ProtagokratesInspired by the publicity of the just released translation of Suetonius by Tom Holland ("The Lives of the Caesars", Penguin Classics 2026) I took a look at my pile of shame in the office and decided to finally read through it, starting - quite fittingly - with #TenCaesars by Barry Strauss (2019). It's my fifth book by Strauss after "The Trojan War", "Masters of Command", "The Spartacus War" and of course "The Death of Caesar", making my collection of his works nearly complete. #ReadingAncient
Three chapters in I still find Strauss' writing style entertaining, although the chapter about Augustus was much better than the one about Tiberius, which felt a bit repetitive at times. What I really like so far is the way Strauss professionally and calmly deals with those popular rumours about Livia's intrigues, her son's depravity and Nero's madness. He also does a great job navigating the Julian family-tree. Sadly, Caligula and Claudius only get a page or so in Nero's backstory. #TenCaesars
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