Domina: The Women Who Made Imperial Rome

Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero – these are the names history associates with the early Roman Empire. Yet, not a single one of these emperors was the blood son of his predecessor. In this captivating history, a prominent scholar of the era documents the Julio-Claudian women whose bloodline, ambition, and ruthlessness made it possible for the emperors` line to continue. Eminent scholar Guy de la Bedoyere, author of "Praetorian", asserts that the women behind the scenes – including Livia, Octavia, and the elder and younger Agrippina – were the true backbone of the dynasty. De la Bedoyere draws on the accounts of ancient Roman historians to revisit a familiar time from a completely fresh vantage point. Anyone who enjoys "I, Claudius" will be fascinated by this study of dynastic power and gender interplay in ancient Rome.