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Emperor of Rome

Ruling the Ancient World

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Emperor of Rome

Written by: Mary Beard
Narrated by: Mary Beard
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About this listen

A sweeping account of the social and political world of the Roman emperors by “the world’s most famous classicist” (Guardian).

In her international bestseller SPQR, Mary Beard told the thousand-year story of ancient Rome. Now she shines her spotlight on the emperors who ruled the Roman empire, from Julius Caesar (assassinated 44 BCE) to Alexander Severus (assassinated 235 CE). Emperor of Rome is not your usual chronological account of Roman rulers, one after another: the mad Caligula, the monster Nero, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Beard asks bigger questions: What power did emperors actually have? Was the Roman palace really so bloodstained? She tracks down the emperor at home, at the races, on his travels, even on his way to heaven. She introduces his wives and lovers, rivals and slaves, court jesters and soldiers—and the ordinary people who pressed begging letters into his hands. Emperor of Rome goes directly to the heart of Roman (and our own) fantasies about what it was to be Roman, offering an account of Roman history as it has never been presented before.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Mary Beard (P)2023 Profile Books Ltd Ancient Historical Rome Ancient History Ancient Rome

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How to be an Emperor

Instead of an old school chronological description of emperors Mary Beard sweeps through time to illustrate what the concept of "emperor" meant to the persons who were emperor and the people under the Emperor. Along the way she deflates the grade school cartoon stereotypes of Roman Emperors and puts in their place a real world populated by complex people. Her style of reading is that of someone who knows her characters intimately and she tells their stories with familiarity and warmth. Even Caligula, who becomes more of a little boy lost, but with few limits on his whims and desires, becomes someone you might have sympathy for.

Whether the empires of your imagination are set in a mystical past or a galaxy far, far away, if there is an Emperor in it, this book will breathe life into them.

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