Lives of the Later CaesarsOne of the most controversial of all works to survive from ancient Rome, the Augustan History is our main source of information about the Roman emperors from 117 to 284 AD. Written in the late fourth century by an anonymous author, it is an enigmatic combination of truth, invention and humour. This volume contains the first half of the History, and includes biographies of every emperor from Hadrian to Heliogabalus - among them the godlike Marcus Antonius and his grotesquely corrupt son Commodus. The History contains many fictitious (but highly entertaining) anecdotes about the depravity of the emperors, as the author blends historical fact and faked documents to present our most complete - albeit unreliable - account of the later Roman Caesars. |
Contents
Hadrian | |
Aelius | |
Antoninus Pius | |
Marcus Antoninus | |
Verus | |
Pertinax | |
Didius Julianus | |
Severus | |
Pescennius Niger | |
Clodius Albinus | |
Antoninus Caracallus | |
Antoninus Geta | |
Other editions - View all
Lives of the Later Caesars: Augustan History, Part 1; Lives of Nerva and Trajan No preview available - 1976 |
Lives of the Later Caesars: Augustan History, Part 1; Lives of Nerva and Trajan No preview available - 1976 |
Lives of the Later Caesars: Augustan History, Part 1; Lives of Nerva and Trajan No preview available - 1976 |
Common terms and phrases
accepted according actually adopted Aelius Albinus already Antoninus appeared appointed army asked Augustus Aurelius Avidius Bassianus baths became born brother brought Caesar called carried Cassius citizen command Commodus consul course Dacia daughter death decreed died emperor empire enemy everything fact father friends gave give given gods gold guard Hadrian hand head held Heliogabalus History honour imperial power Italy Julianus killed kind king known letter lived loved Lucius Macrinus Marcus Marius Maximus military Moreover mother murder Nerva never Niger once ordered Parthians person Pertinax Pescennius PIR2 Pius prefect present principes provinces punishment put to death reason received regarded reported republic returned Roman Rome seems Senate sent Severus slaves soldiers sons statues Syria taken temple things thought took Trajan Verus wanted wife wish