The twelve caesars annotated and over 8 million other books are available for. The twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus, translated by robert graves 1965. The twelve caesars by suetonius, 1957 online research. Free audio book that you can download in mp3, ipod and itunes format for your portable audio player. As private secretary to the emperor hadrian, suetonius gained a. Kline illustrated with busts and coins of the roman emperors.
Germanicus, the father of caius caesar, and son of. Caligula kindle edition by gaius suetonius tranquillus author 4. The twelve caesars by suetonius gives biographical sketches of the men who ruled the western world for a century and a half, from the end of the republic to the death of domitian. The secessionist empires the tetrarchy constantinian era the late empire. The twelve caesars served as a model for the biographies of 2nd and early 3rdcentury emperors compiled by marius maximus. Synopsis the reigns and characters of 12 roman rulers, from julius caesar to domitian, are explored in detail. Not much is known about the life of gaius suetonius tranquillus. Contains suetonius chapter on caligula gaius julius caesar augustus germanicus. About the author gaius suetonius tranquillus was probably born in ad69 the famous year of the four emperors. The son of the popular roman general germanicus and augustuss granddaughter agrippina the elder, caligula was born into the first ruling family of the roman empire, conventionally known as the julioclaudian dynasty. Xiii his joyous reception by the roman people book four. Suetonius composed his material from a variety of sources, without much concern for their reliability. 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.
Suetonius twelve caesars is a key narrative source for the period it covers and, unlike tacitus, it has survived entire and is uninterrupted. Click here for coins of the twelve caesars for sale at forum ancient coins. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The work, written in ad 121 during the reign of the emperor hadrian, was the most popular work of suetonius, at that time hadrians personal secretary, and is the largest among his surviving. Moreover, the inscription on the altar adds no strength to plinys view, for agrippina twice gave birth to daughters in that region, and any childbirth, regardless of sex, is called puerperium, since the men of old called girls puerae, just as they called boys puelli. Lives of the caesars by suetonius e vita caesarum latin, direct translation. The twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus nook.
The twelve caesars is, along with tacituss histories and the annals and cassius dios history of rome, one of the earliest sources that has a narrative covering political events in the roman empire from about the midfirst century bce to 96 ce, which covers the fall of the roman republic through to the end of romes second imperial. Contains suetonius chapter on caligula gaius julius caesar augustus germanicus from his classic the twelve caesars. The book provides valuable information on the heritage, personal habits, physical appearance, lives, and political careers of the first roman emperors as it mentions details which other sources. 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 details of romes most famously debauched. 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. The work, written in ad 121 during the reign of the emperor hadrian, was the.
He served as quaestor in 7ad five years before the legal age and became consul in 12ad without holding the intermediate offices. From the letters of suetonius close friend pliny the younger. Viii the birth of gaius caligula gaius caesar caligula was born on the 31st of august ad12, in the consulship of his father, germanicus, and gaius fonteius capito. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures.
This masterpiece of observation, immortalized in robert gravess classic. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Caligulas father, germanicus, who was the son of drusus the elder and antonia the younger, was adopted in 4ad by germanicuss paternal uncle,tiberius. Suetonius, author of history of the twelve caesars, on librarything. Read caius caesar caligula the lives of the twelve caesars vol. Gaius suetonius tranquillus was probably born in ad69 the famous year of. Caius caesar caligula ebook by gaius suetonius tranquillus. This penguin classic of the twelve caesars by suetonius is the perfect place to.
The lives of the twelve caesars 1 10 of 15 books books by suetonius. If youre reading purely for historical quality, i suggest livy or tacitus. See all 5 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The work, probably written around 121ad in the reign of hadrian, therefore covers the crucial and highly eventful period of roman history from the end of the republic to the reign of domitian. A translation into english with indepth name index by a. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. 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. The twelve caesarsby suetoniusthe literary work a group of biographies, set within the roman empire between 85 bce and 96 ce composed in latin during the second century ce. As private secretary to the emperor hadrian, the scholar suetonius had. Paperback third revised edition 1989 from the revised edition of 1979.
Gaius caesar is born on august 31, ad 12, and is one of tiberius grandsons. Lives of the caesars by suetonius the greatest books. The biography of the brutal, crazed and incestuous roman emperor caligula, who tried to appoint his own horse consul. For example, suetonius is the main source on the lives of caligula, his uncle. The lives of the caesars include the biographies of julius caesar and the eleven subsequent emperors. The twelve caesars, is a set of twelve biographies of julius caesar and the first 11 emperors of the roman empire written by gaius suetonius tranquillus. 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. The twelve caesars is a set of twelve biographies of julius caesar and the first 11 emperors of the roman empire written by gaius suetonius tranquillus. The work, probably written around 121ad in the reign of hadrian, therefore covers the crucial and highly eventful period of.
Julius and augustus might be more important caesars, but no one was as crazy as caligula. Suetonius because of his baldness and hairiness, he announced it was a capital offence for anyone either to look down on him as he passed or to mention goats in any context. It was to the jokes of the soldiers in the camp that he owed the name of caligula 388. Michael grant firstcentury roman life is portrayed in sketches of the family histories, public careers, physical traits, private lives, and vices of roman rulers from julius caesar to domitian. Each of suetonius biographies follow the similar pattern in which the individuals heritage, politicalmilitary career, private lives, personal habits, and. Considered highly significant in antiquity, the twelve caesars has remained a major source of roman history. On the life of the caesars commonly known as the twelve caesars, is a set of twelve biographies of julius caesar and the first 11 emperors of the roman empire written by gaius suetonius tranquillus. The twelve caesars chapter 4, gaius caligula summary. For amusing antecdotes that read more like a tabloid, the twelve caesars is worth checking out. 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.
Furthermore, we have a letter written by augustus to his granddaughter agrippina, a few. No text better depicts the lunacy and moral incontinence of men such as tiberius, gaius caligula, and nero. 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. A masterpiece of observation, anecdote and detailed physical description, the twelve caesars presents us with a gallery of vividly drawn and all too human individuals. History of the twelve caesars by suetonius librarything. Books by suetonius sorted by popularity project gutenberg. The lives of the twelve caesars by suetonius books on. The twelve caesars in a new prose translation table of contents book i julius caesar book ii augustus book iii tiberius book iv gaius caligula book v claudius book vi nero book vii galba, otho, vitellius book viii vespasian, titus, domitian. Iv by gaius suetonius tranquillus available from rakuten kobo. 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.
1024 637 1568 750 1466 651 349 1224 231 559 920 251 674 1284 609 922 1033 230 252 815 1380 1445 836 1372 289 626 334 44 1302 520 387 97 333 755 331 657 1337 1205 1050 130 320