Mad, Bad, and Deadly: Power in the Hands of Infamous Roman Emperors

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Hedonistic, debauched, corrupt, sadistic and cruel would describe the 1^st-Century Roman Emperors Caligula and Nero. Both men became rulers of the largest empire in the world in their late teens and neither could manage to keep that power under control.

Caligula proclaimed himself to be a god, and as a god he could take life at a whim as he pleased, and he did. He turned his palace into a brothel, bedded his sisters and prostituted them. He squandered taxes and would expect Romans to commit suicide and bequeath their estates to the Emperor.

Nero also practiced omnipotence over life and death. He divorced his wife and handed her head as a gift to his second. He would use humans as torches at banquets and fornicate with the wives of his senators.

Last man standing after political and literal bloodshed, Vespasian came to power. He possessed a different morality than we would expect in the 21st century; He had the wisdom and survival skills to become a “hero forged in the flames of battle.” Was Vespasian able to bring sanity back to Rome?

Robert Fabbri is the acclaimed author of the Vespasian novels series, and with his outstanding detailed research he manages to create the world of the godlike emperors, when life was at peril of the whims of immature, power crazy, incompetent young men, whose egos were more fragile than a leaf in the wind. Robert joins Ancient Origins Premium for an eye-opening In-Depth Interview.

Robert Fabbri was born in Geneva in 1961. He read Drama and Theatre at London University and worked in film and TV for 25 years as an assistant director. He has worked on productions such as Hornblower, Hellraiser, Patriot Games, and Billy Elliot. His life-long passion for ancient history inspired him to write the Vespasian series. He writes in his study in Berlin surrounded by research books, a load of Historical Fiction, as well as his 3,500 hand-painted lead soldiers. He lives in London and Berlin. The Vespasian series covers the life of the Roman soldier turned Emperor. Vespasian survived the reigns of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero and commissioned the Colosseum to be built. Robert Fabbri is also the creator of The Crossroads Brotherhood Trilogy, giving an insight into the life of organized crime and protection in 1st century Rome and the trials and tribulations of Marcus Salvius Magnus, Vespasian’s unofficial bodyguard and friend.