Domitian, Emperor of Rome AD 81-96, has traditionally been portrayed as a tyrant, and his later years on the throne as a `reign of terror'. Brian Jones' biography of the emperor, the first ever in English, offers a more balanced interpretation of the life of Domitian, arguing that his foreign policy was realistic, his economic programme rigorously efficient and his supposed persecution of the early Christians non-existent. Central to an understanding of the emperor's policies, Brian Jones proposes, is his relationship with ...
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Domitian, Emperor of Rome AD 81-96, has traditionally been portrayed as a tyrant, and his later years on the throne as a `reign of terror'. Brian Jones' biography of the emperor, the first ever in English, offers a more balanced interpretation of the life of Domitian, arguing that his foreign policy was realistic, his economic programme rigorously efficient and his supposed persecution of the early Christians non-existent. Central to an understanding of the emperor's policies, Brian Jones proposes, is his relationship with his court, rather than with the senate. Roamn historians will have to take account of this new biography which in part represents a rehabilitation of Domitian.
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Add this copy of The Emperor Domitian to cart. $71.48, new condition, Sold by Booksplease rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Southport, MERSEYSIDE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1993 by Routledge.
Add this copy of The Emperor Domitian to cart. $91.47, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hialeah, FL, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Routledge.
Add this copy of The Emperor Domitian to cart. $109.79, new condition, Sold by GridFreed rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from North Las Vegas, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Routledge.
Add this copy of The Emperor Domitian to cart. $136.49, new condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hialeah, FL, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Routledge.
There aren't very many biographies of the emperor Domitian (reigned 81-96), so you have to take what can get. The good: This is reasonably up-to-date (the author mentions that the last previous biography had been published almost a hundred years ago) and informative. The bad: But it's very, very dry. It focuses narrowly on the textual evidence concerning the politics of Domitian's reign, and there's nothing on the social/artistic/literary context. So Martial, Statius, Pliny, and other Silver Age authors are only mentioned in passing for whatever biographical snippets they can provide.
I can't recommend reading this for pleasure: you have to be really interested in the details of Roman history to appreciate this. I'm wondering if I should have read Pat Southern's "Domitian: Tragic Tyrant," one of the few other recent biographies, instead.
