The Twelve Caesars

By: Suetonius

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

Length: 14 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

From the dignified grace of Augustus to the cruel debauchery of Nero, this history chronicles all the vices and virtues of the first 12 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.

Public Domain (P)2009 Audio Connoisseur

Brilliant performance

Outstanding reading of a classic; thoroughly engaging. I found myself listening several times over to key parts. Highly recommended.

Grrrrreat

This was very good. The reading was phenomenal. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in Roman history

Just the gory details, please.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this audiobook to an ancient history or roman history buff.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I cannot say I had a favorite ceaser because I learned new or different facts/gossip about each. The author had a unique viewpoint of the 12 and it was interesting to compare, say, the history of Claudius to the work of Claudius translated by Robert Graves.

What about Charlton Griffin’s performance did you like?

His narration was adequate.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wanted to listen to this in parts rather than try to take it all in at one listen. Some stories were a little juicier than others and I wanted to listen to them more than once.

Great narrator, poor chapter headings.

The publisher of this audiobook does a terrible job of naming chapters but the narration is excellent.

Unbelievable!

I could not put this book down. The way the emperors lived sounded like fiction, with each generation being even more outlandish than the one before. It's hard to imagine how the Roman people put up with them for as long as they did. This book unintentionally provides insight as to why the Roman empire eventually failed by giving examples of the repulsive character and lack of statesmanship of the latter emperors. The narrator was perfect for this book. 10/10 would recommend

The narrator is so great. Like is reading from a

The narrator is so great. Like he is reading from a 1984 news paper: But, like the gossip column. such a good delivery...

Brilliant Narration, Great Insights

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Insight into the social and political order of the times, and insight into what shaped the psychology of these powerful yet flawed individuals. It's also a consistent reminder of how power corrupts.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Twelve Caesars?

Caligula and Nero are of course the most colorful and horrifying. Julius and Augustus are the only ones out of the 12 who seem to be essentially sane, within the context of their times. There is truly nothing new under the sun, and while technology and communications may evolve, the lessons for democracy are there for those who care to see them.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did

Any additional comments?

I cannot understand those who fault the narrator. Charlton Griffin has narrated an enormous number of classical works, and in my view is consistently brilliant. I have listened to literally hundreds of hours of his narration of various writings. His pacing, enunciation, and pronunciation of Greek, Latin, and other "foreign" languages is flawless. He is able to bring a sense of drama to what can be otherwise dull writing, and for me makes these ancient times and personalities come alive.

gripping

language of the writer, narrator will make Sutonious feel proud. more than gripping and solid

Great History Book

I didn't realize how many of the Caesars were monsters before listening to this book. I only knew Nero was terrible.

A very good listen

I really enjoyed this listen. I rarely listen to the same book twice but I will make an exception for this book!