After Nero's notorious reign, the Romans surely deserved a period of peace and tranquility. Instead, during AD69, three emperors were murdered: Galba, just days into the post, Otho and Vitellius. The same year also saw civil war in Italy, two desperate battles at Cremona and the capture of Rome for Vespasian, which action saw the fourth emperor of the year, but also brought peace. This classic work, now updated and reissued under a new title, is a gripping account of this tumultuous year. Wellesley also focuses on the year's historical importance, which also marked the watershed between the first and second imperial dynasties.
A striking history of ancient Rome, "69 A.D." is an original and compelling account of one of the best known but perhaps least understood periods in all Roman history.
A fast-paced historical novel about two women with the power to sway an empire, from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Alice Network and The Briar Club. A.D. 69. The Roman Empire is up for the taking. Everything will change—especially the lives of two sisters with a very personal stake in the outcome. Elegant and ambitious, Cornelia embodies the essence of the perfect Roman wife. She lives to one day see her loyal husband as Emperor. Her sister Marcella is more aloof, content to witness history rather than make it. But when a bloody coup turns their world upside-down, both women must maneuver carefully just to stay alive. As Cornelia tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams, Marcella discovers a hidden talent for influencing the most powerful men in Rome. In the end, though, there can only be one Emperor...and one Empress.
The author of God’s Viking brings to life “a period in Roman history that provides many twists and turns as Rome emerged from the period of rule by Nero” (Firetrench). With the death of Nero by his own shaky hand, the ill-sorted, ill-starred Julio-Claudian dynasty came to an ignominious end, and Rome was up for the taking. This was 9 June, AD 68. The following year, commonly known as the “Year of the Four Emperors,” was probably one of Rome’s worst. In all previous successions, the new emperor had some relation to his predecessor, but the psychotic and paranoid Nero had done away with any eligible relatives. The new emperor had to secure his legal position and authority with regards to the Senate and to the army, as well as to those who had a vested interest in the system, the Praetorian Guard. Because imperial authority was ultimately based on control of the military, a player in the game of thrones had to gain an unshakable command over the legions. Of course, this in turn meant that the soldiers themselves could impose their own choice. It was to take a tumultuous year of civil war and the death of three imperial candidates before a fourth candidate could come out on top, remain there, and establish for himself a new dynasty. Nic Fields narrates the twists and turns and the military events of this short but bloody period of Roman history. “We appear to meet more people than the cast of Game of Thrones (with about the same mortality rate!) but with the added bonus of this being history, not fiction . . . hugely entertaining.”—Miniature Wargames Magazine
As Emperor Nero casts his madness over Rome, a loyal soldier is caught in a conspiracy that threatens the empire in this historical epic. Rome, 68 AD: The tyrant emperor Nero has no heir, and whispers of rebellion are spreading fast. As Rome faces the possibility of becoming a republic once more, the ambitions of a few are about to bring untold corruption, chaos, and bloodshed. Aulus Caecina Severus, hero of the campaign against Boudica, has become part of a conspiracy to overthrow Caesar’s dynasty. But is it really all for the good of Rome? The boundary between service and self-preservation is far from clear, and navigating this dangerous path requires all Severus’ skills: as a cunning soldier and, increasingly, a deft politician. As the Year of the Four Emperors unfolds, the mighty Roman empire will be plunged into anarchy and civil war . . .
This fresh and engaging book looks at each of the Roman emperors from Julius Caesar in 44BC to Romulus Augustulus in AD 476, illuminating not only the manner of their deaths but what their final days tell us about their lives. We also hear how the most powerful position in the history of the Western world held a permanent appeal, despite its perils, with eager candidates constantly coming forward to seize the throne. Very few of the Roman emperors died a natural death. The insane Caligula was murdered after leaving the theatre; Caracalla while he was relieving himself. Caesar was stabbed twenty three times and Otho was dragged into the Tiber with a flesh-hook. However great an emperor's power, danger was ever present. Emperors Don't Die in Bed provides a clear history of the imperial succession as well as a compelling depiction of the intrigue and drama of Roman imperial politics.
McEvoy addresses the phenomenon of the Roman child-emperor during the late fourth century. Tracing the course of their reigns, the book looks at the sophistication of the Roman system of government which made their accessions possible, and the adaptation of existing imperial ideology to portray boys as young as six as viable rulers.
This eleventh edition was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time and it is considered to be a landmark encyclopaedia for scholarship and literary style.
This volume provides a highly detailed study of the short and troubled reign of Maximinus Thrax. Haegemans asks why Maximinus had such difficulty in consolidating his rule, examining the reasons behind senatorial hostility, the causes of the revolt which brought him down, and why it spread so widely.
