The Life of the Twelve Caesars

The most valuable literary monument, belonging to the ancient Roman writer Suetonius (c. 70 — c. 140) — a historian, an encyclopedist, and personal secretary to Emperor Hadrian. The collection of historical biographies contains information about the origins of twelve... famous rulers from Julius Caesar to Domitian. It narrates the early years of their lives, their rise to power, and public activities. The portraits of the Caesars are generously supplemented with events from their private lives, descriptions of character traits, and features of appearance. Each biography concludes with a narrative about the circumstances of the emperor's death.