Emperor of Rome​

Ruling the Ancient Roman World

Professor Mary Beard

First Printing

The fascinating lives of Rome’s rulers are uncovered in Emperor of Rome. Now as an illustrated Folio edition, this captivating volume brings ancient history to life with glorious artefacts, paintings, statues, coins, mosaics and photographs.

£90.00
£90.00
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Editor’s Note
  1. Mandy Kirkby, Editor

In this companion to S.P.Q.R., Mary Beard explores the world of the Roman emperors in 300 years of one-man rule, from Julius Caesar to Alexander Severus. Who made it to the top and what did it take to get there? Why they are a byword for corruption, excess and cruelty – and is it justified? Fizzing with insights and delights, Emperor of Rome also looks at their day-to-day lives – what they ate, how they travelled, what they did in their spare time and how they coped with the paperwork of a vast empire.

This edition is sumptuously bound in cloth, with a cloth slipcase, both blocked with the emblem of the imperial eagle, and over 100 photographs bring the glory and infamy of the emperors' world to life.​

Bound in printed and blocked cloth. ​

Set in Bembo Book with Cenotaph as display ​

440 pages with integrated black & white illustrations and 4 maps ​

48 pages of colour photographs

Printed endpapers ​

Slipcase blocked with a motif ​

Sized at 10” x 6¾”

‘Britain’s most famous classicist at the peak of her powers.’
  1. The Times

Mary Beard takes us beyond the familiar tales of mad emperors and imperial excess, offering a fresh and insightful exploration of the rulers who shaped the Roman Empire. Drawing on decades of scholarship, Beard delves into the lives of emperors from Julius Caesar to Alexander Severus, uncovering the complexities of their power and the reality behind the myths. Rather than a simple recounting of rulers, she asks intriguing questions: How did emperors wield their influence? What were their daily lives like? And what truly went on behind the palace walls? With a keen eye for detail and a flair for storytelling, Beard brings to life the emperors’ relationships, rivalries, and the everyday Roman citizens who sought their favour.  Through this richly woven narrative, Emperor of Rome offers an unparalleled glimpse into the heart of imperial power and the enduring fascination with what it meant to be Roman at the height of its empire.​

About Mary Beard

Mary Beard is one of the most original and best-known classicists working today. She is Professor of Classics at Newnham College, Cambridge (now emerita) and the Classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement. Her books include the Wolfson Prize-winning Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town (2008, Folio 2013), S.P.Q.R. (2015, Folio 2018), Women & Power: A Manifesto (2017) and Civilisations: How Do We Look?/The Eye of Faith (2018). Her popular TLS blog has been collected in the books It’s a Don’s Life (2009) and All in a Don’s Day (2012). Mary Beard is a Fellow of the British Academy and was awarded an OBE in 2013 and a damehood in 2018 for services to classical scholarship.​

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