Emperor of Rome

Ruling the Ancient World

By: Mary Beard

Narrated by: Mary Beard

A sweeping account of the social and political world of the Roman emperors by “the world’s most famous classicist” (Guardian).

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. Beard asks bigger questions: What power did emperors actually have? Was the Roman palace really so bloodstained? She tracks down the emperor at home, at the races, on his travels, even on his way to heaven. She introduces his wives and lovers, rivals and slaves, court jesters and soldiers—and the ordinary people who pressed begging letters into his hands. Emperor of Rome goes directly to the heart of Roman (and our own) fantasies about what it was to be Roman, offering an account of Roman history as it has never been presented before.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Mary Beard (P)2023 Profile Books Ltd

To dine with a Roman Emperor

Fascinating topic and presentation, though the jumping back and forth theoughout Roman history with no chronological sequence may prove challenging for those not well versed in Roman history.

Narration ruins the book

The narrator (author) inserts so many pauses in so many inappropriate places in almost every sentence that it's very hard to follow. Pm the basis of the professional reviews in the press, this sounds like a very very good book, but the audiobook was completely ruined for me by the awful narration. I would've given it one star, but it's clear that the narrator, because she's the author, at least understands what she's reading, which is more than I can say for many nonfiction audiobooks, so I gave it three stars.

A historiographic telling of the Roman empir

Delightful narrative history of about 400 years of Rome using “key players”. A bit absurdist feminist perspective which is highly fun to be read to or vice versa

Informative and Entertaining

No one write better about Roman History than Mary Beard. Her books are always informative, enlightening and very detailed.

Well narrated peculiarities

I appreciate the author’s choice to narrate her own work. She does this well and it adds a creator’s charm. This is a fantastic work. I have listened to so much Roman History, and much of what I heard was not greatly surprising, but I enjoyed myself. I appreciate the small details about minor interactions and peculiarities of the lives of the emperors, those surrounding them, including a chapter about freed men and slaves. It adds color to the faded fresco of Roman history. This is not in chronological order, and anyone expecting a clear story will be disappointed; however, if you generally know the history, you may enjoy this.

My favorite historian and author - loved every bit!

Everytime I think of Roman history I think of MB! She is inspirational and mine of knowledge. love listening to her transporting me to the ancient world. I can wait for more!

A worthy follow up to her excellent SPQR

I am generally well-grounded in Roman history, so I give this book high marks for expanding beyond the “who, what, where, when” of history to the “how”. For example, it amazed me how descriptions of Roman dining explained so much about how Roman rulers ruled. Mary Beard does an excellent job narrating her book. Her voice added so much to my enjoyment and attention to her work. This is a worthy follow up to her excellent SPQR.

big Mary Beard fan

Very solid and accessible account of the intimacies of the Roman Imperial house during the reigns of various emperors. Mary Beard succeeds again in providing an informative narrative in a compelling package

the impresive accounts of Romans

Fantastic...Mary is just so delightful to listen...she is a great investigator of the Roman Empire

The little things we still do 2 millennia later

Wonderfully done. Listening to historical insight of early Roman Empire is quite fascinating and surprising as well. One would think after several millennia we would have changed some things other than technology. We have a long way to go.