Project Gutenberg
2004-12-13
Public domain in the USA.
124
Suetonius
Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius
Forester, Thomas
Forester, T. (Thomas)
Thomson, Alexander, M.D.
The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Volume 09: Vitellius
Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Caesars
Produced by Tapio Riikonen and David Widger
"The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Volume 09: Vitellius" by Suetonius is a historical account written in the early 2nd century, during the Roman Empire. This book provides a biographical glimpse into the life and reign of Aulus Vitellius, the Roman Emperor, detailing his origins, character, and the events that led to his rise and fall. It captures the intrigues, excesses, and brutalities characteristic of Roman imperial rule while reflecting on the broader context of power struggles during this tumultuous period in history. The work begins by exploring the ambiguous origins of the Vitellian family, detailing Vitellius's extravagance, gluttony, and moral depravity, which earned him notoriety among both peers and the populace. Suetonius provides anecdotes about his relationship with previous emperors, his rise to power after Galba's death, and how he ascended through the military ranks. However, despite strong initial favor from the troops and some notable attempts at governance, Vitellius's rule quickly descends into debauchery, cruelty, and public contempt. His eventual downfall comes at the hands of his enemies, leading to a graphic and humiliating execution, underlining the ephemeral nature of power in Ancient Rome. The narrative not only chronicles the life of an emperor but serves as a cautionary tale about the excesses of leadership and the volatility of political fortune. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 55.9 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
en
Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-284 A.D.
Emperors -- Rome -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
DG
Text
Category: Biographies
Category: History - Ancient
63427
2025-07-03T07:29:50.237466
text/html
63248
2025-01-09T22:56:32.741603
text/html
118504
2025-07-03T07:29:55.417431
application/epub+zip
117319
2025-07-03T07:29:53.293473
application/epub+zip
91043
2025-07-03T07:29:52.204444
application/epub+zip
309907
2025-07-03T07:29:56.918458
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
302477
2025-07-03T07:29:54.747467
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
238756
2022-09-03T11:39:15.417266
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
53615
2025-07-03T07:29:50.025452
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
53295
2020-12-29T15:44:17
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
18272
2025-07-03T07:29:57.046422
application/rdf+xml
22489
2025-07-03T07:29:52.690441
image/jpeg
4636
2025-07-03T07:29:52.446444
image/jpeg
21138
2020-12-29T15:44:17
application/octet-stream
application/zip
118373
2025-07-03T07:29:50.243477
application/octet-stream
application/zip
Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at
https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog
en.wikipedia