Pocket Dictionary of Roman Emperors

This is a new title in the successful 'Pocket Dictionary' series. This pocket dictionary introduces you to the most important rulers of this extraordinary civilization, the largest empire in the ancient world. It was an amazing military machine, whose legionaries conquered the entire Mediterranean basin. The empire also left its cultural legacy throughout Europe and the world in its monuments, art and literature; its buildings and roads; its legal system; its alphabet; and much more. Augustus was the first emperor of Rome, a strong and capable ruler; some of those who came after him were equally eminent, such as Trajan, who expanded the empire to its greatest extent. Other emperors, such as Nero and Caligula, were famed for their decadence and became a byword for excess and cruelty. This extraordinary cast of characters are described in short entries with illustrations from the collections of the British Museum and elsewhere.