1. Augustus
Augustus recounts the rise of Octavian from the adopted heir of Julius Caesar to the first Roman emperor. It follows the civil wars that destroyed the Republic, his rivalry with Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and the political settlement that allowed him to hold supreme power while…
2. Constantine the Great
Constantine the Great follows the Roman emperor through the civil wars of the early fourth century, his victory over rival claimants and the reunification of the empire under his rule. It examines his conversion to Christianity, the Edict of Milan, his involvement in Church disputes and…
3. Justinian I
Justinian I examines the sixth-century Byzantine emperor whose reign combined ambitious reconquest with major legal, religious and architectural projects. It covers the campaigns of Belisarius and other generals in North Africa and Italy, the codification of Roman law and the building of Hagia Sophia. The book…
5. Tiberius
Tiberius follows Rome’s second emperor from his early military career and troubled place within the family of Augustus to his accession in AD 14. It examines his administration, relations with the Senate, the rise and fall of Sejanus and the emperor’s later withdrawal to Capri. The…