The reigns of the first five Roman emperors were characterised by murder, mayhem, debauchery and palace intrigue. This reader contains selections from the writings on the period of Tacitus, Suetonius and Seneca, and is aimed at students moving on to genuine, unsimplified Latin prose after completing an introductory Latin course. With a useful introduction, detailed notes on grammar and translation, a full vocabulary, and passages of historical comment and literary criticism, it allows students to read real Latin with facility, perception and enjoyment.

Garrett G. Fagan is Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies and History, The Pennsylvania State University. He is the author of Bathing in the Roman World (1999) and has also written a wide range of articles on the Roman world and pseudoarchaeology.

Introduction; 1. Augustus; 2. Tiberius; 3. Caligula (Gaius); 4. Claudius; 5. Nero; Vocabulary.