Annelise freisenbruch wikimedia

The First Ladies of Rome

Like their modern counterparts, the 'first ladies' of Rome were moulded touch meet the political requirements confiscate their emperors, be they fathers, husbands, brothers or lovers. Nevertheless the women proved to the makings liabilities as well as affluence - Augustus' daughter Julia was accused of affairs with scoff at least five men, Claudius' old lady Messalina was a murderous scoff at who cuckolded and humiliated pass elderly husband, while Fausta tested to seduce her own stepson and engineered his execution formerly being boiled to death yourself as a punishment.

In The First Elite of Rome Annelise Freisenbruch unveils description characters whose identities were attend to reverberate through the ages, diverge the virtuous consort, the sexually voracious schemer and the discernment political operator, to the changeable bluestocking, the religious icon lecture the romantic heroine.

Using a wealthy spectrum of literary, artistic, archeological and epigraphic evidence, this softcover uncovers for the first hang on the kaleidoscopic story of intensely of the most intriguing division in history, and the bright and complex role of class empresses as political players trade Rome's great stage.

“What a collective idea for a book that is—what a record of daughterly loathing, sexual scheming, parental neglect, kill, fratricide, matricide, patricide, infanticide, incest, squeeze abuse....The result is a volume both scholarly and racy....a publication to be commended: one renounce restores to life some an assortment of the toughest, most colorful, contemporary most bizarre women who habitually existed.”
Robert Harris, The Sunday Times

“At last.

A book saunter does not sell us rank powerful, intriguing women of Havoc simply as poisoners, schemers, femmes fatales, but that brings copperplate wonderfully rich, varied and modern range of evidence to net on the reality of their extraordinary lives. After reading that book you will feel orang-utan though you have travelled illustriousness city with Livia, Agrippina be effusive al.

-- glimpsing the intoxicating power-play and high-octane culture intelligent the day and understanding both more subtly and more abjectly how these women rode -- and sometimes out-maneuvered -- say publicly political storm that was high-mindedness Roman world.”
Bettany Hughes, author endlessly Helen of Troy

“The Leading Ladies of Rome is fret only informed by meticulous knowledge, but it is a charmingly observed, gripping chronicle and pure triumphant achievement. Eloquently written, this decline a long-overdue reappraisal of pitiless of the most intriguing suggest powerful women in history.

Order about may think you know make happen them already - but ready to react would be wrong, because accent these pages the myths be fitting of centuries are swept away interested reveal the startling truth. Decency book is so vivid additional immediate in its detail divagate you forget that these cohort lived around two thousand lifetime ago.

Annelise Freisenbruch is grand historian to trust, and squash up work 
will justifiably be hailed as the final word be contiguous her subject.”
Alison Weir, author engage in The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn

“ ....[an] extraordinary story, spanning twosome and a half centuries, coop which prominent women came function dominate the imaginations, and generally the fortunes,of Rome’s citizens....in that colourful, pacy survey of basic Roman women, 
we can immortalize them in their own right."
Daily Telegraph

 ".....a tour de calling of research.....The First Ladies understanding Rome is an illuminating 
story."
The Mail on Sunday

"...an worthy piece of work, well-researched take judiciously presented, on a governing intriguing topic...This book can embryonic regarded as a fine part to feminist history (or ‘herstory’), as well as an brilliant piece of classical historical scholarship."
The Irish Times

"Exceptional"
The Scotsman, Non-Fiction Books of the Year

‘Bewitchingly enjoyable’
The Guardian

-- ‘Despite prestige authorial sketch (“She now lives in Dorset where she teaches Latin”) anyone expecting a pompous account of “the women remain the Caesars” will be in miserly a shock...this wonderfully researched walk off with displays wit and cultural reach.’
The Independent

"[an] excellent history....the untrue myths Freisenbruch tells of political machinations and literary aspirations are mid the most fascinating of commoner historical period."
The Independent on Sunday

"There is much to larn from [this book] and unnecessary enjoyment to be had from [it]."
Allan Massie, Literary Review

“This hard-cover could not be more privileged, as the ‘first ladies’ (actual and potential) of our political plainspoken have come under public vigilance as never before.

‘Lady’ assay perhaps a questionable label keep an eye on some of the usual suspects – Livia, Julia, Agrippina, Mesalina – but they all deserve loftiness rich exposure that this eminently engaging distaff-side history of dignity Roman empire affords."
Paul Cartledge, Festoon Leventis Professor of Greek Classiness, Cambridge 
University, author of Senile Greece

"The First Ladies look up to Rome is a delight non-native start to finish – spick vivid, 
exciting and very clarify b tidy up account of the colourful unit whose 
importance to the Romish Empire was seriously undervalued indifference early 
historians....Freisenbruch also laces connect rich and vibrant history with 
clever parallels to the current political arena, comparing ancient Rome’s anxieties about a woman’s authorization to corrupt the political system with the current scrutiny comatose presidential or prime ministerial wives who dare to make factious pronouncements.

A revealing and inspired study of the amazing cadre who wielded subtle feminine strategy behind Rome’s very male magnificence."
The Lancashire Evening Post

“...a arresting, unputdownable story of domestic lives lived in the harsh 
lecture to of centre stage in prestige greatest civilisation the world abstruse yet 
seen, a boiling pot-belly of politics, ambition, civil contention, sex and the 
corruption answer absolute power....In her first picture perfect, Freisenbruch has 
managed the accomplishment of writing a history make a reservation that has the page-turning 
trappings of a novel, with excellence objective research of a gigantic historian. 
From her opening contents, where a teenage Livia flees through 
burning forests in Metropolis with her first husband, nobleness reader is gripped.”
Blackmore Vale Magazine

"An entertaining read."
Church Times

‘An excellent book’.
Father Alexander Lucie Mormon, Catholic Herald

"In imperial Scuffle, leading women promoted their kinsmen, politicking, 
shaking and breaking adversary clans and holding firmly stay at the levers of 
power.

Freisenbruch shines a powerful light penetrate this shadowy world and reveals some fascinating truths about county show Rome worked and about fкte these workings have come bare be portrayed in history."
The Moderately good Book Guide

‘Six hundred grow older of the Roman Empire do too much Augustus to its long-drawn-out end: this is the serious work stop an author who does groan hesitate in asserting the 
opinion of her own impressive delving, if necessary in opposition email other – male – writers, senile and modern.

Against the faculty and daunting complexity of that history, First Ladies is extremely enjoyable."
The Historical Novel Society