Ancient History & Civilisation

A Brief History of the Roman Empire

A Brief History of the Roman Empire

In this lively and very readable history of the Roman Empire from its establishment in 27 BC to the barbarian incursions and the fall of Rome in AD 476, Kershaw draws on a range of evidence, from Juvenal's Satires to recent archaeological finds. He examines extraordinary personalities such as Caligula and Nero and seismic events such as the conquest of Britain and the establishment of a 'New Rome' at Constantinople and the split into eastern and western empires. Along the way we encounter gladiators and charioteers, senators and slaves, fascinating women, bizarre sexual practices and grotesque acts of brutality, often seen through eyes of some of the world's greatest writers. He concludes with a brief look at how Rome lives on in the contemporary world, in politics, architecture, art and literature.

Maps - Genealogy Tables

Chapter 1. External Expansion, Internal Implosion

Chapter 2. Civil Wars, the Dictator and the ‘Egyptian Woman’

Chapter 3. Augustus: From Teenage Butcher to Father of the Fatherland

Chapter 4. The Pervert and the Madman: Tiberius (14–37) and Gaius ‘Caligula’ (37–41)

Chapter 5. The Scholar and the Artist: Claudius (41–54) and Nero (54–68)

Chapter 6. The Long Year 69 (aka The Year of the Four Emperors)

Chapter 7. The Flavian Dynasty (69–96): Vespasian, Titus and Domitian

Chapter 8. A Hat-Trick of ‘Good’ Emperors: Nerva, Trajan and Hadrian (96–138)

Chapter 9. Peace, Power and Prosperity: The Antonines

Chapter 10. The ‘Year of the Five Emperors’ and Rome’s First African Ruler (193–211)

Chapter 11. The Severan Dynasty: Odd Emperors and Interesting Women (211–235)

Chapter 12. The Omnishambles (235–285)

Chapter 13. The Empire Strikes Back: Diocletian and the Dominate (284–312)

Chapter 14. Christianity Ascendant: Constantine and his Successors (312–364)

Chapter 15. The East–West Divide (364–395)

Chapter 16. The Sack of Rome (395–411)

Chapter 17. Roman Empresses, Barbarian Kings (411–450)

Chapter 18. The End of Rome in the West (450–476)

Bibliography

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