Caligula
The Mad Emperor of Rome
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $20.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
James Anderson Foster
About this listen
Explore all of the murder, madness and mayhem in Ancient Rome during the reign of the mad emperor, Caligula.
In this book about Rome’s most infamous emperor, expert author, Stephen Dando-Collins chronicles all the palace intrigues and murders that led to Caligula becoming emperor, and details the horrors of his manic reign and the murderous consequences brought about at the hand of his sister Agrippina the Younger, his uncle Claudius and his nephew Nero.
Skillfully researched, Dando-Collins puts the jigsaw pieces together to form an accurate picture of Caligula’s life and influences. Dando-Collins’ precise and thorough examination of the emperor’s life puts Caligula’s paranoid reign into perspective, examining the betrayals and deaths he experienced prior to his time in power and the onset of a near-fatal illness believed to have affected his mental-health.
©2019 Stephen Dando-Collins (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Nero
- Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome
- By: Anthony Everitt, Roddy Ashworth
- Narrated by: Greg Patmore
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Roman emperor Nero’s name has long been a byword for cruelty, decadence, and despotism. As the stories go, he set fire to Rome and thrummed his lyre as it burned. He then cleared the charred ruins and built a vast palace. He committed incest with his mother, who had schemed and killed to place him on the throne, and later murdered her. But these stories, left behind by contemporary historians who hated him, are hardly the full picture, and in this nuanced biography, celebrated historian Anthony Everitt and investigative journalist Roddy Ashworth reveal the contradictions inherent in Nero
-
-
An amazing 360 degree portrait
- By Cooper A Day on 01-01-23
By: Anthony Everitt, and others
-
Seven Against Thebes
- The Quest of the Original Magnificent Seven
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the thirteenth century BC, a quarter of a century before the Trojan War, seven Greek warrior heroes went against the Greek city of Thebes to restore one of their number to the throne of his father, the famous King Oedipus. Several children of those seven heroes would later take part in the siege of Troy. This adventure was equal in the minds of Greeks and Romans with the siege of Troy as told in Homer’s epic The Iliad, an event which it predated by a generation.
-
-
Stephen Dando-Collins does it again...
- By rzlbrk on 10-17-23
-
Evil Roman Emperors
- The Shocking History of Ancient Rome's Most Wicked Rulers from Caligula to Nero and More
- By: Phillip Barlag
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Roman history, from the very foundation of the city, is replete with people and stories that shock our modern sensibilities. Evil Roman Emperors puts the worst of Rome's rulers in one place and offers a review of their lives and a historical context for what made them into what they became.
-
-
Brisket and nu potato
- By Michael Ayers on 06-27-21
By: Phillip Barlag
-
Mark Antony's Heroes
- How the Third Gallica Legion Saved an Apostle and Created an Emperor
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: John FitzGibbon
- Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This fourth book in Dando-Collins’ definitive history of Rome’s legions tells the story of Rome’s 3rd Gallica Legion, which put Vespasian on the throne and saved the life of the Christian apostle Paul. Named for their leader, Mark Antony, these common Roman soldiers, through their gallantry on the battlefield, reshaped the Roman Empire and aided the spread of Christianity throughout Europe.
-
-
Well worth listening to
- By Acteon on 06-14-15
-
The Ides
- Caesar’s Murder and the War for Rome
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The assassination of Julius Caesar is one of the most notorious murders in history. Even now, many questions remain about his death: Was Brutus the hero and Caesar the villain? Was Mark Antony aware of the plot? Using historical evidence to sort out these and other puzzling issues, historian and award-winning author Stephen Dando-Collins recaptures the drama of Caesar's demise and the chaotic aftermath as the vicious struggle unfolded for power between Antony and Octavian.
-
-
Not Good History
- By Garcia on 09-18-11
-
Nero's Killing Machine
- The True Story of Rome's Remarkable 14th Legion
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Robert Fass
- Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 14th Gemina Martia Victrix Legion was the most celebrated unit of the early Roman Empire - a force that had been wiped out under Julius Caesar, reformed, and almost wiped out again. After participating in the a.d. 43 invasion of Britain, the 14th Legion achieved its greatest glory when it put down the famous rebellion of the Britons under Boudicca.
-
-
Read anything by this author.
- By Norbert S. Matson on 05-20-17
-
Nero
- Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome
- By: Anthony Everitt, Roddy Ashworth
- Narrated by: Greg Patmore
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Roman emperor Nero’s name has long been a byword for cruelty, decadence, and despotism. As the stories go, he set fire to Rome and thrummed his lyre as it burned. He then cleared the charred ruins and built a vast palace. He committed incest with his mother, who had schemed and killed to place him on the throne, and later murdered her. But these stories, left behind by contemporary historians who hated him, are hardly the full picture, and in this nuanced biography, celebrated historian Anthony Everitt and investigative journalist Roddy Ashworth reveal the contradictions inherent in Nero
-
-
An amazing 360 degree portrait
- By Cooper A Day on 01-01-23
By: Anthony Everitt, and others
-
Seven Against Thebes
- The Quest of the Original Magnificent Seven
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the thirteenth century BC, a quarter of a century before the Trojan War, seven Greek warrior heroes went against the Greek city of Thebes to restore one of their number to the throne of his father, the famous King Oedipus. Several children of those seven heroes would later take part in the siege of Troy. This adventure was equal in the minds of Greeks and Romans with the siege of Troy as told in Homer’s epic The Iliad, an event which it predated by a generation.
-
-
Stephen Dando-Collins does it again...
- By rzlbrk on 10-17-23
-
Evil Roman Emperors
- The Shocking History of Ancient Rome's Most Wicked Rulers from Caligula to Nero and More
- By: Phillip Barlag
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Roman history, from the very foundation of the city, is replete with people and stories that shock our modern sensibilities. Evil Roman Emperors puts the worst of Rome's rulers in one place and offers a review of their lives and a historical context for what made them into what they became.
-
-
Brisket and nu potato
- By Michael Ayers on 06-27-21
By: Phillip Barlag
-
Mark Antony's Heroes
- How the Third Gallica Legion Saved an Apostle and Created an Emperor
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: John FitzGibbon
- Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This fourth book in Dando-Collins’ definitive history of Rome’s legions tells the story of Rome’s 3rd Gallica Legion, which put Vespasian on the throne and saved the life of the Christian apostle Paul. Named for their leader, Mark Antony, these common Roman soldiers, through their gallantry on the battlefield, reshaped the Roman Empire and aided the spread of Christianity throughout Europe.
-
-
Well worth listening to
- By Acteon on 06-14-15
-
The Ides
- Caesar’s Murder and the War for Rome
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The assassination of Julius Caesar is one of the most notorious murders in history. Even now, many questions remain about his death: Was Brutus the hero and Caesar the villain? Was Mark Antony aware of the plot? Using historical evidence to sort out these and other puzzling issues, historian and award-winning author Stephen Dando-Collins recaptures the drama of Caesar's demise and the chaotic aftermath as the vicious struggle unfolded for power between Antony and Octavian.
-
-
Not Good History
- By Garcia on 09-18-11
-
Nero's Killing Machine
- The True Story of Rome's Remarkable 14th Legion
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Robert Fass
- Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 14th Gemina Martia Victrix Legion was the most celebrated unit of the early Roman Empire - a force that had been wiped out under Julius Caesar, reformed, and almost wiped out again. After participating in the a.d. 43 invasion of Britain, the 14th Legion achieved its greatest glory when it put down the famous rebellion of the Britons under Boudicca.
-
-
Read anything by this author.
- By Norbert S. Matson on 05-20-17
-
I, Claudius
- By: Robert Graves
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 16 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here is one of the best historical novels ever written. Lame, stammering Claudius, once a major embarrassment to the imperial family and now emperor of Rome, writes an eyewitness account of the reign of the first four Caesars: the noble Augustus and his cunning wife, Livia; the reptilian Tiberius; the monstrous Caligula; and finally old Claudius himself. Filled with poisonings, betrayal, and shocking excesses, I Claudius is history that rivals the most exciting contemporary fiction.
-
-
Unsurpassed, addictive brilliance
- By Chris on 06-09-09
By: Robert Graves
-
Rise of an Empire
- How One Man United Greece to Defeat Xerxes's Persians
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Dennis Holland
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The action-filled movie 300 focused on Ancient Greece's epic battle of Thermopylae, in which King Leonidas led 300 Spartans into battle against Xerxes and his million-strong Persian forces. In the sequel, 300: Rise of an Empire, the action moves to the sea, covering 10 years starting with the Battle of Marathon and ending with naval engagement the Battle of Artemisium, which occurred the same day as Thermopylae. Rise of an Empire tells the story of the real men and events depicted in the movie.
-
-
bad editing and...
- By j.holmes on 08-04-16
-
Trajan
- Rome's Last Conqueror
- By: Nicholas Jackson
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Until the publication of this captivating biography, no such volume on Trajan's life has been tailored to the general listener. The unique book illuminates a neglected period of ancient Roman history. Trajan rose from fairly obscure beginnings to become the emperor of Rome. He was born in Italica, an Italic settlement close to modern Seville in present-day Spain, and is the first Roman Emperor to be born outside of Rome. His remarkable rise from officer to general and then to emperor in just over twenty years reveals a shrewd politician who maintained absolute power.
-
-
Distracting performance
- By Generic Reviewer on 06-22-24
By: Nicholas Jackson
-
Dynasty
- The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar
- By: Tom Holland
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Author and historian Tom Holland returns to his roots in Roman history and the audience he cultivated with Rubicon—his masterful, witty, brilliantly researched popular history of the fall of the Roman republic—with Dynasty, a luridly fascinating history of the reign of the first five Roman emperors. Dynasty continues Rubicon's story, opening where that book ended: with the murder of Julius Caesar. This is the period of the first and perhaps greatest Roman emperors. It's a colorful story of rule and ruination, from the rise of Augustus to the death of Nero.
-
-
Accessible, enjoyable history
- By Mary on 01-28-16
By: Tom Holland
-
The Fall of Carthage
- The Punic Wars 265-146BC
- By: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The struggle between Rome and Carthage in the Punic Wars was arguably the greatest and most desperate conflict of antiquity. The forces involved and the casualties suffered by both sides were far greater than in any wars fought before the modern era, while the eventual outcome had far-reaching consequences for the history of the Western World, namely the ascendancy of Rome. An epic of war and battle, this is also the story of famous generals and leaders: Hannibal, Fabius Maximus, Scipio Africanus, and his grandson Scipio Aemilianus, who would finally bring down the walls of Carthage.
-
-
Captivating
- By Jean on 03-25-19
-
Pax
- War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age
- By: Tom Holland
- Narrated by: Tom Holland
- Length: 14 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Pax Romana has long been shorthand for the empire’s golden age. Stretching from Caledonia to Arabia, Rome ruled over a quarter of the world’s population. It was the wealthiest and most formidable state in the history of humankind. Pax is a captivating narrative history of Rome at the height of its power. From the gilded capital to realms beyond the frontier, historian Tom Holland shows ancient Rome in all its glory
-
-
Great book!
- By Mic on 09-27-23
By: Tom Holland
-
Augustus
- First Emperor of Rome
- By: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Caesar Augustus's story, one of the most riveting in western history, is filled with drama and contradiction, risky gambles and unexpected success. He began as a teenage warlord, whose only claim to power was as the heir of the murdered Julius Caesar. Mark Antony dubbed him "a boy who owes everything to a name," but in the years to come the youth outmaneuvered all the older and more experienced politicians and was the last man standing in 30 BC.
-
-
You know my name...say it.
- By Steven on 12-10-14
-
The Twelve Caesars
- By: Suetonius
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Twelve Caesars was written based on the information of eyewitnesses and public records. It conveys a very accurate picture of court life in Rome and contains some of the raciest and most salacious material to be found in all of ancient literature. The writing is clear, simple and easy to understand, and the numerous anecdotes of juicy scandal, bitter court intrigue, and murderous brigandage easily hold their own against the most spirited content of today's tabloids.
-
-
A pleasure to read...
- By Robyn C. Blaber on 03-13-10
By: Suetonius
-
Philip and Alexander
- Kings and Conquerors
- By: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Neil Dickson
- Length: 20 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This definitive biography of one of history's most influential father-son duos tells the story of two rulers who gripped the world - and their rise and fall from power.
-
-
Horrible narrator
- By Anonymous User on 01-05-21
-
The Cold War
- A New History
- By: John Lewis Gaddis
- Narrated by: Jay Gregory, Alan Sklar
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drawing on new and often startling information from newly opened Soviet, Eastern European, and Chinese archives, this thrilling account explores the strategic dynamics that drove the Cold War, provides illuminating portraits of its major personalities, and offers much fresh insight into its most crucial events. Riveting, revelatory, and wise, it tells a story whose lessons it is vitally necessary to understand as America once more faces an implacable ideological enemy.
-
-
WOW
- By Cordell eddings on 10-13-07
-
Powers and Thrones
- A New History of the Middle Ages
- By: Dan Jones
- Narrated by: Dan Jones
- Length: 24 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the once-mighty city of Rome was sacked by barbarians in 410 and lay in ruins, it signaled the end of an era—and the beginning of a thousand years of profound transformation. In a gripping narrative bursting with big names—from St Augustine and Attila the Hun to the Prophet Muhammad and Eleanor of Aquitaine—Dan Jones charges through the history of the Middle Ages. Powers and Thrones takes listeners on a journey through an emerging Europe, the great capitals of late Antiquity, as well as the influential cities of the Islamic West.
-
-
Hard to take a break from it!
- By Mariano's Music on 12-09-21
By: Dan Jones
-
Hannibal
- By: Patrick N. Hunt
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the greatest commanders of the ancient world brought vividly to life: Hannibal, the brilliant general who successfully crossed the Alps with his war elephants and brought Rome to its knees. Hannibal Barca of Carthage, born 247 BC, was one of the great generals of the ancient world. Historian Patrick N. Hunt has led archaeological expeditions in the Alps and elsewhere to study Hannibal's achievements. Now he brings Hannibal's incredible story to life in this riveting and dramatic audiobook.
-
-
A monotone mundane narration
- By Jeff Lacy on 05-22-20
By: Patrick N. Hunt
Related to this topic
-
The Twelve Caesars
- By: Suetonius
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Twelve Caesars was written based on the information of eyewitnesses and public records. It conveys a very accurate picture of court life in Rome and contains some of the raciest and most salacious material to be found in all of ancient literature. The writing is clear, simple and easy to understand, and the numerous anecdotes of juicy scandal, bitter court intrigue, and murderous brigandage easily hold their own against the most spirited content of today's tabloids.
-
-
A pleasure to read...
- By Robyn C. Blaber on 03-13-10
By: Suetonius
-
Nero
- Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome
- By: Anthony Everitt, Roddy Ashworth
- Narrated by: Greg Patmore
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Roman emperor Nero’s name has long been a byword for cruelty, decadence, and despotism. As the stories go, he set fire to Rome and thrummed his lyre as it burned. He then cleared the charred ruins and built a vast palace. He committed incest with his mother, who had schemed and killed to place him on the throne, and later murdered her. But these stories, left behind by contemporary historians who hated him, are hardly the full picture, and in this nuanced biography, celebrated historian Anthony Everitt and investigative journalist Roddy Ashworth reveal the contradictions inherent in Nero
-
-
An amazing 360 degree portrait
- By Cooper A Day on 01-01-23
By: Anthony Everitt, and others
-
Ghost on the Throne
- The Death of Alexander the Great and the Bloody Fight for His Empire
- By: James S. Romm
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Alexander the Great died at the age of 32, his empire stretched from the Adriatic Sea in the west all the way to modern-day India in the east. In an unusual compromise, his two heirs - a mentally damaged half brother, Philip III, and an infant son, Alexander IV, born after his death - were jointly granted the kingship. But six of Alexander's Macedonian generals, spurred by their own thirst for power and the legend that Alexander bequeathed his rule "to the strongest," fought to gain supremacy.
-
-
ends a bit short
- By RIR on 06-14-21
By: James S. Romm
-
The Borgias
- Power and Depravity in Renaissance Italy
- By: Paul Strathern
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Borgia family have become a byword for evil. Corruption, incest, ruthless megalomania, avarice, and vicious cruelty - all have been associated with their name. And yet, paradoxically, this family lived when the Renaissance was coming into its full flowering in Italy. Examples of infamy flourished alongside some of the finest art produced in western history.
-
-
Gossip
- By Amazon Customer on 10-02-19
By: Paul Strathern
-
Augustus
- First Emperor of Rome
- By: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Caesar Augustus's story, one of the most riveting in western history, is filled with drama and contradiction, risky gambles and unexpected success. He began as a teenage warlord, whose only claim to power was as the heir of the murdered Julius Caesar. Mark Antony dubbed him "a boy who owes everything to a name," but in the years to come the youth outmaneuvered all the older and more experienced politicians and was the last man standing in 30 BC.
-
-
You know my name...say it.
- By Steven on 12-10-14
-
The Tigress of Forli
- Renaissance Italy's Most Courageous and Notorious Countess, Caterina Riario Sforza de' Medici
- By: Elizabeth Lev
- Narrated by: Edita Brychta
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this glittering biography, Elizabeth Lev reexamines Caterina Sforza's extraordinary life and accomplishments. Raised in the court of Milan and wed at age ten to the pope’s corrupt nephew, Caterina was ensnared in Italy’s political intrigues early in life. After turbulent years in Rome’s papal court, she moved to the Romagnol province of Forlì. Following her husband’s assassination, she ruled Italy’s crossroads with iron will, martial strength, political savvy—and an icon’s fashion sense. In finally losing her lands to the Borgia family, she put up a resistance that inspired all of Europe.
-
-
Excellent history of a fearless woman
- By Linda M on 11-18-24
By: Elizabeth Lev
-
The Twelve Caesars
- By: Suetonius
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Twelve Caesars was written based on the information of eyewitnesses and public records. It conveys a very accurate picture of court life in Rome and contains some of the raciest and most salacious material to be found in all of ancient literature. The writing is clear, simple and easy to understand, and the numerous anecdotes of juicy scandal, bitter court intrigue, and murderous brigandage easily hold their own against the most spirited content of today's tabloids.
-
-
A pleasure to read...
- By Robyn C. Blaber on 03-13-10
By: Suetonius
-
Nero
- Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome
- By: Anthony Everitt, Roddy Ashworth
- Narrated by: Greg Patmore
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Roman emperor Nero’s name has long been a byword for cruelty, decadence, and despotism. As the stories go, he set fire to Rome and thrummed his lyre as it burned. He then cleared the charred ruins and built a vast palace. He committed incest with his mother, who had schemed and killed to place him on the throne, and later murdered her. But these stories, left behind by contemporary historians who hated him, are hardly the full picture, and in this nuanced biography, celebrated historian Anthony Everitt and investigative journalist Roddy Ashworth reveal the contradictions inherent in Nero
-
-
An amazing 360 degree portrait
- By Cooper A Day on 01-01-23
By: Anthony Everitt, and others
-
Ghost on the Throne
- The Death of Alexander the Great and the Bloody Fight for His Empire
- By: James S. Romm
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Alexander the Great died at the age of 32, his empire stretched from the Adriatic Sea in the west all the way to modern-day India in the east. In an unusual compromise, his two heirs - a mentally damaged half brother, Philip III, and an infant son, Alexander IV, born after his death - were jointly granted the kingship. But six of Alexander's Macedonian generals, spurred by their own thirst for power and the legend that Alexander bequeathed his rule "to the strongest," fought to gain supremacy.
-
-
ends a bit short
- By RIR on 06-14-21
By: James S. Romm
-
The Borgias
- Power and Depravity in Renaissance Italy
- By: Paul Strathern
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Borgia family have become a byword for evil. Corruption, incest, ruthless megalomania, avarice, and vicious cruelty - all have been associated with their name. And yet, paradoxically, this family lived when the Renaissance was coming into its full flowering in Italy. Examples of infamy flourished alongside some of the finest art produced in western history.
-
-
Gossip
- By Amazon Customer on 10-02-19
By: Paul Strathern
-
Augustus
- First Emperor of Rome
- By: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Caesar Augustus's story, one of the most riveting in western history, is filled with drama and contradiction, risky gambles and unexpected success. He began as a teenage warlord, whose only claim to power was as the heir of the murdered Julius Caesar. Mark Antony dubbed him "a boy who owes everything to a name," but in the years to come the youth outmaneuvered all the older and more experienced politicians and was the last man standing in 30 BC.
-
-
You know my name...say it.
- By Steven on 12-10-14
-
The Tigress of Forli
- Renaissance Italy's Most Courageous and Notorious Countess, Caterina Riario Sforza de' Medici
- By: Elizabeth Lev
- Narrated by: Edita Brychta
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this glittering biography, Elizabeth Lev reexamines Caterina Sforza's extraordinary life and accomplishments. Raised in the court of Milan and wed at age ten to the pope’s corrupt nephew, Caterina was ensnared in Italy’s political intrigues early in life. After turbulent years in Rome’s papal court, she moved to the Romagnol province of Forlì. Following her husband’s assassination, she ruled Italy’s crossroads with iron will, martial strength, political savvy—and an icon’s fashion sense. In finally losing her lands to the Borgia family, she put up a resistance that inspired all of Europe.
-
-
Excellent history of a fearless woman
- By Linda M on 11-18-24
By: Elizabeth Lev
-
The Ides
- Caesar’s Murder and the War for Rome
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The assassination of Julius Caesar is one of the most notorious murders in history. Even now, many questions remain about his death: Was Brutus the hero and Caesar the villain? Was Mark Antony aware of the plot? Using historical evidence to sort out these and other puzzling issues, historian and award-winning author Stephen Dando-Collins recaptures the drama of Caesar's demise and the chaotic aftermath as the vicious struggle unfolded for power between Antony and Octavian.
-
-
Not Good History
- By Garcia on 09-18-11
-
Alexander the Great
- His Life and His Mysterious Death
- By: Anthony Everitt
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Alexander the Great, Anthony Everitt judges Alexander’s life against the criteria of his own age and considers all his contradictions. We meet the Macedonian prince who was naturally inquisitive and fascinated by science and exploration, as well as the man who enjoyed the arts and used Homer’s great epic, the Iliad, as a bible. As his empire grew, Alexander exhibited respect for the traditions of his new subjects and careful judgment in administering rule over his vast territory. But his career also had a dark side.
-
-
Alexander never gets...old.
- By Douglas Knops on 09-04-19
By: Anthony Everitt
-
Dying Every Day
- Seneca at the Court of Nero
- By: James S. Romm
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
James Romm seamlessly weaves together the life and written words, the moral struggles, political intrigue, and bloody vengeance that enmeshed Seneca the Younger in the twisted imperial family and the perverse, paranoid regime of Emperor Nero, despot and madman.
-
-
Outstanding
- By michael bobadilla on 05-04-23
By: James S. Romm
-
The Death of Caesar
- The Story of History's Most Famous Assassination
- By: Barry Strauss
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
William Shakespeare's gripping play showed Caesar's assassination to be an amateur and idealistic affair. The real killing, however, was a carefully planned paramilitary operation, a generals' plot put together by Caesar's disaffected officers and designed with precision. Brutus and Cassius were indeed key players, but they had the help of a third man - Decimus. He was the mole in Caesar's entourage, one of Caesar's leading generals, and a lifelong friend.
-
-
Absorbing
- By Jean on 03-24-15
By: Barry Strauss
-
Ten Caesars
- Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine
- By: Barry Strauss
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Best-selling classical historian Barry Strauss tells the story of three-and-a-half centuries of the Roman Empire through the lives of 10 of the most important emperors, from Augustus to Constantine.
-
-
Good for beginners
- By Richferguson1 on 03-01-20
By: Barry Strauss
-
Cleopatra
- A Life
- By: Stacy Schiff
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 14 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Above all else, Cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator. Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world. She was married twice, each time to a brother. She waged a brutal civil war against the first when both were teenagers. She poisoned the second. In a masterly return to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff here boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order.
-
-
Approach this book with caution
- By GolfZilla on 12-02-10
By: Stacy Schiff
-
The Last Viking
- The True Story of King Harald Hardrada
- By: Don Hollway
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 14 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Harald Sigurdsson burst into history as a teenaged youth in a Viking battle from which he escaped with little more than his life and a thirst for vengeance. But from these humble origins, he became one of Norway’s most legendary kings. The Last Viking is a fast-moving narrative account of the life of King Harald Hardrada, as he journeyed across the medieval world, from the frozen wastelands of the North to the glittering towers of Byzantium and the passions of the Holy Land, until his warrior death on the battlefield in England.
-
-
Just okay
- By Amazon Customer on 06-28-24
By: Don Hollway
-
A History of France
- By: John Julius Norwich
- Narrated by: John Julius Norwich
- Length: 15 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Julius Norwich - called a "true master of narrative history" by Simon Sebag Montefiore - returns with the book he has spent his distinguished career wanting to write, A History of France, a portrait of the past two centuries of the country he loves best. Beginning with Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul in the first century BC, this study of French history comprises a cast of legendary characters - Charlemagne, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Joan of Arc, and Marie Antionette, to name a few - as Norwich chronicles France's often violent, always fascinating history.
-
-
Kings and Wars
- By Awake Tex on 08-22-19
-
The Roman Emperors
- Hadrian, Constantine the Great, Commodus, Caracalla, Etc.
- By: Coby Evans
- Narrated by: Adam Forsyth
- Length: 3 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This guide will guide you to the right knowledge about all the historical details you need to know about Nero, Caligula, Hadrian, Commodus, Constantine the Great, Caracalla, Marcus Aurelius, Julius Caesar, Augustus, and others. Some were pure evil, abusive, and sheer dictators with their own self-interest that was their only focus. Others had the best intentions for the empire. These emperors left their mark on the people, the history of the entire empire, and the cultural influence the Romans had on us.
-
-
Great book
- By Ruth on 01-10-20
By: Coby Evans
-
Emperors of Rome: Julius Caesar, Constantine, Nero, Caligula, and More
- By: Kelly Mass, Summaries from History
- Narrated by: Miriam Webster
- Length: 3 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What do you know about the emperors of Rome? Rome had good and bad emperors, selfish and selfless ones. Some were wise, others were foolish. And each left their legacy and their imprint on historical concepts of the Roman empire itself. In this book, we will explore the details of a number of these emperors, especially some of the best-known ones that have been hand-picked by the editors of this book.
-
-
That's interesting
- By Bettie on 10-05-19
By: Kelly Mass, and others
-
The Venetians
- A New History: From Marco Polo to Casanova
- By: Paul Strathern
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Republic of Venice was the first great economic, cultural, and naval power of the modern Western world. After winning the struggle for ascendency in the late 13th century, the Republic enjoyed centuries of unprecedented glory and built a trading empire which at its apogee reached as far afield as China, Syria, and West Africa. This golden period only drew to an end with the Republic's eventual surrender to Napoleon. The Venetians illuminates the character of the Republic during these illustrious years by shining a light on some of the most celebrated personalities of European history.
-
-
Mesmerizing
- By Gary R. Frank on 08-24-15
By: Paul Strathern
-
The War Queens
- Extraordinary Women Who Ruled the Battlefield
- By: Jonathan W. Jordan, Emily Anne Jordan
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 15 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Father-daughter duo Jonathan and Emily Jordan uncover the ingenious wartime tactics of some of history’s most powerful female leaders across millennia and continents, from the stifling battlefields of ancient Egypt to the frigid waters off the Falkland Islands.
-
-
Interesting boook.
- By TMK on 11-13-22
By: Jonathan W. Jordan, and others
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Caligula
- By: Douglas Jackson
- Narrated by: Russell Boulter
- Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the third Roman Emperor, is better known by another name: Caligula, a name synonymous with decadence, cruelty and madness. His reign was marked by excess, huge building projects, the largest gladiatorial battles Rome was ever to see – men and animals killed in their hundreds – conspiracies, assassination attempts and sexual scandal.
-
-
Disappointing story and misleading title.
- By Rollin on 06-28-13
By: Douglas Jackson
-
Nero
- Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome
- By: Anthony Everitt, Roddy Ashworth
- Narrated by: Greg Patmore
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Roman emperor Nero’s name has long been a byword for cruelty, decadence, and despotism. As the stories go, he set fire to Rome and thrummed his lyre as it burned. He then cleared the charred ruins and built a vast palace. He committed incest with his mother, who had schemed and killed to place him on the throne, and later murdered her. But these stories, left behind by contemporary historians who hated him, are hardly the full picture, and in this nuanced biography, celebrated historian Anthony Everitt and investigative journalist Roddy Ashworth reveal the contradictions inherent in Nero
-
-
An amazing 360 degree portrait
- By Cooper A Day on 01-01-23
By: Anthony Everitt, and others
-
The Life of Gaius Caesar Caligula
- By: Suetonius, Thomas Forester
- Narrated by: Andrea Giordani
- Length: 1 hr and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Caligula’s father was a beloved military leader, so the Romans were initially glad to see his son take the throne, but Suetonius recounts the less flattering aspects of Caligula’s life and rule that followed his ascension. The narcissistic Caligula believed he was a god, and often replaced the busts of deities with his own. A devoted fan of gladiator fights, he also often had people assassinated, covered up the deed, and then claimed the deceased had committed suicide. Suetonius concludes this biography by detailing the omens that foreshadowed Caligula’s eventual assassination.
By: Suetonius, and others
-
I, Claudius
- By: Robert Graves
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 16 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here is one of the best historical novels ever written. Lame, stammering Claudius, once a major embarrassment to the imperial family and now emperor of Rome, writes an eyewitness account of the reign of the first four Caesars: the noble Augustus and his cunning wife, Livia; the reptilian Tiberius; the monstrous Caligula; and finally old Claudius himself. Filled with poisonings, betrayal, and shocking excesses, I Claudius is history that rivals the most exciting contemporary fiction.
-
-
Unsurpassed, addictive brilliance
- By Chris on 06-09-09
By: Robert Graves
-
Agrippina
- The Most Extraordinary Woman of the Roman World
- By: Emma Southon
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story of Agrippina, at the center of imperial power for three generations, is the story of the Julio-Claudia dynasty - and of Rome itself, at its bloody, extravagant, chaotic, ruthless, and political zenith. In her own time, she was recognized as a woman of unparalleled power.
-
-
Fun!
- By Curatina on 02-27-20
By: Emma Southon
-
Caligula: Life of a Roman Emperor
- By: Suetonius
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waite
- Length: 1 hr and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The emperor Caligula was one of the strangest and cruelest rulers that ever lived, and most of what is known about his reign comes from Suetonius. The first six months of his reign appear to have been moderate and successful; but after that, he fell into a spiral of sadism, sexual perversity, and plain insanity that made him one of the most hated tyrants of all time.
-
-
Great Insight Not So Great Execution
- By James Key on 04-25-20
By: Suetonius
-
Caligula
- By: Douglas Jackson
- Narrated by: Russell Boulter
- Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the third Roman Emperor, is better known by another name: Caligula, a name synonymous with decadence, cruelty and madness. His reign was marked by excess, huge building projects, the largest gladiatorial battles Rome was ever to see – men and animals killed in their hundreds – conspiracies, assassination attempts and sexual scandal.
-
-
Disappointing story and misleading title.
- By Rollin on 06-28-13
By: Douglas Jackson
-
Nero
- Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome
- By: Anthony Everitt, Roddy Ashworth
- Narrated by: Greg Patmore
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Roman emperor Nero’s name has long been a byword for cruelty, decadence, and despotism. As the stories go, he set fire to Rome and thrummed his lyre as it burned. He then cleared the charred ruins and built a vast palace. He committed incest with his mother, who had schemed and killed to place him on the throne, and later murdered her. But these stories, left behind by contemporary historians who hated him, are hardly the full picture, and in this nuanced biography, celebrated historian Anthony Everitt and investigative journalist Roddy Ashworth reveal the contradictions inherent in Nero
-
-
An amazing 360 degree portrait
- By Cooper A Day on 01-01-23
By: Anthony Everitt, and others
-
The Life of Gaius Caesar Caligula
- By: Suetonius, Thomas Forester
- Narrated by: Andrea Giordani
- Length: 1 hr and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Caligula’s father was a beloved military leader, so the Romans were initially glad to see his son take the throne, but Suetonius recounts the less flattering aspects of Caligula’s life and rule that followed his ascension. The narcissistic Caligula believed he was a god, and often replaced the busts of deities with his own. A devoted fan of gladiator fights, he also often had people assassinated, covered up the deed, and then claimed the deceased had committed suicide. Suetonius concludes this biography by detailing the omens that foreshadowed Caligula’s eventual assassination.
By: Suetonius, and others
-
I, Claudius
- By: Robert Graves
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 16 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here is one of the best historical novels ever written. Lame, stammering Claudius, once a major embarrassment to the imperial family and now emperor of Rome, writes an eyewitness account of the reign of the first four Caesars: the noble Augustus and his cunning wife, Livia; the reptilian Tiberius; the monstrous Caligula; and finally old Claudius himself. Filled with poisonings, betrayal, and shocking excesses, I Claudius is history that rivals the most exciting contemporary fiction.
-
-
Unsurpassed, addictive brilliance
- By Chris on 06-09-09
By: Robert Graves
-
Agrippina
- The Most Extraordinary Woman of the Roman World
- By: Emma Southon
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story of Agrippina, at the center of imperial power for three generations, is the story of the Julio-Claudia dynasty - and of Rome itself, at its bloody, extravagant, chaotic, ruthless, and political zenith. In her own time, she was recognized as a woman of unparalleled power.
-
-
Fun!
- By Curatina on 02-27-20
By: Emma Southon
-
Caligula: Life of a Roman Emperor
- By: Suetonius
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waite
- Length: 1 hr and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The emperor Caligula was one of the strangest and cruelest rulers that ever lived, and most of what is known about his reign comes from Suetonius. The first six months of his reign appear to have been moderate and successful; but after that, he fell into a spiral of sadism, sexual perversity, and plain insanity that made him one of the most hated tyrants of all time.
-
-
Great Insight Not So Great Execution
- By James Key on 04-25-20
By: Suetonius
-
Evil Roman Emperors
- The Shocking History of Ancient Rome's Most Wicked Rulers from Caligula to Nero and More
- By: Phillip Barlag
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Roman history, from the very foundation of the city, is replete with people and stories that shock our modern sensibilities. Evil Roman Emperors puts the worst of Rome's rulers in one place and offers a review of their lives and a historical context for what made them into what they became.
-
-
Brisket and nu potato
- By Michael Ayers on 06-27-21
By: Phillip Barlag
-
Nero
- Nero Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Conn Iggulden
- Narrated by: Lydia Leonard
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story begins with a hand curled around another man’s throat. This is Roman justice: Emperor Tiberius first dispatches a traitor—a friend he once trusted with the city—then the man's whole family and all of his friends. It is as if he never existed. Into this fevered forum, a child is born. His mother is Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus. But their imperial blood is neither balm nor protection. Rather, it is a liability. Blood is easily spilled or poisoned. So swiftly corrupted. As the aging Tiberius becomes blind to the ignoble end awaiting him, Agrippina sees the future.
-
-
Nero
- By Paul on 07-30-24
By: Conn Iggulden
-
Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician
- By: Anthony Everitt
- Narrated by: John Curless
- Length: 15 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this dynamic and engaging biography, Anthony Everitt plunges us into the fascinating, scandal-ridden world of ancient Rome in its most glorious heyday. Accessible to us through his legendary speeches but also through an unrivaled collection of unguarded letters to his close friend Atticus, Cicero comes to life here as a witty and cunning political operator.
-
-
An eloquent man, and a patriot
- By Darwin8u on 01-19-15
By: Anthony Everitt
-
I, Claudius
- By: Robert Graves
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 5 hrs and 8 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The politics of empire-building and the hypocrisies, back-stabbings, and corruptions of Rome's first family come to light. First published in 1934, the book retains a marvelously modern and often comic tone, and is written in the form of Claudius' autobiography. This is gripping stuff, read by one of our finest actors, who also starred as Claudius in the classic television series.
-
-
Derek Jacobi IS Claudius
- By T on 09-15-09
By: Robert Graves
-
Caligula
- By: Albert Camus
- Narrated by: Albert Camus
- Length: 1 hr and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
En septembre 2002, Frémeaux & Associés et l'Ina (Institut national de l'audiovisuel), en accord avec Gallimard, mettent pour la première fois à la disposition du public le texte intégral de "l'Etranger" d'Albert Camus. C'est à l'initiative de Michel Polac que nous présentons aujourd'hui la pièce maîtresse de l'œuvre théâtrale d'Albert Camus.
By: Albert Camus
-
Ten Caesars
- Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine
- By: Barry Strauss
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Best-selling classical historian Barry Strauss tells the story of three-and-a-half centuries of the Roman Empire through the lives of 10 of the most important emperors, from Augustus to Constantine.
-
-
Good for beginners
- By Richferguson1 on 03-01-20
By: Barry Strauss
-
Emperor of Rome
- Ruling the Ancient World
- By: Mary Beard
- Narrated by: Mary Beard
- Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her international bestseller SPQR, Mary Beard told the thousand-year story of ancient Rome. Now she shines her spotlight on the emperors who ruled the Roman empire, from Julius Caesar (assassinated 44 BCE) to Alexander Severus (assassinated 235 CE). Emperor of Rome is not your usual chronological account of Roman rulers, one after another: the mad Caligula, the monster Nero, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius.
-
-
Wasn't sure but won me over
- By John S. on 01-26-24
By: Mary Beard
-
Seven Against Thebes
- The Quest of the Original Magnificent Seven
- By: Stephen Dando-Collins
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the thirteenth century BC, a quarter of a century before the Trojan War, seven Greek warrior heroes went against the Greek city of Thebes to restore one of their number to the throne of his father, the famous King Oedipus. Several children of those seven heroes would later take part in the siege of Troy. This adventure was equal in the minds of Greeks and Romans with the siege of Troy as told in Homer’s epic The Iliad, an event which it predated by a generation.
-
-
Stephen Dando-Collins does it again...
- By rzlbrk on 10-17-23
-
Claudius the God
- By: Robert Graves
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 19 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Graves continues Claudius' story with the epic adulteries of Messalina, King Herod Agrippa's betrayal of his old friend, and the final arrival of that bloodthirsty teenager, Nero.
-
-
The Deified King of Historical Fiction
- By Darwin8u on 12-27-12
By: Robert Graves
-
The Twelve Caesars
- By: Suetonius
- Narrated by: Clive Chafer
- Length: 17 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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 colorful biographical works in history. 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.
-
-
Heavily modified and softly translated
- By NeoAtreides on 12-03-15
By: Suetonius
-
The Fort
- City of Victory, Book 1
- By: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Stephen Perring
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Dacian kingdom and Rome are at peace, but no one thinks that it will last. Sent to command an isolated fort beyond the Danube, centurion Flavius Ferox can sense that war is coming but also knows that enemies may be closer to home. Many of the Brigantes under his command are former rebels and convicts, as likely to kill him as obey an order. And then there is Hadrian, the emperor's cousin, and a man with plans of his own.
-
-
In the top tier of historical fiction.
- By Harry Flashman on 09-09-21
-
Dynasty
- The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar
- By: Tom Holland
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Author and historian Tom Holland returns to his roots in Roman history and the audience he cultivated with Rubicon—his masterful, witty, brilliantly researched popular history of the fall of the Roman republic—with Dynasty, a luridly fascinating history of the reign of the first five Roman emperors. Dynasty continues Rubicon's story, opening where that book ended: with the murder of Julius Caesar. This is the period of the first and perhaps greatest Roman emperors. It's a colorful story of rule and ruination, from the rise of Augustus to the death of Nero.
-
-
Accessible, enjoyable history
- By Mary on 01-28-16
By: Tom Holland
What listeners say about Caligula
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Bradley Singletary
- 06-23-23
The end
It is evident that the author possesses a profound understanding of the subject matter, and their ability to bring historical events to life is commendable. However, as I eagerly turned the pages, engrossed in the narrative, I was confronted with a disappointing final chapter that tainted the overall experience.
Let's focus on the positives first. The author's research is impeccable, and their dedication to exploring historical archives and unearthing lesser-known facts shines through the pages. The book presents a comprehensive and insightful account of its subject matter, shedding light on significant events, individuals, and societal dynamics.
However, the concluding chapter left me disheartened. What began as a promising culmination of the book's themes took an unexpected turn, deviating into an overtly propagandistic tone. The author's loose comparisons and unsubstantiated claims diminished the credibility of their work. As a reader invested in the book's research and storytelling, I found it disappointing to encounter such a departure from the previously well-balanced narrative.
It is disconcerting when a serious author incorporates elements of propaganda into their work. While authors are entitled to express their opinions, it is crucial to maintain a certain level of scholarly integrity when presenting historical accounts. Unfortunately, the final chapter of "Caligula" fell short of this standard.
Despite this setback, I cannot ignore the merits of the book as a whole. The author's expertise and dedication are evident throughout the majority of the narrative, allowing readers to gain valuable insights into the subject matter. It is regrettable that the final chapter tarnishes the overall impression of the book.
In conclusion, the book is great until the end and then become an SNL skit. While the book excels in bringing history to life and engaging readers, the problematic ending, replete with propaganda and loose comparisons, undermines its credibility. Readers should approach the book with caution, appreciating its strengths while remaining critical of its concluding section.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Natan
- 02-08-23
Well-researched and engaging look at Caligula
The idea that this book is stained by modernity is silly, as it's based in historical fact and primary sources. Some may find the closing chapter discussing Caligula and former president Donald Trump together out of place, but looking back at history and not attempting to place contemporary events alongside it is, as they say, risking history repeating itself.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Josh R
- 06-21-21
Good book, weird epilogue
This book is mostly about Caligula (and a little about his immediate successors) and does a thing that is more than it should be, he contextualizes things. He doesn’t excuse them either, which is the other issue when biographers fall in love with their subject, but he points out that some things are not as crazy as they seem to modern ears. It leaves you with an understanding as to why the public and Senate saw the man differently as well. I also came away finally understanding in a way that wasn’t just hand waved away why the Republic didn’t resume after a tyrant that terrorized the Senate and their families.
As for the epilogue (well half of it), it is just odd. To be clear I thoroughly disliked Trump. He was a con man when he was a Democrat and just kept going bigger. He has definitive authoritarian tendencies and was limited by the system from being worse than he was. He was no Caligula though. You want to make a Gracchi pitch, I’ll hear you out there. Maybe he has shown far worse (and effective) people what you can get away with for someone else to push it farther, but it is just a weird comparison for a one-term leader than more than half the voting public emphatically said no thanks to. Less yes to his successor, than no way to him emphatically.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kaiser
- 08-22-20
A solid overview, sadly stained by modernity.
Let's start off with the good.
This biography of Caligula is fairly well written, a very nice overview of his life and the principal figures around him. Starting with his birth and ending a little past his assassination with a brief overview of his successor Claudius's reign. the author does a very good job of not only exploring potential avenues of justifications for some of Caligula's actions while not shying away from some of the more atrocious things he had done during his reign. The author also tactfully explores some of the potential thought processes around the sycophants and court officials that surrounded him and learned how to survive while always making it clear that these are just possibilities and not known fact. I also enjoyed the author's attempted medical diagnosis of Caligula potential madness, thought that was a fun little chapter.
The narrator does a fantastic job of reading this book. While some minor mispronunciation of names and places does occur it's very minor and does not take you out of the story at all. As someone whose library is filled with volumes on Ancient Rome and many other cultures with vastly different languages and vernaculars, this narrator has done better than most.
The Cons
The only con I can give the main substance of the volume ( though I'm not even sure it should be counted against the book as this may have been the author's intent) but it's definitely not what I would call a full biography. One of the great things about the late Republic early Imperial period of Rome is that we have so many volumes and surviving accounts of the events that took place. And while this book does a good job of covering those events it doesn't go into as great of detail as some other volumes have. I would rate this book for somebody who knows a bit about early Imperial Rome and wants to start dipping their toes into the deeper history of the era or just someone who is interested in Caligula personally without being bugged down by all the gritty minutia of the time.
The Ending Chapter
Here is where the bulk of the bad reviews for this book come from and honestly I can see why. As a bit of disclaimer as it never hurts to state your intentions in these modern times. I have no stake in the modern politics of America at all. I personally find modern politics to be a sad insult to the collective intelligence of not only America but the world in general. Now with that being said, the last chapter of this book truly drags it down in every possible way. This book's last chapter attempts to compare the Emperor Caligula who has been dead nearly two thousand years and compare him with the current American President Donald Trump. Not only are these comparisons superficial at best, quite a few of them stretch into what I would personally consider absurdity. ( there was a small section dedicated over to how Trump shakes other world leaders hands compared to Caligula) While comparing leaders both past and present can be interesting, thought-provoking and even quite insightful this at least to me seems more like grandstanding or the author attempting to force a personal view on to the the reader. The last chapter of this book is truly a jarring shift from what was otherwise a solid overview of Caligula.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Texzen
- 12-22-19
Unfortunate Finish
Enjoyable history. Discounting to have it ruined with an idiot’s politics chapter on comparing Trump to Caligula. Seriously? Grow up.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- John McLean
- 11-27-19
No Place For Trump Bashing And Personal Politics In An Ancient History Book
Book was great minus the addition of personal politics into the mix, made it seem immature and amateurish, time and place and sadly this wasn’t the time or place, I thought I hit a button and another book was playing, do better, thank you
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 10-25-22
overall pretty good but...
Donald Trump lives rent free in this guy's head apparently. It was just bizarre to compare one of Romes most infamously bad emperors to one of America's best modern president's. Let's go Brandon.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 01-08-24
Thorough Biography
A thorough biography tainted only slighted from the completely unnecessary and tasteless last chapter. I do not support Trump at all, but to talk about the bias of the ancient biographers and then blatantly show your unrestrained bias of today’s political figures seems hypocritical.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- kris
- 07-09-22
Boring and the end is just about how trump is worse than Caligula
Title says the just of it. The book reads like a wiki that is dotted with a few opinions. The last chapter has gems such as “they both use the word great a bunch” and “they both like sports”. Spoiler alert Caligula not so bad, trump the worst. Not at all bias. /s
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ladyglock
- 08-18-19
Really, really bad
The narrative is fine but the book is awful. If I could give this book zero stars it would be a generous rating. Horrible
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful