Emperor of Rome

Ruling the Ancient World

De: Mary Beard

Narrado por: Mary Beard

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

missing the PDF

This review is specific to the Audible version. It seems like there should be an accompanying PDF, but it isn't provided.

The actual book is excellent, and Prof. Beard is a wonderful narrator.

Informative

Well written and detailed book. Learned several things I didn’t know previously. My only complaint is that it is so slowly read I had to speed it up to help from falling asleep.

Must be the narration....

I know much of this information and when I can track with the author's thread I enjoy the content but the narration is so hard to work with. I find it so difficult to follow what is being communicated and keep drifting off the track despite my strong desire to get with it. Every five minutes I have to refocus because I've completely lost track - and after thinking about this phenomenon I have decided it must be the sing-song narration since I've almost never had this difficulty with any of my other thousand titles. I am interested in SPQR but will need to sample fully I think...

Very Engaging Read

I really enjoyed this book, my first from Professor Beard. She kept me very entertained and explained the role of the Roman emperors and society in an engaging manner.

Interesting, well researched, and well written!

I love the fact that Mary Beard makes all of this so interesting and that she reads her work.

She’s a Legend

I would never say anything negative about the living legend, Mary Beard. However, this isn’t the book for those of us that already have a deeper understanding and grasp on the history of Rome. The book is, of course, extremely well researched, documented, well written and narrated but it’s just the same basic information that you get from any other historical book of Rome. There are some tidbits of information that were new to me but I don’t think they justify an entire reading for those already familiar with Roman history.

Clear what is often mistaken

Read and listen, this will sense to much of what you have read before and Mary Beard reading herself is amazing

Excellent expression of Rome and its emperors

Excellent expression of Rome and its emperors told in modern relatable language. The authors depth of knowledge is extraordinary.

SPQR

Mary Beard's vast knowledge of the subject is awesome and her voice is that of a great historian.

Narcissism is ever present and the masses adapt to it.

I am reading this for a Book Group at my local library and would most likely not have chosen it for myself. She makes the point that she was specifically covering the portions of the Roman Empire when there was “one man rule” of the 30 men, from Julius Caesar ( 48 BCE) to the death of Alexander (235 CE) and that “what it was to be a Roman emperor” shifted dramatically after that. I simply would like to have heard more analysis and comparison of the power, corruption and conspiracy to modern autocrats. I guess she leaves that to another author.