Who qualifies as the worst of Roman emperors and why? Join L J Trafford for a tour of the very worst leadership in ancient Rome featuring Caligula, Commodus and many more.

Between 27 BCE and 476 CE a series of men became Roman Emperor, ruling a domain that stretched across Europe, North Africa and the Near East. Some of them did this rather well, expanding Rome’s territories further, installing just laws and maintaining order within the city. Others, however, were distinctly less successful at the job.

Ancient Rome’s Worst Emperors takes an engaging and amusing look at the mad, the bad and the catastrophically incompetent of Rome’s rulers. From the sadistically cruel Caligula to the hopelessly weak Valentinian II, there were many who failed dismally at the top job for a variety of reasons.

But what qualifies someone as a worst emperor?

What evidence is there to support it?

And should we believe any of it?

Join us on a tour of the very worst leadership ancient Rome has to offer as we delve into sadistic acts of cruelty, paranoia run rampant, poor decision-making skills and the danger of being the wrong man at the wrong time.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 The Basics – What is an Emperor?
• Part I: After Augustus. 14 ce–96 ce
  • Chapter 2 Caligula (37–41 ce) How Absolute is Absolute Power?
  • Chapter 3 Galba (68–69 ce) – The Man Who Should be King
  • Chapter 4 Vitellius (69 ce) –No Appetite for Power
  • Chapter 5 Domitian (81–96 ce) – A Swirling Paranoia
• Part II: Welcome to the Golden Age, 96 ce–222 ce
  • Chapter 6 Nerva (96–98 ce) – The Hinge
  • Chapter 7 Lucius Aurelius Verus (161–169 ce) – Overshadowed
  • Chapter 8 Commodus (180–192 ce) – Monstrous Ego
  • Chapter 9 Didius Julianus (193 ce) – The Man who Brought an Empire
  • Chapter 10 Geta (211 ce) – For-Geta-ble
  • Chapter 11 Elagabalus (218–222 ce) – And Now for Someone Completely Different
• Part III: The Third Century – Where Any Man Can be Emperor (briefly), 222 ce–284 ce
  • Chapter 12 Gordian I (238 ce) – He Came, He Did Not Conquer and Then He Went
  • Chapter 13 Silbannacus (253 ce) – The Phantom Emperor
  • Chapter 14 Quintillus (270 ce) – Easy Come, Easy Go
• Part IV: Sorting It All Out – The Tetrarchy and Beyond, 284 ce–455 ce
  • Chapter 15 Valentinian II (375–392 ce) – The Boy Emperor
  • Chapter 16 Petronius Maximus (455 ce) – Evil Genius
• Conclusion
• Authors Note
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Plates