Suetonius "The Twelve Caesars"
Suetonius "The Twelve Cesars"
If a friend asked me to tell him if it is worth it to read Suetonius' book "The Twelve Cesars", I would say it is. This book, though old, is still very interesting and informative today. It is important to note however, that the writing style of Suetonius' day was much different from our own. Some readers might be confused and exasperated with Suetonius' diction and syntax. He uses very long expressions and details to describe people and events that may not even be necessary to describe. But it is because of this extreme attention to detail that "The Twelve Cesars" is important to read.
Even if you do not like Suetonius' style, you must agree that he has achieved his goal of adequately exploring the lives of these 12 men. He wrote more than an adequate biography; he wrote an exquisite history of a very important period in the Roman world. Suetonius wrote so accurately that many historians today use his writings to describe the lives of the Caesars.
Before reading the book, I must admit I did not know very much about the Caesars that ruled Rome. I had only heard of Julius Caesar and Caesar Augustus, and between the two, I only had a vague idea of what they did. Now after reading "The Twelve Caesars" I have a much clearer understanding of who these men were and what they did. Each one of them impacted the world in different ways, and some of their decisions still echo through the modern world. Suetonius has given me a better understanding of the Caesars and Rome.
The two Caesars that caught my attention the most were Augustus and Gaius. These two represent a stark contrast between the rulers f Rome. One was a visionary and a leader, the other was an insane megalomaniac. Suetonius did a good job of describing not only the men and their actions, but how these actions affected the Romans and the world. All of the men were important and influential, but Suetonius' description of these two captured my attention.
What impressed me
If a friend asked me to tell him if it is worth it to read Suetonius' book "The Twelve Cesars", I would say it is. This book, though old, is still very interesting and informative today. It is important to note however, that the writing style of Suetonius' day was much different from our own. Some readers might be confused and exasperated with Suetonius' diction and syntax. He uses very long expressions and details to describe people and events that may not even be necessary to describe. But it is because of this extreme attention to detail that "The Twelve Cesars" is important to read.
Even if you do not like Suetonius' style, you must agree that he has achieved his goal of adequately exploring the lives of these 12 men. He wrote more than an adequate biography; he wrote an exquisite history of a very important period in the Roman world. Suetonius wrote so accurately that many historians today use his writings to describe the lives of the Caesars.
Before reading the book, I must admit I did not know very much about the Caesars that ruled Rome. I had only heard of Julius Caesar and Caesar Augustus, and between the two, I only had a vague idea of what they did. Now after reading "The Twelve Caesars" I have a much clearer understanding of who these men were and what they did. Each one of them impacted the world in different ways, and some of their decisions still echo through the modern world. Suetonius has given me a better understanding of the Caesars and Rome.
The two Caesars that caught my attention the most were Augustus and Gaius. These two represent a stark contrast between the rulers f Rome. One was a visionary and a leader, the other was an insane megalomaniac. Suetonius did a good job of describing not only the men and their actions, but how these actions affected the Romans and the world. All of the men were important and influential, but Suetonius' description of these two captured my attention.
What impressed me