From the dignified grace of Augustus to the cruel debauchery of Nero, this history chronicles all the vices and virtues of the first twelve rulers of Imperial Rome. The Twelve Caesars was written based on the information of eyewitnesses and public records. It conveys a very accurate picture of court life in Rome and contains some of the raciest and most salacious material to be found in all of ancient literature. The writing is clear, simple, and easy to understand, and the numerous anecdotes of juicy scandal, bitter court intrigue, and murderous brigandage easily hold their own against the most spirited content of today's tabloids.The biographies and periods of reign are: Julius Caesar (dictatorship: 46 B.C.-44 B.C.), Augustus (31 B.C.-A.D. 14), Tiberius (14-37), Caligula (37-41), Claudius (41-54), Nero (54-68), Otho (68-69), Galba (69), Vitellius (69), Vespasian (69-79), Titus (79-81), and Domitian (81-96). Like no other work before or since, The Twelve Caesars has continued to shock, titillate, and entertain audiences for 2,000 years.
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (circa A.D. 69-circa 140) was the son of a Roman knight, a military tribune attached to the 13th Legion. Not much is known about Suetonius. He was a friend of Pliny the Younger and accompanied him to Bithynia when Pliny was governor there. Pliny recommended his services to the Emperor Trajan. He practiced law for a time, though shunning politics, and managed to obtain an important position as chief secretary to Trajan's heir, Hadrian. Much of the material Suetonius utilized was a result of his access to court records and private correspondence. Suetonius was the author of many historical and social works. However, except for The Twelve Caesars, none have survived beyond fragments of one of his other books, the "Lives of Illustrious Romans."