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Agrippina: The Most Extraordinary Woman of the Roman World Hardcover – August 6, 2019

by Emma Southon (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 169 ratings
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Sister of Caligula. Wife of Claudius. Mother of Nero. The story of Agrippina, at the center of imperial power for three generations, is the story of the Julio-Claudia dynasty―and of Rome itself, at its bloody, extravagant, chaotic, ruthless, and political zenith.

In her own time, she was recognized as a woman of unparalleled power. Beautiful and intelligent, she was portrayed as alternately a ruthless murderer and helpless victim, the most loving mother and the most powerful woman of the Roman empire, using sex, motherhood, manipulation, and violence to get her way, and single-minded in her pursuit of power for herself and her son, Nero.

This book follows Agrippina as a daughter, born in Cologne, to the expected heir to Augustus’s throne; as a sister to Caligula who raped his sisters and showered them with honors until they attempted rebellion against him and were exiled; as a seductive niece and then wife to Claudius who gave her access to near unlimited power; and then as a mother to Nero―who adored her until he had  her assassinated.

Through senatorial political intrigue, assassination attempts, and exile to a small island, to the heights of imperial power, thrones, and golden cloaks and games and adoration, Agrippina scaled the absolute limits of female power in Rome. Her biography is also the story of the first Roman imperial family―the Julio-Claudians―and of the glory and corruption of the empire itself.

8 pages of color illustrations
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  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pegasus Books
  4. Publication date
    August 6, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    6.3 x 1.1 x 9.3 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1643130781
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1643130781
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A lively and intermittently potty-mouthed biography of Nero's remarkable mother contains fascinating vignettes of Roman life, and explores why Roman authors wrote about women in the way that they did.”
- The New Statesman (A Best Book of the Year)

“A remarkable biography. Southon delivers her research and speculations with enormous wit, a feminist outlook, and charming vulgarity. This sassy biography will rope in even those who think they’re not interested in ancient Rome.”
- Publishers Weekly

“Southon tells a saucy story about one woman against a very angry male world that threw every imaginable accusation against her when she stepped out of line in Roman society. It’s also a triumphant story about her rising above and bending that world to her will. As with most stories about those who toy with absolute power, it doesn’t end well. But before the inevitable, Southon is determined to make this a rollicking tour of Agrippina and her world.”
- Open Letters Monthly

About the Author

Emma Southon has a PhD in Ancient History from the University of Birmingham and researches subjects of sex, the family, gender, and religion. She holds a long running obsession with the bad guys of the Roman empire, blogs at Agrippinilla.com, and tweets at @NuclearTeeth. She lives in England.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pegasus Books; 1st edition (August 6, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1643130781
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1643130781
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.3 x 1.1 x 9.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 169 ratings

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Emma Southon

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
169 global ratings
There are not enough stars for this effervescent book!
5 Stars
There are not enough stars for this effervescent book!
Emma Southon combines deep erudition with a cheerful, intimate, breezy style of writing that is magnetic. Her purpose is to describe the real Agrippina, insofar as that is possible, given that the 3 main sources on her - Tacitus, Suetonius, Cassius Dio - have deep agendas biases & prejudices that obscure their subjects, especially when those subjects are women.Southon is such a gifted story-teller that the reader is riveted by a subject that many regard as inherently dry and confusing. For names that haven't been mentioned in awhile she gives a reminder - 'Vitellius, he of the shoe-fetish', etc. (Vitellius was such a suck-up that he begged for one of Messalina's shoes, then carried it around inside his toga, sometimes taking it out to kiss it in public.) Agrippina emerges as a real woman, not necessarily flawless, but not the incestuous corrupt poisoner of the historians. Along the way, many other Roman women are similarly rehabilitated, including even the eventually very unlucky Messalina.Southon's language is often salty in a completely refreshing way. Should history be pompous and vanilla? No. And many thanks to the publisher and editors for realizing how much life can be breathed into ancient history by a few good old Anglo-Saxon accuracies rather than euphemisms.I recommend this book to anyone who has wondered what real hearts beat behind the toxic pastiche descriptions of prominent Roman women that we get from the agenda-driven ancient historians. I could not put it down. I hated for it to end. I want to take a class with Professor Southon, but she lives a gazillion miles from me.What an achievement! Can't wait for her next book.
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Top reviews from the United States

Very satisfied - Book delivery & condition as advertised. Beautiful dual Greek-English language edition.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and Entertaining Story
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2023
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What a biography! The elite Roman aristocrat Agrippina had it all - great beauty, conspicuous glamour, wealth, power and a pedigree to die for. She was also loved by the public, feared by politicians and hated by rivals. Agrippina was the driving force - for better or worse - behind many of the 'great' men who ran the empire. In many ways, Agrippina was a more contemporary version of the cunning and extremely dangerous seductress Cleopatra VII, who cavorted with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony years earlier.

21st Century political intrigues and sex scandals have nothing on Agrippina. She was the elite member of an ancient sorority of sirens who wrote the textbook on such matters. As much as any high-ranking man, she influenced the direction of Roman history. Her life, despite its many sordid, cruel and treacherous intersections, is nevertheless an inspiration. Agrippina demonstrates the power of human perserverance, committment, resourcefulness and vision to achieve almost anything.

Thanks to seller - book arrived fast, on time and in perfect condition. abh
2 people found this helpful
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Webweaver
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2023
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The last 50 pages were captivating. The descriptions of some of the players was a bit salacious, but the book was very informative, especially regarding the day to day activities of the key players in the empire.
In some respects, it was the repeat of stereotypical history of Rome: mayhem, murder, sex, power. Sounds a little like today's modern society. Nonetheless, it is a great read, and adds much to the charcyer of politics of that period. Highly recommended. Made for Hollywood.
2 people found this helpful
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Bruce E. Wilson
4.0 out of 5 stars Not your typical historian
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2019
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A laugh a minute, while still telling the story of an extraordinary woman in ancient Rome.
10 people found this helpful
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Jay Paul Swacker
5.0 out of 5 stars Delightfully Enlightening
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2021
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An amusing and incisive look at both the life of Agrippina and the treatment of women both in the Roman empire and by historians. Also--Emma hosts one of my favorite podcasts--History is Sexy. Both are very much worth your time. I look forward to getting A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
One person found this helpful
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leann kist
5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant examination of a powerful Roman woman
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2023
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Southon breathes new life into her subject by wading through the unreliable sources and giving us a more authentic version of the astonishing Agrippina. Couldn't put it down; wish we had more biographies like this.
One person found this helpful
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OctoAlex
5.0 out of 5 stars A very readable history
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2021
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I appreciated learning not only about the subject, but about the path of research. The knowledge accumulation that went into this book is mind boggling. Thank the Old Gods for people like Emma Southon doing all of this hard work for us to be entertained.
4 people found this helpful
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Jennifer Ann Barninger
1.0 out of 5 stars Awful Way to Write History
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2019
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I was so looking forward to reading a history of Agrippina the Younger, one of the most controversial women in Roman history. I was hoping for an interesting read about probable fact vs probable fiction of her life and legacy.

Unfortunately it’s very clear the author has an axe to grind against men in general. Every single man she mentions is routinely and viciously mocked and ridiculed, any achievements they did are either summarily dismissed, attributed to a woman or ignored entirely.

It’s absolutely ridiculous and a complete embarrassment to have history presented in such a fashion. There is absolutely no attempt at neutrality in any way. All men are evil, greedy, stupid or morons, all women are good, misunderstood and trodden upon by the formentioned evil men.

I have no problem with books about women and their very significant if admittedly overlooked role in the Roman Empire. But have some measure of neutrality instead of an obvious overly radical feminist agenda. Check out Domina, a book about the women in the Julia-Claudia’s line if you want a book that actually takes a fair look at women in Roman history

Roman historians with any measure of respectability should be embarrassed this was even published.
60 people found this helpful
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Andrew D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Agrippina is more important than men dead for thousands of years would have you know.
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2020
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This book is fantastic. It’s an accessible, fun trip through Roman history’s utter madness, and with a clear (and different) viewpoint on Agrippina and her legacy. Five stars, would read again, especially for the phrase “Julio-Claudia Clusterf*ck”.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Lubu
5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 3, 2023
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Brilliant. Excellent lively reading that makes history enjoyable. Highly recommended!
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Megan
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2023
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Such an incredible book, very well researched and delivers the history in a really entertaining way whilst exploring the issues with the way that women are represented in ancient history, I bought another 2 copies for my teachers, you could easily read this with minimal knowledge in the era as she explains everything very well.
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Richard Coulson
1.0 out of 5 stars Don't bother
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2023
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Gave up after chapter one. Found the author's style smug and irritating. Julia the Elder banished for rowdy parties with boys and peeing on the rostrum? Agrippina the Elder and Germanicus bonking all the time and her pelvic floor being ruined? If you seriously want to know about Agrippina, read Barrett which is without the immature asides.
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Millie
5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful and interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2021
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I am writing about Agrippina the Younger for my EPQ for my alevels and needed a book which would compile everything I needed to know. Southon's book has been an entertaining read and a godsend as she references primary sources as well as adding a feminist outlook onto the life of Agrippina. It is witty and informative.
This book definately has a slight bias so if your looking for an unbiased account of Agrippina's life (which I think is impossible to do) then this book may not interest you.
But I would definitely recommend if you're interested in women of the early Roman Empire.
3 people found this helpful
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bookishcharli
5.0 out of 5 stars The best Roman woman.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 20, 2021
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I love this book almost as much as I love Agrippina. She’s my favourite Roman woman for so many reasons, and this book is a wonderful source of knowledge about her life.
2 people found this helpful
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