Ausonius, on the twelve caesars whose lives were written. With a position close to the imperial court he was able to access otherwise private sources for his work, and he certainly did not hold back on revealing the sometimes sordid. The twelve caesars by suetonius, 1957 online research. The twelve caesars is probably the most in depth book ever written about the personal lives of the twelve caesars. The biographies are not wholly flattering nor are events told in chronological sequence but they reveal some candid details of romes first citizens. Septicius clarus, prefect of the praetorian guard, his lives of the caesars. Suetonius tranquillus was the son of a roman knight who commanded a legion, on the side of otho, at the. Suetonius, who lived through a period of stable but despotic imperial rule, wanted to explore the nature of imperial power and how a. Buy the twelve caesars penguin classics book online at best prices in india on. Ad 110 caesar was a most skillful swordsman and horseman, and showed surprising powers of endurance. The family moved to rome, with a large throng of dependants, either shortly after the foundation of the city in 753bc, at the instigation of titus tatius, who ruled jointly with. As private secretary to the emperor hadrian, the scholar suetonius had access. The twelve caesars by suetonius penguin books australia.
Booktopia has the twelve caesars, penguin classics by suetonius. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. That the family of the octavii was of the first distinction in velitrae, 1 is rendered evident by many circumstances. From the twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus translated by robert graves 1965 the octavians, by all accounts, were famous in ancient velitrae. An essential primary source on roman history, suetonius the twelve caesars is a fascinating achievement of scholarship covering a critical period in the empire. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 363 pages and is available in paperback format. The twelve caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over rome, from the. Not much is known about the life of gaius suetonius tranquillus. The twelve ceasars of suetonius born ad 69, covering the roman rulers from julius caesar to domitian, remains one of the richest and most fascinating of all latin histories. It is a gossipy chronicle with a fascinating perspective on the lives of the first twelve roman caesars that significantly intersects with second temple judaism and the birth and spread of christianity. An essential primary source on roman history and a fascinating achievement of scholarship covering a critical period in the empire as private secretary to the emperor hadrian, the scholar suetonius had access to the imperial archives and used them along with eyewitness accounts to produce one of the most colourful biographical works in history. By suetonius tranquillus rita mae brown, author of rubyfruit jungle and several mystery series, first read suetonius lives of the caesars in college.
The twelve caesars penguin classics 9780140440720 by suetonius and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books. Over the last couple of days, i read the twelve caeasars cf. The lives of the twelve caesars is a work of biography, and its strength is the expounding upon human character, rather than history. Oct 25, 2007 buy the twelve caesars penguin classics rev. Download pdf the twelve caesars penguin classics free. He always led his army, more often on foot than in the saddle, went bareheaded in sun and rain alike, and could travel for long distances at incredible speed. Jan 21, 2008 an essential primary source on roman history, suetonius the twelve caesars is a fascinating achievement of scholarship covering a critical period in the empire.
For in the most frequented part of the town, there was, not long since, a street named the octavian. This book, though old, is still very interesting and informative today. The twelve caesars julius caesar, augustus, tiberius, caligula, claudius, nero, galba, otho, vitellius, vespasian, titus, and domitiancreated an empire which dominated the then known world and influenced it for a millennium. He informs us in his preface, that a version of suetonius was with him only a secondary object, his principal design being to form a just estimate of roman literature, and to elucidate the state of government, and the manners of the times. Afterwards deified from the twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus translated by robert graves 1965 the octavians, by all accounts, were famous in ancient velitrae. Here take the twice six caesars into whose sovereignty the sway of rome passed long ago, leaving the consuls second in authority. The work was written in 121 during the reign of the emperor hadrian, while suetonius was hadrians personal secretary. This study guide consists of approximately 35 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the twelve caesars. The twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus, translated by robert graves 1965. Book iii tiberius a new freely downloadable translation. Gaius suetonius tranquillus was probably born in ad69 the famous year of the four emperors. He served as quaestor in 7ad five years before the legal age and became consul in 12ad without holding the intermediate offices. I marked up my print copy while listening to a hour audio book. Gaius suetonius tranquillus, commonly known as suetonius c.
Suetonius goes to great lengths to reveal the way these men really were, as human beings. Gaius suetonius tranquillus c75 c160 ad the twelve caesars is a set of twelve biographies of julius caesar and the first 11 emperors of the roman empire. Suetonius, who lived through a period of stable but despotic imperial rule, wanted to explore. The main characters of this history, classics story are nero, caligula.
Lives of the twelve caesars 2 basis of the present. The twelve caesars penguin classics by suetonius and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Caligulas father, germanicus, who was the son of drusus the elder and antonia the younger, was adopted in 4ad by germanicuss paternal uncle,tiberius. Pdf the twelve caesars book by suetonius free download. This masterpiece of observation, immortalized in robert gravess classic. To which are added, his lives of the grammarians, rhetoricians, and poets. The twelve caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over rome, from the foundation of the empire under julius caesar and augustus, to the decline into depravity and civil war under nero. The patrician branch of the claudians there being a plebeian branch too, no less influential and distinguished was originally from regillum, a sabine town. The twelve caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over rome, from the foundation of the empire under julius caesar and augustus to the decline into depravity under nero and. As private secretary to the emperor hadrian, suetonius gained access to the imperial archives and used them along with carefully gathered eyewitness accounts to produce one of the most colourful biographical works in history. Not only is this a most engaging translation by robert graves, author of i claudius, but there is a short forward by classics scholar, michael grant. The plan adopted by suetonius in his lives of the twelve caesars, led him to be more diffuse on their personal conduct and habits than on public events.
Julius caesar, the divine 3, lost his father 4 when he was in the sixteenth year of his age 5. Topics generalities publisher modern library new york collection universallibrary. The twelve caesars by suetonius translated by robert graves. Apparently news of an attack by a neighbouring city. The twelve caesars book xiv ausonius on the twelve caesars whose lives were written by suetonius tranquillus in single verses i. Mar 22, 2010 suetonius the twelve caesars suetonius the twelve cesars if a friend asked me to tell him if it is worth it to read suetonius book the twelve cesars, i would say it is. Buy a discounted paperback of the twelve caesars online from australias leading online. The lives of the twelve caesars, complete by suetonius. Dec 18, 2007 the twelve caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over rome, from the foundation of the empire under julius caesar and augustus to the decline into depravity under nero and the recovery that came with his successors.
Topics generalities publisher modern library new york collection universallibrary contributor braou language english. Each emperor is dissected, and his actions beyond politics and professionalism revealed. History of the twelve caesars by suetonius librarything. This penguin classic of the twelve caesars by suetonius is the perfect place to start for anybody interested in ancient grecoroman history and culture. Dec 31, 2002 as private secretary to the emperor hadrian, suetonius gained access to the imperial archives and used them along with carefully gathered eyewitness accounts to produce one of the most colourful biographical works in history. The lives of the twelve caesars concentrates on the acts and personalities of the julioclaudians and their immediate successors. Publication date 19570630 publisher penguin classics collection. Oct 25, 2007 the twelve caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over rome, from the foundation of the empire under julius caesar and augustus to the decline into depravity under nero and the recovery that came with his successors.
It was noted too, and there was widespread comment to this effect, that all the caesars named gaius had died by the sword, beginning with caesar strabo who was killed in the days of cinna. Buy the twelve caesars penguin classics book online at low. Suetonius the twelve caesars followed an established convention of the short biographical essay, which lent itself to convivial sharing before an audience but could also be used to explore important themes. Nov 10, 2004 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Together with tacitus annals, this work is a major source for the historical details in robert graves novels i claudius and claudius the god. In modern day politics, fidelity is considered a very important attribute. Suetonius tranquillus, the lives of the caesars, suetonius. The twelve caesars is a set of twelve biographies of julius caesar and the first 11 emperors of the roman empire. The lives of twelve caesars gaius suetonius tranquillus. Specifically suetonius relates how each of these successive emperors of the roman empire dealt with the office of supreme power. Not only is this a most engaging translation by robert graves, author of i claudius, but there is a.
The twelve caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over rome, from the foundation of the empire under julius caesar and augustus, to the decline into depravity and civil war under nero and the recovery that came with his successors. The first edition of the novel was published in 119, and was written by suetonius. But his history is also the most vivid and raciest account we. The work was written in 121 during the reign of the emperor hadrian, while suetonius. Librivox recording of the lives of the twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus, translated by alexander thomson, m.
The twelve caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over rome, from the foundation of the empire under julius caesar and augustus to the decline into depravity under nero and the recovery that came with his successors. On the life of the caesars concentrates on the acts and personalities of the julioclaudians and their. After the dismissal of both men for some breach of court etiquette, suetonius. A single verse here records each of those emperors of whom. Free download or read online the twelve caesars pdf epub book. This collection, apparently entitled caesares, does not survive, but it was a source for a later biographical collection, known as historia augusta, which now forms a kind of sequel to suetonius work. An octavian street runs through the busiest part of the city, and an altar is shown there consecrated by one octavius, a local commander. The twelve caesars is a set of twelve biographies of julius caesar and the first eleven emperors of the roman empire. Suetonius the twelve caesars suetonius the twelve cesars if a friend asked me to tell him if it is worth it to read suetonius book the twelve cesars, i would say it is. This penguin classics edition is translated from the latin by robert graves, author of i, claudius, revised with an introduction and notes by james b. The twelve caesars served as a model for the biographies of 2nd and early 3rdcentury emperors compiled by marius maximus. Suetonius s the twelve caesars is also available in penguin classics. Some expressed the view that even the memory of the caesars should be erased and their temples obliterated. The twelve caesarsjulius caesar, augustus, tiberius, caligula, claudius, nero, galba, otho, vitellius, vespasian, titus, and domitiancreated an empire which dominated the then known world and influenced it for a millennium.
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