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The Twelve Caesars (Penguin Classics) Paperback – December 18, 2007

by Suetonius (Author), James Rives (Editor, Introduction), Robert Graves (Translator)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,318 ratings
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An essential primary source on Roman history and a fascinating achievement of scholarship covering a critical period in the Empire

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 colourful 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. A masterpiece of observation, anecdote and detailed physical description, The Twelve Caesars presents us with a gallery of vividly drawn—and all too human—individuals.

James B. Rives has sensitively updated Robert Graves's now classic translation, reinstating Latin terms and updating vocabulary while retaining the liveliness of the original. This edition contains a new chronology, further reading, glossaries, maps, notes and an introduction discussing Suetonius' life and works.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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  1. Print length
    464 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Classics
  4. Publication date
    December 18, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    8.5 x 5.43 x 1.09 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780140455168
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0140455168
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus was probably born in AD69—the famous "year of the four Emperors." From the letters of Suetonius’ close friend Pliny the Younger we learn that he practiced briefly at the bar, avoided political life, and became chief secretary to the Emperor Hadrian (AD117-38). Suetonius seems to have lived to a good age and probably died around the year AD140.

James Rives teaches in the area of Classical Studies at Stanford University. He is currently serving as Review Editor for Phoenix, Journal of the Classical Association of Canada.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0140455167
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics; Revised edition (December 18, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780140455168
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140455168
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 5.43 x 1.09 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,318 ratings

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Suetonius

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,318 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book's content interesting and structured. They also describe the reading experience as amazing, funny, and gossipy. Readers also appreciate the great translation that reads easily. Overall, they describe the book as a giant, sprawling, and clearly scholarly account.

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ContentReading experienceReadability
41 customers mention "Content"38 positive3 negative

Customers find the book very interesting, amazing, and helpful for understanding the Caesars. They also appreciate the detailed, enjoyable perspective on what were considered virtues back then. Customers also say the book is the best source material on Rome.

"...There are copious endnotes that are very helpful understanding cultural references." Read more

"This is very helpful to understand the Caesars, especially for one wanting to understand the early church...." Read more

"A giant, sprawling and clearly scholarly account, but due to the extremely complicated events, shifting alliances and unfamiliar and confusing names..." Read more

"...Enjoyed the perspective on what were considered virtues back then in that culture...." Read more

39 customers mention "Reading experience"39 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an amazing, great read with salacious tidbits. They also say the writing is interesting, funny, and gossipy.

"...NO WAY! It's as engaging as any modern novel with quite a bit of salacious tidbits about the real life people of that time...." Read more

"...Written by a guy (Suetonius) who is a close primary source, This book is invaluable. You won't believe some of the s--t that went on back then...." Read more

"...both required reading for my upper-level Flavian Rome class, are particularly good - Suetonius depicts a young Octavian being thoroughly humiliated..." Read more

"...This book is entertaining and covers a lot of ground in a relatively short volume. I enjoyed it." Read more

30 customers mention "Readability"21 positive9 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, alluring, and enticing. They also say it's a great companion to the writings of Julius Caesar and Marcus Aurelius. Readers also mention that the book is a giant, sprawling, and clearly scholarly account.

"...It's very clear. There are copious endnotes that are very helpful understanding cultural references." Read more

"...This version in particular is very easy on the Rome novice; check the back of the book first, which has a glossary, a timeline, and maps of Rome. "..." Read more

"A giant, sprawling and clearly scholarly account, but due to the extremely complicated events, shifting alliances and unfamiliar and confusing names..." Read more

"...His sentence structure is awkward. And his writing is jumbled.Any writer worth his/her salt knows the basic rule of good writing is clarity...." Read more

A Small Glimpse Into Early Rome
5 out of 5 stars
A Small Glimpse Into Early Rome
This book arrived in perfect condition. I haven’t had a chance to read it in full yet, but have read bits and pieces of it so far. I’m very interested in this period of Roman history. It has information on Suetonius as well as the twelve caesars of Rome who influenced a major portion of the modern world we know and love today. It makes these men all too human when sometimes we fall into the trap of romanticizing history when we look back. Originally I heard of this book when I started to collect the coins of the twelve caesars which was actually inspired by the book. I’ve heard that Suetonius’s words should be taken with a grain of salt though as the political climate at the time probably had an affect on what he wrote. All in all though the book arrived exactly as described, and I cannot wait to read it!
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Top reviews from the United States

kayo
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining--yes, after two thousand years!
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2021
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I've been reading various history/biography in between the fluff to keep my mind sharp and expand my knowledge of things I never learned or ignored while growing up. After many trips to Italy/Rome, I was curious about Roman history so I decided to check out Twelve Caesars. I did some research prior to purchasing this volume to make sure it wasn't going to be some dry, textbook history that would bore me to sleep. NO WAY! It's as engaging as any modern novel with quite a bit of salacious tidbits about the real life people of that time. It turns out much of what we know about the caesars and their families is thanks to Suetonius. The only complaints I have are 1) there aren't more details in some places (I understand some of this can be found or filled in through other historians of the time), 2) more of Suetonius' work is not available (because it was lost over time), and 3) the print is small (that is not a problem of the material at all--not sure if there are larger print versions, but if you need bigger print, bear this in mind). Don't skip reading the preface--it explains a lot about the translation and update of the translation, as well as why Suetonius did not go into depth describing events.
8 people found this helpful
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Dewdrop
5.0 out of 5 stars not abridged - this is the entire book
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2022
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Most versions of the Twelve Caesars are abridged. This is the entire work. Reading the unabridged edition was a revelation. It gave a very different view of the emperors than I got from the abridged version. The language of this translation is old fashioned but that didn't bother me. It's very clear. There are copious endnotes that are very helpful understanding cultural references.
4 people found this helpful
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Benny Profane
5.0 out of 5 stars I Came. I Saw. I Ruled Crazily. I Died Under Mysterious Circumstances.
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2014
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"The Twelve Caesars" is a history by Roman historian Suetonius, commissioned by the emperor Hadrian and completed in 121 AD, and this is the version translated by Robert Graves. Graves, who brilliantly ficitonalized Rome in "I, Claudius" and "Claudius the God" makes this version readable and clearly used this as part of his inspiration. This version in particular is very easy on the Rome novice; check the back of the book first, which has a glossary, a timeline, and maps of Rome. "The Twelve Caesars" is the Roman history of the first twelve emperors, the events that bring these guys to the stage, and the madness that ensues.

The Roman Empire was really like no other in making sure that whoever was craziest got the most power and responsibility. If you love history as a case study for humans in power while at the margins of sanity, then this is the book for you. Seemingly for a while there only crazy people were getting the job, or were the only ones who would take the job. What were Roman citizens thinking? Was life really that boring that they were just like oh that's fine I guess we have a crazy Roman emperor, no big deal.

Just like Enron brought out the avarice of commodities traders and Las Vegas brings out the libertine in us all, the absolute power of the Roman Empire made the crazy crazier. Power made Augustus brutally paranoid, made Tiberius bizarrely lecherous, and Nero an absolute monster. Caligula is just on a whole other level. If we made a graph with "craziness" on one axis and "power" on one side, Caligula would be so far up in the right hand corner that he might be off the chart completely. I can't imagine anyone coming close. At one point he began feuding with god Poseidon, had his army march into the ocean to battle the waves, and collected sea shells as spoils of war. He lined up a series of barges from one side of the bay to the other so he could ride his horse across the whole thing...thus scorning the god of water. It's good to have goals.

Some other points to touch on. It's hard to imagine a person who accomplished more in their life than Augustus. Though gifted with a vast inheritance, by 20 he was commanding his own army against Mark Antony, then teamed up with Antony and another general (Lepidus), to take control of the whole Roman Empire - in the process condemning several hundred senators to death. By 32 he had fought several more civil wars before finally defeating Antony at the Battle of Actium. He also survived by my count like three shipwrecks, several military ambushes, dozens of battles, and countless assassination attempts. And also life as a Roman emperor, which must rate somewhere between Imperial Storm Trooper and Bond villain in terms of life expectancy while employed.

Julius Caesar of course is well known for being the first emperor, but less well known for his bedroom conquests. Suetonius is not above gossip, Thank Jupiter, and is happy to recount Caesar's numerous affairs: for instance he is "said to have seduced" the wives of the other members of the Triumvirate (Crassus and Pompey), and the mother of Brutus (the man who killed him). That's basically akin to America's leading general having an affair with the President's wife and Bill Gate's wife. There were a couple of queens in there, and even the rumors of Caesar being the boy lover of the king of Bithynia. Most famously he fathered a child with Egyptian queen Cleopatra who he "feasted with until dawn." Fantastically Caesars's army actually co-opted his well known licentiousness, and would march to battle singing about the "bald whoremonger" who was leading them. Man! What a presidential slogan that would be! The trait of Caesar's that jumps off the page the most is his dogged determination. He runs up huge debts buying votes for a consulship; as a result he fled to Gaul to begin an incredibly brutal war to expand both his and Rome's wealth and power; when about to be prosecuted for his numerous crimes he invaded Italy and ignited a civil war. His whole life could be described as backing himself into corners, then improvising a solution.

I would rate the best Roman emperors covered by Suetonius as: Augustus, Claudius, and then Tiberius (who while crazily twisted was quite a good administrator) and Caligula narrowly edging out Nero as the worst. Also Vespasian gets a shout out for being the empereror that rights the ship after Nero and his successors. He is also competent/boring enough there's barely anything in his chapter. Special shout out to him for out for best line on his death bed, upon seeing a comet: "Dear me! I must be turning into a god!"

Someone once said that celebrity doesn't change you; instead, it's a truth serum. Being emperor of Rome was the greatest truth serum one can ever take. Take the drink and watch the madness drip in.
36 people found this helpful
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Jeremy Reed
4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful to understand Caesars
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2023
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This is very helpful to understand the Caesars, especially for one wanting to understand the early church. Please beware, not all content is suitable for kids... These dudes were pretty disturbing.
One person found this helpful
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Michael Peterson
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for those who love history
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2013
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I have been a lover of history since junior high school. I recently became interested in ancient history after reading the book by Robert Graves, "I, Claudius." Since then I've been fascinated by all the historical events from the ancient world that seem to parallel our society today.

In "The Twelve Caesars" by Suetonius, the author--a contemporary of that time period--gives a detailed account of the first twelve caesars of the Roman Empire. The histories are not just some vague attempts that depict all the major achievements of these men and the positive impacts they had on history, but rather, the book exposes all the details of their lives both good and bad and to what effect it had on the empire. In want for a better comparison I would have to say that it's a cross between The Washington Post and The National Enquirer.

The book includes a glossary of terms of phrases and events common to that time period that the average reader might not know about. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient history or in history in general.
2 people found this helpful
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J. S.
5.0 out of 5 stars A OK
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2024
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Item arrived on time & was as described. Happy with purchase.
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Top reviews from other countries

Liz Coffman
5.0 out of 5 stars Great condition
Reviewed in Germany on November 6, 2021
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Arrived on time in great condition. Good value.
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Conor Withers
5.0 out of 5 stars Suetonius' gossip book
Reviewed in Australia on August 16, 2023
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Suetonius' writing on everyone from Caesar-Domitian and their careers, family origin and personal habits is a very entertaining read; but I would say it should not be taken at 100% accuracy. Much like Herodotus, a lot of the more depraved things sound cliched and slanderous.

If Tiberius was such a staunch legalist, why did he causally ignore laws whenever he felt like it? Did Caligula really sleep with his sisters or was he protective of them since everyone else in his family was murdered. Is Otho really such a romantic hero when Tacitus claims he was responsible for Galbas death?

One must really read between the lines and list common Roman cliches and tropes when reading through this.

All and all, it's a very good read.
One person found this helpful
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Mohan
5.0 out of 5 stars Gaius Julius Caesar: whose doings gave a word of caution to further rule the Roman empire
Reviewed in India on March 30, 2017
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A well versed a/c on life style of twelve emperors (Caesars) of Roman empire; be it accession; vice-virtue; superstition-omen; cruelty... etc; stated with needed citations and glossary of the then province. A further understanding on this regard can be elicited thru Ancient Rome written by Simon Baker. Go for it.
Thanks to Amazon!
2 people found this helpful
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Patrick Sullivan
5.0 out of 5 stars The Emperors Private Lives
Reviewed in Canada on October 8, 2014
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Suetonius walks us through, the personal lives of twelve Roman Emperors. The history Suetonius describes, is not a listing of accomplishments and historical feats. This is a history of the Caesars day to day peronal experiences.

In fact, this is normally the type of information I avoid. Our modern society, provides us with a constant overload of celebrity gossip and scandals. In most cases, I could care less. Yet Suetonius manages to; almost bring people from two thousands years ago, back to life. We sometimes forget, that these historical figures; walked, talked, and had the same human follies, that we have. This is the attraction of the book, realizing just human these people really were.

The chapters on Nero and Caligula, can at times be difficult to get digest. We have all heard, at least a few stories regarding their sick behaviour. Well Suetonius provides, a rather long list of inhuman murders and debauchery. The lessons regarding absolute power, become obvious to the reader. Suetonius also outlines, all the silly superstitions that the Romans observed and practiced. The modern reader will have a few chuckles, at all the good and bad omens listed throughout the book.

I believe most readers, will enjoy reading this book.
11 people found this helpful
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reader 451
5.0 out of 5 stars Great account
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 25, 2014
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Suetonius' Twelve Caesars is a key narrative source for the period it covers and, unlike Tacitus, it has survived entire and is uninterrupted. Beginning with Caesar himself, in the mid first century BC, it ends in AD 96 with Domitian and covers the reigns of such emperors as Tiberius, Caligula, and Nero. Organised according to each of these twelve emperors' lives, it contains more or less self-contained if unequal chapters (long reigns are given more space). Thus the story progresses from the civil wars that surrounded Caesar's rise to power, the establishment of the principate under Augustus, and on to the more debauched reigns of their descendents in the early first century AD. It closes with the establishment of a new dynasty, the Flavians, represented by Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian.

The introduction appositely remarks that Suetonius was following, in this work, the classical format of eulogy or biography, rather than history, according to classical forms. As a result, each reign is organised topically, beginning with ancestry, going on to civic achievements, then military campaigns, then the given emperor's vices or crimes, and the manner of his death complete with warnings and omens. This means that a reader completely unacquainted with the period may find the overarching story hard to follow, and it is best to be armed with basic knowledge of it. At the same time, firstly, Suetonius does follow a loose chronological progression within each topic he addresses and within each life, and secondly his writing is really clear and easy to follow. Suetonius as historian was impressive, moreover: in addition to testimonies and oral sources, he examined written sources including letters written by the protagonists, e.g. Augustus, and official Roman records, e.g. the treasury's. This is exceptional, indeed to my knowledge unprecedented, for a classical writer. Though sometimes his sources appear to fail him, this is rare and his account is authoritative. Twelve Caesars, in addition to being easy to read, is an essential source on the early Roman Empire.
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