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The Twelve Caesars	Customer Rating:
I did not have the time to read the book fully but what I have read sheads light upon the first 12 emperors buy someone who was actually around to know these men.

A must have for Roman history buffs	Customer Rating:
Suetonius gives us a fairly level-headed early history of the Roman leaders and gives a very readable narrative. he goes from leader to leader and we consider him to be the best source for early Rome.

A Must Have for Historians

Customer Rating:

When I first become seriously interested in the history of Rome, this was one of the first books I read. I really enjoyed it and found it easy to read. Suetonius has the book is divided up into the first twelve Caesars, staring with Gaius Julius Caesar and briefly discusses their lives prior to becoming Caesar and then spends the majority of the chapter on their time as Caesar. He spares no one in this, if they were morally corrupt (as most of them seemed to be) he completely tells it all. It is easy to tell, however, which Emperors, Suetonius and probably most Romans admired and respected, Augustus being one of them. This is a must have for anyone who is studying Rome.

Rome for Dummies c119 AD

Customer Rating:

It is a sad fact of history that of all the histories of the Roman Emperors that were written, including the contemporary biographies and autobiographies, that most have been lost forever. Suetonius came into Imperial favour riding the coat(or toga) tails of the success of Pliny The Younger - it is quite likely that we may otherwise have never have heard of him. It isn't an entirely useless work, as it does give some interesting insights as to how second century Imperial Rome looked upon its founding fathers. Still, for historians, Suetonius' work is far from an evidentiary goldmine. The best comparison one can give to this work is as a compilation of anecdotes and contemporary reports - many of which are indeed interesting - but do leave the historian in us all pining for that which has been lost.

Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars	Customer Rating:
For anyone interested in the source of Robert Graves' "Claudius" series, reading Suetonius is mandatory. A fascinating glimpse into Roman political life.