From Nero to Alaric

[spittle]

I have read a few books concerning the late Republic, Caesar, Augustus and the Julio-Claudian Emperors.

I am aware of several titles regarding The Fall of the Western Empire.

What I am less sure about is what book/s will provide concise information detailing the four centuries (or so) between these two cataclysmic Roman era's.

 

There are dozens of individual biography's and many titles dealing with specific characters and events.

What I hope to do is select a few books that will take me from Nero's suicide to the Goths sacking Rome.

 

As tempted as I am to dive straight into The Decline and Fall titles I feel I should educate myself a little about the lesser known times inbetween the usual area's and era's.

 

Suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Primus Pilus]

I have read a few books concerning the late Republic, Caesar, Augustus and the Julio-Claudian Emperors.

I am aware of several titles regarding The Fall of the Western Empire.

What I am less sure about is what book/s will provide concise information detailing the four centuries (or so) between these two cataclysmic Roman era's.

 

There are dozens of individual biography's and many titles dealing with specific characters and events.

What I hope to do is select a few books that will take me from Nero's suicide to the Goths sacking Rome.

 

As tempted as I am to dive straight into The Decline and Fall titles I feel I should educate myself a little about the lesser known times inbetween the usual area's and era's.

 

Suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

I'll get you started... presumably you'd like to read more modern secondary sources rather than Suetonius on the Flavians or Cassius Dio to the Severan period, etc.

 

Understand that I am attempting to present a concise overview here and nothing terribly in-depth on a specific period or event. However, as one example, the first civil war of the imperial era is worth examining to understand the transition from the eroding pseudo-Republic of the Julio-Claudians and the completed transition into unveiled empire.

 

69 AD: The Year of Four Emperors by Gwyn Morgan.

Unfortunately, there really aren't a great deal of long term narratives dealing with the middle imperial period. Most of what is available is individual biographies of the Emperors in sequence. However, in addition to biographies of the Flavians (Vespasian, Titus, Domitian) and the Adoptive period Nerva - Marcus Aurelius), here are a couple of the more sweeping overviews that you might like to investigate:

 

The Antonines: The Roman Empire in Transition by Michael Grant (provides some background on Trajan and Hadrian leading into Antoninus Pius and ending with Marcus Aurelius)

The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine by Pat Southern (covers roughly late 180's - 337)

The Roman Empire at Bay: AD 180-395 by David Potter

[Northern Neil]

Here's a couple more:

 

Hadrian's Empire by Danziger and Purcell

The Later Roman Empire by Averil Cameron

[Ursus]

Of all the ones above that I have read, I recommend Southern most strongly as the most informative and easy to read.

 

Hadrian's Empire by Danziger and Purcell

 

 

Now this one I was not aware of. I found a cheap used copy and ordered it from Amazon. Thanks, NN.

[Northern Neil]

Now this one I was not aware of. I found a cheap used copy and ordered it from Amazon. Thanks, NN.

Great - you must tell me what you think of it. I thought it was a good summary of the state of the Empire during the Golden Age.

[spittle]

"The Golden Age".

"The Five Good Emperors"

 

Thats what I'm talking about.

I have heard these periods mentioned but have no idea when they were, why they were 'golden/good'.

 

By reading a few books I learned the causes of the Republic gradually outgrowing itself and becoming the Principate. Now I'll read the books suggested by y'all and try to understand how the Principate evolved over the half millenium (or so) before the decline and fall.

[Ursus]

If it is any good I'll probably do a review.

 

Now this one I was not aware of. I found a cheap used copy and ordered it from Amazon. Thanks, NN.

Great - you must tell me what you think of it. I thought it was a good summary of the state of the Empire during the Golden Age.

[Ursus]

By reading a few books I learned the causes of the Republic gradually outgrowing itself and becoming the Principate. Now I'll read the books suggested by y'all and try to understand how the Principate evolved over the half millenium (or so) before the decline and fall.

 

 

I wrote a brief overview of the transition here: http://www.unrv.com/government/command-of-...late-empire.php

[Ursus]

Now this one I was not aware of. I found a cheap used copy and ordered it from Amazon. Thanks, NN.

Great - you must tell me what you think of it. I thought it was a good summary of the state of the Empire during the Golden Age.

 

 

I just finished reading it. I mostly enjoyed it. I felt it dragged on a little bit at the end with the rise of Christianity, the Jewish rebellion, and the breakdown of the empire. But it was a very readable survey on Roman culture and daily life of the time period involved.

[WotWotius]

I have read a few books concerning the late Republic, Caesar, Augustus and the Julio-Claudian Emperors.

I am aware of several titles regarding The Fall of the Western Empire.

What I am less sure about is what book/s will provide concise information detailing the four centuries (or so) between these two cataclysmic Roman era's.

 

There are dozens of individual biography's and many titles dealing with specific characters and events.

What I hope to do is select a few books that will take me from Nero's suicide to the Goths sacking Rome.

 

As tempted as I am to dive straight into The Decline and Fall titles I feel I should educate myself a little about the lesser known times inbetween the usual area's and era's.

 

Suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

Chronicle of the Roman Emperors: The Reign-by-reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial Rome by Chris Scarre is a book that with provide you with a great frame of reference. I thoroughly recommend it.

[vespasian70]

I've found the following very useful:

 

From Tiberius to the Antonines - Albino Garzetti

 

Vespasian - Barbara Levick

 

The Emperor Titus - Brian W Jones

 

The Emperor Domitian - Brian W Jones

 

Hadrian - Anthony R Birley

 

Marcus Aurelius - Anthony R Birley

 

Septimius Severus - Anthony R Birley

 

The Roman Empire: From Severus to Constantine - Pat Southern

[G-Manicus]

69 AD: The Year of Four Emperors by Gwyn Morgan.

I downloaded this last week at Wowio. I'm about 50 pages in ... so far, so good.