The Twelve Caesars: Suetonius (Penguin Classics)

Suetonius' Twelve Caesars is a key narrative source for the period it covers and, unlike Tacitus, it has survived entire and is uninterrupted. Beginning with Caesar himself, in the mid first century BC, it ends in AD 96 with Domitian and covers the reigns of such emperors as Tiberius, Caligula, and Nero. Organised according to each of these twelve emperors' lives, it contains more or less self-contained if unequal chapters (long reigns are given more space). Thus the story progresses from the civil wars that surrounded Caesar's rise to power, the establishment of the principate under Augustus, and on to the more debauched reigns of their descendents in the early first century AD. It closes with the establishment of a new dynasty, the Flavians, represented by Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian.The introduction appositely remarks that Suetonius was following, in this work, the classical format of eulogy or biography, rather than history, according to classical forms. As a result, each reign is organised topically, beginning with ancestry, going on to civic achievements, then military campaigns, then the given emperor's vices or crimes, and the manner of his death complete with warnings and omens. This means that a reader completely unacquainted with the period may find the overarching story hard to follow, and it is best to be armed with basic knowledge of it. At the same time, firstly, Suetonius does follow a loose chronological progression within each topic he addresses and within each life, and secondly his writing is really clear and easy to follow. Suetonius as historian was impressive, moreover: in addition to testimonies and oral sources, he examined written sources including letters written by the protagonists, e.g. Augustus, and official Roman records, e.g. the treasury's. This is exceptional, indeed to my knowledge unprecedented, for a classical writer. Though sometimes his sources appear to fail him, this is rare and his account is authoritative. Twelve Caesars, in addition to being easy to read, is an essential source on the early Roman Empire.

I read this many, many years ago and found it fascinating. My original copy fell apart and I recently bought a replacement and have been rereading it. The stories of the twelve caesars reveal the full range of strengths and weaknesses of mankind in a time that could often be brutal and are still as interesting today as when I first read the book. Adult themes throughout and bloody violence from time to time.

Although interesting, most of these biographies are almost entirely bereft of anything ennobling to the human spirit. But as studies of lust, greed, cruelty, cowardice and insanity they have few equals. The first vernacular translation of 1381 was French, and it is no surprise that Gilles de Rais, during his trial in 1440, cited the influence of Suetonius.This translation is by Robert Graves, author of 'I, Claudius' and 'Claudius the God'. Anyone who has read those books will already be familiar with many of Suetonius' anecdotes and descriptions of personal vice and virtue attributable to the emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius. Reading the novels first is advantageous as Suetonius assumes his contemporary Roman readers are versed in history and Roman culture.The series continues up to Domitian and with the exception of Augustus and Vespasian the emperors are all painted as more or less vile characters. Although the format of each biography is roughly the same, the section on virtue is invariably shorter than the section on vice. Perhaps Suetonius, writing during the reign of Hadrian, the third of the Five Good Emperors, was intent on penning malicious slander against previous dynasties. More likely it illustrates the truth behind Acton's famous observation that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."Graves' translation has been altered, reinserting Latin words instead of 1930s English equivalents for a more authentic read. A glossary of terms is supplied together with genealogical charts and maps. The introduction by J.B Rives contains the following essays:Suetonius' Life and WorksThe Twelve CaesarsThe Influence of SuetoniusReading Suetonius

I read this decades ago and leant it to someone who never returned it. i have thought about what i read in these pages over the years and had to buy a replacement to read again. You will not believe what these men were like.....Utterly fascinating....and incredible. No wonder the Roman empire fell apart!!

Anyone who has the mildest interest in the Julio Claudian and Flavian emperors should read this now!

I enjoyed this book but was puzzled by some of the translations. There are many verses in the book and they all rhyme. A verse written in one language, in this case Latin, should not still rhyme when translated into another language but in all the cases here they do. It makes me wonder about the translation as a whole.

Brilliant book - often referred to by the historians when presenting factual histories of Rome. The book is a multi purpose in as much as the reader can 'dip into' individual Ceasars to glean specific information, but read the book as a whole in sequence to get the feel of what was going on in Rome. I am reading this book again for the second time in 3 months and I find that each time I read it I discover a new fact that I had glossed over previously. I would recommend this book for all people interested in this period of history. I would also suggest that the reader does not skip the numbered notes (they increase your comprehension of the text if read as you encounter them). I am reading alongside Ceasar's 'The Conquest of Gaul'. I intend to read about The Laws of Rome next

Robert Graves translation keeps the story alive and although originally written two thousand years ago there is still a message for those in power today.