---
product_id: 52032137
title: "The Twelve Caesars: Suetonius (Penguin Classics) Paperback – Illustrated, 25 Oct. 2007"
brand: "robert gravessuetoniusjames rives"
price: "₨1292"
currency: LKR
in_stock: false
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.lk/products/52032137-the-twelve-caesars-suetonius-penguin-classics-paperback-illustrated-25-oct
store_origin: LK
region: Sri Lanka
---

# The Twelve Caesars: Suetonius (Penguin Classics) Paperback – Illustrated, 25 Oct. 2007

**Brand:** robert gravessuetoniusjames rives
**Price:** ₨1292
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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great account
*by R***1 on 25 November 2014*

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.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fascinating
*by K***R on 22 July 2023*

I read this many, many years ago and found it fascinating. My original copy fell apart and I recently bought a replacement and have been rereading it. The stories of the twelve caesars reveal the full range of strengths and weaknesses of mankind in a time that could often be brutal and are still as interesting today as when I first read the book. Adult themes throughout and bloody violence from time to time.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A book that inspired Gilles de Rais
*by P***M on 9 March 2013*

Although interesting, most of these biographies are almost entirely bereft of anything ennobling to the human spirit. But as studies of lust, greed, cruelty, cowardice and insanity they have few equals. The first vernacular translation of 1381 was French, and it is no surprise that Gilles de Rais, during his trial in 1440, cited the influence of Suetonius.This translation is by Robert Graves, author of 'I, Claudius' and 'Claudius the God'. Anyone who has read those books will already be familiar with many of Suetonius' anecdotes and descriptions of personal vice and virtue attributable to the emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius. Reading the novels first is advantageous as Suetonius assumes his contemporary Roman readers are versed in history and Roman culture.The series continues up to Domitian and with the exception of Augustus and Vespasian the emperors are all painted as more or less vile characters. Although the format of each biography is roughly the same, the section on virtue is invariably shorter than the section on vice. Perhaps Suetonius, writing during the reign of Hadrian, the third of the Five Good Emperors, was intent on penning malicious slander against previous dynasties. More likely it illustrates the truth behind Acton's famous observation that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."Graves' translation has been altered, reinserting Latin words instead of 1930s English equivalents for a more authentic read. A glossary of terms is supplied together with genealogical charts and maps. The introduction by J.B Rives contains the following essays:Suetonius' Life and WorksThe Twelve CaesarsThe Influence of SuetoniusReading Suetonius

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Twelve Caesars: Suetonius (Penguin Classics)
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*Last updated: 2026-02-25*