperial Biographies
About the Book Series
The Roman Imperial Biographies series provides a unique and virtually comprehensive collection of the lives and works of the most important Roman Emperors from Augustus, and the genesis of Roman Imperial rule, to Constantine, and the emergence of a rival empire in the East. The biographies analyse the political, military, social and religious impact of the emperors and the satellites, as well as examining the emperors as individuals.
The series offers an invaluable insight into the triumphs, failures and everyday lives of the men at the spearhead of the Roman Empire, which will be of enormous interest to the specialist and non-specialist alike. It represents the broadest range of Imperial Biographies currently available.
Claudius
2nd Edition
By Barbara Levick
June 30, 2020
Claudius became emperor after the assassination of Caligula, and was deified by his successor Nero in AD 54. Opinions of him have varied greatly over succeeding centuries, but he has mostly been caricatured as a reluctant emperor, hampered by a speech impediment, who preferred reading to ...
Honorius: The Fight for the Roman West AD 395-423
1st Edition
By Chris Doyle
June 30, 2020
Honorius explores the personal life and tumultuous times of one of the last emperors of the Roman West. From his accession to the throne aged ten to his death at thirty-eight, Honorius’ reign was blighted by a myriad of crises: military rebellions, political conspiracies, barbarian invasions, and ...
Vespasian
2nd Edition
By Barbara Levick
June 30, 2020
From a pre-eminent biographer in the field, this volume examines the life and times of the emperor Vespasian and challenges the validity of his perennial good reputation and universally acknowledged achievements. Levick examines how this plebeian and uncharismatic Emperor restored peace and ...
Caligula: The Abuse of Power
2nd Edition
By Anthony A. Barrett
December 12, 2019
The Roman Empire has always exercised a considerable fascination. Among its numerous colourful personalities, no emperor, with the possible exception of Nero, has attracted more popular attention than Caligula, who has a reputation, whether deserved or not, as the quintessential mad and dangerous ...
Augustus
2nd Edition
By Pat Southern
June 16, 2017
The first Emperor of Rome holds a perennial fascination for anyone with an interest in the Romans and their Empire. Augustus was a truly remarkable man who brought peace after many years of civil wars and laid the foundations of an Empire that lasted for nearly five centuries. Even today the Roman ...
Galerius and the Will of Diocletian
1st Edition
By William Lewis Leadbetter
March 25, 2013
Drawing from a variety of sources - literary, visual, archaeological; papyri, inscriptions and coins – the author studies the nature of Diocletian’s imperial strategy, his wars, his religious views and his abdication. The author also examines Galerius’ endeavour to take control of Diocletian’s ...
Constantine and the Christian Empire
2nd Edition
By Charles Odahl
August 28, 2012
This biographical narrative is a detailed portrayal of the life and career of the first Christian emperor Constantine the Great (273 – 337). Combining vivid narrative and historical analysis, Charles Odahl relates the rise of Constantine amid the crises of the late Roman world, his dramatic ...
Julius Caesar: The Colossus of Rome
1st Edition
By Richard A. Billows
October 07, 2011
Julius Caesar offers a lively, engaging, and thoroughly up-to-date account of Caesar’s life and times. Richard Billows’ dynamic and fast paced narrative offers an imaginative recounting of actions and events, providing the ideal introduction to Julius Caesar for general readers and students of ...
Domitian: Tragic Tyrant
1st Edition
By Pat Southern
October 06, 2009
This is the first ever study to assess Emperor Domitian from a psychological point of view and covers his entire career from the early years and the civil war AD through the imperial rule to the dark years and the psychology of suspicion. Pat Southern strips away hyperbole and sensationalism from ...
Theodosius: The Empire at Bay
1st Edition
By Gerard Friell, Stephen Williams
August 08, 2005
Emperor Theodosius (379-95) was the last Roman emperor to rule a unified empire of East and West and his reign represents a turning point in the policies and fortunes of the Late Roman Empire. In this imperial biography, Stephen Williams and Gerry Friell bring together literary, archaeological and ...
Nerva and the Roman Succession Crisis of AD 96-99
1st Edition
By John D. Grainger
October 12, 2004
The imperial succession at Rome was notoriously uncertain, and where possible hereditary succession was preferred. John Grainger's detailed study looks at aperiod of intrigue and conspiracy. He explores how, why and by whom Domitian was killed, the rule of Nerva, chosen to succeed him, and finally...
Aurelian and the Third Century
1st Edition
By Alaric Watson
February 03, 2004
Aurelian and the Third Century provides a re-evaluation, in the light of recent scholarship, of the difficulties facing the Roman empire in the AD 260s and 270s, concentrating upon the reign of the Emperor Aurelian and his part in summoning them. With introduction examining the situation in ...