Of the 84 Emperors that ruled Rome between 27BC and 476AD, there have always been those select few that have been recorded in the annals of history as being depraved monsters or seditious usurpers that brought ruin not only to the Empire but also on the people and citizens that lived within its borders. These men included the bloodthirsty, the insane, the unwilling and most notably the weak. Trafford's new book delves into these notorious historical sketches and asks the simple but important question ‘Who were the worst Emperors that Rome ever had?’. Trafford goes beyond the mere historical narrative which was often embellished after the fact to determine who makes the cut and could rightfully claim to be one of the worst Roman Emperors.
In her examination Trafford starts her book with a brief and speedy introduction of the events that led up to the formation of the Empire and the fall of the Republic. And thereafter we see that she has a clear list of 12 rulers that she believes deserve inclusion into that ignominious list of the worst Roman Emperors. Her analysis is not just based on personal opinion but has been backed up by a very solid research methodology that we would employ ourselves today to modern leaders, namely the question of job performance: when a man was presented with the Imperial Purple, what did he do with it? Her list does contain many of the usual suspects that we have read about countless times before, but surprisingly contains new names, names that we would not have associated with that most unsought after sobriquet, like Nerva and Galba. Missing from the list are Nero and Tiberius, who have been regular features when it came to stories of debauchery and maladministration.
The student or new history reader will probably notice something quite different to Trafford's book apart from her choices of bad emperors. Her very style of writing is something unique. It is done with a certain dry wit and humour that most people familiar with the sketches of Monty Python would recognise. Her humour in telling the histories of these mad and bad emperors makes the history very accessible and especially entertaining in a tongue-in-cheek way. One of my personal favourite parts is her retelling of how Didius Julianus bought the position of Roman Emperor after the assassination of Pertinax and then could not pay the Praetorian Guard the outlandish sum he had promised. I love her use of innuendo both sexual and otherwise to engage readers and make them laugh. For me laughter and enjoyment are key concepts when you want to remember historical events because cut and dry facts do take the fun out of reading and learning Ancient History especially if you are a student or a teacher trying to inculcate a love for history.
Trafford, when choosing her list of worst emperors, reserves the label of the worst of the worst to those rulers who basically did nothing. They had greatness thrust upon them and then sat back and watched. I like to call these men the spectator emperors. They merely watched the world go by and more often than not met with terrible and violent ends. These men are particularly guilty of being bad emperors as they left the Roman Empire in a far worse state than when they inherited it or claimed the role of Emperor. The reader would be right in thinking that Trafford's book reads a bit like a salacious tabloid article (indeed, another review of this book also makes mention of this fact). And what is for me quite amusing is that Trafford herself agreed with that assessment of the style. Those readers that are not familiar with Trafford's books might be quite surprised by the way that she renders history to the page. But I find her method to be quite refreshing in carrying over information to a new or a student readership that desperately need that one book that will make them fall in love with Ancient History.
The strongest skill that Trafford uses in her book, besides her historical and research acumen, is her use of classic British humour. Given that self-deprecating style that is both witty and engaging, a smart way of engaging an audience that is tired of dusty tomes and overly academic works, this book in no way makes history out to be just a form of slapstick comedy either. Ancient Rome's Worst Emperors is well thought-out and structured; the narrative doesn't get stuck with one type of joke over and over like so many other history books do. The best way to describe Trafford's new book is clever. Clever in its use of facts, clever in its delivery and clever in creating a desire in the reader for the book not to end or at least that a second volume hopefully will be written.
I wrote earlier in this review that a new and especially a student readership is looking for that one book that will make them fall in love with the study of Ancient History. To my mind this book checks all the boxes with regards the requirements of such a book. Funny, smart and engaging, it sets the tone for history books for a new readership and even for a seasoned readership that might be looking for something different and new. I for one cannot wait for the next instalment that Trafford will bring to the market. I have no doubt that she will continue to entertain and enthral us with the ways that the Roman citizens and their Emperors behaved, thus ensuring that Ancient History will remain a vibrant topic for all publishers and readers alike.
Open access
