--- product_id: 583974423 title: "Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient World" price: "261 som" currency: KGS in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.kg/products/583974423-emperor-of-rome-ruling-the-ancient-world store_origin: KG region: Kyrgyzstan --- # Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient World **Price:** 261 som **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient World - **How much does it cost?** 261 som with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.kg](https://www.desertcart.kg/products/583974423-emperor-of-rome-ruling-the-ancient-world) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description A sweeping account of the social and political world of the Roman emperors by “the world’s most famous classicist” (Guardian). In her international bestseller SPQR, Mary Beard told the thousand-year story of ancient Rome. Now she shines her spotlight on the emperors who ruled the Roman empire, from Julius Caesar (assassinated 44 BCE) to Alexander Severus (assassinated 235 CE). Emperor of Rome is not your usual chronological account of Roman rulers, one after another: the mad Caligula, the monster Nero, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Beard asks bigger questions: What power did emperors actually have? Was the Roman palace really so bloodstained? She tracks down the emperor at home, at the races, on his travels, even on his way to heaven. She introduces his wives and lovers, rivals and slaves, court jesters and soldiers—and the ordinary people who pressed begging letters into his hands. Emperor of Rome goes directly to the heart of Roman (and our own) fantasies about what it was to be Roman, offering an account of Roman history as it has never been presented before. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. Review: Great Read for Ancient Rome Enthusiasts - I'm a big fan of Beard's previous book, SPQR, and this is about the same time period more or less (Julius Caesar to Alexander Severus). Her prose is very readable. For this book, it is helpful if the reader knows something of Roman history as it is arranged by topic, that is, what it was like to be emperor (what were his duties, what was his life like), rather than chronologically. If you don't already know which emperor followed which, it could be confusing (though she provides a list of the emperors at the back of the book). She uses the sources available critically, examining their own motives for writing what they did and the times in which they were writing. Overall, I liked it very much. It's not your typical "history book." Review: Another fine book from Mary Beard - Mary Beard always does a fine job of making ancient Rome interesting and fun to read. The book is very well written and extremely readable. Beard provides an exceptional amount of detail, but hers skill as a writer (as well as her sense of humor) result in a book that's a real pleasure to read. Beard doesn't page-specific footnotes or end notes to provide additional information. She takes a novel approach by providing further readings (as well as places to visit) for each chapter. This essentially combined notes with a bibliography. What's more, the further readings contain a considerable amount of additional information. An added plus is that the book contains some fine color illustrations as well as about 100 black and white images. I'd already read SPQR and Twelve Caesars (both of which I would give five stars), so I was looking forward to reading Emperor of Rome. I enjoyed the book--and it's certainly a worthwhile read. However, Emperor of Rome warrants a rating of four stars: it isn't quite as good as SPQR or Twelve Caesars. ## Images ![Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient World - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/914fJsJobxL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Read for Ancient Rome Enthusiasts *by T***. on December 14, 2023* I'm a big fan of Beard's previous book, SPQR, and this is about the same time period more or less (Julius Caesar to Alexander Severus). Her prose is very readable. For this book, it is helpful if the reader knows something of Roman history as it is arranged by topic, that is, what it was like to be emperor (what were his duties, what was his life like), rather than chronologically. If you don't already know which emperor followed which, it could be confusing (though she provides a list of the emperors at the back of the book). She uses the sources available critically, examining their own motives for writing what they did and the times in which they were writing. Overall, I liked it very much. It's not your typical "history book." ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Another fine book from Mary Beard *by B***. on April 4, 2025* Mary Beard always does a fine job of making ancient Rome interesting and fun to read. The book is very well written and extremely readable. Beard provides an exceptional amount of detail, but hers skill as a writer (as well as her sense of humor) result in a book that's a real pleasure to read. Beard doesn't page-specific footnotes or end notes to provide additional information. She takes a novel approach by providing further readings (as well as places to visit) for each chapter. This essentially combined notes with a bibliography. What's more, the further readings contain a considerable amount of additional information. An added plus is that the book contains some fine color illustrations as well as about 100 black and white images. I'd already read SPQR and Twelve Caesars (both of which I would give five stars), so I was looking forward to reading Emperor of Rome. I enjoyed the book--and it's certainly a worthwhile read. However, Emperor of Rome warrants a rating of four stars: it isn't quite as good as SPQR or Twelve Caesars. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "The emperor in flesh and blood" *by D***N on December 30, 2023* Contrary to what one might expect given the title, Dr. Beard's _Emperor of Rome_ is neither a biography nor a summary of the rule of Roman emperors; rather, it is a brilliant examination of the conventions of imperial rule: the expectations (what made one a "good" emperor"? what was the criteria for a "bad" emperor"), the idea of "emperorship" writ large (how it was understood by not just the Roman elite, but by workaday citizens as well) in addition to an insightful exploration of the difficulties wading through contemporary Roman accounts given the tendency to either suck-up to the current emperor or run-down predecessors. Beard has a difficult task seeking to understand the persons at the center of the empire: what was administration like, what was expected of these people, how were decisions made and communicated and executed - and of particular interest to me, what was the perception and role of the women behind the throne? Beard writes that Roman emperors "present an extreme case of the historian's dilemma. How do we understand the Roman emperor on his own terms, and yet not lose sight of our own moral compass, and our obligation to evaluate, as well as to describe, the past?" I think she has hit the sweet spot in addressing this problem. Writing with humor, expertise and incisive analysis _Emperor of Rome_ is a marvelous history showing the complex and complicated nature of governance as well as providing unique insights into its political culture. Highly recommended, as is her _SPQR_ on the Roman republic. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.kg/products/583974423-emperor-of-rome-ruling-the-ancient-world](https://www.desertcart.kg/products/583974423-emperor-of-rome-ruling-the-ancient-world) --- *Product available on Desertcart Kyrgyzstan* *Store origin: KG* *Last updated: 2026-05-14*