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A review by gxcons
Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World by Mary Beard
informative
medium-paced
3.75
A look at the role of the "emperor" from the rise of Julius Caesar in the time of the Republic to Alexander Severus.
I passed on SPQR because I don't vibe well with Beard's voice, which is still very prominent in this book. The lack of a chronological timeline can be confusing, with all the century-hopping and name-dropping of emperors and side characters. There were also many sections that read like a simple essay: "here is the main argument of this section and here are the reasons that support it." Overall, though, well-researched and a compelling read.
I passed on SPQR because I don't vibe well with Beard's voice, which is still very prominent in this book. The lack of a chronological timeline can be confusing, with all the century-hopping and name-dropping of emperors and side characters. There were also many sections that read like a simple essay: "here is the main argument of this section and here are the reasons that support it." Overall, though, well-researched and a compelling read.