How Long to Read The Lives of the Twelve Caesars

How Long Does it Take to Read The Lives of the Twelve Caesars?

It takes the average reader 5 hours and 14 minutes to read The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Tranquillus

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquillus; - To which are added, His lives of the Grammarians, Rhetoricians, and Poets. - The Translation of Alexander Thomson, M.D. - Revised and corrected by T.Forester, Esq., A.M. De vita Caesarum (Latin; literal translation: About the Life of the Caesars) commonly known as The Twelve Caesars, is a set of twelve biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors of the Roman Empire written by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus. The work, written in AD 121 during the reign of the emperor Hadrian, was the most popular work of Suetonius, at that time Hadrian's personal secretary, and is the largest among his surviving writings. It was dedicated to a friend, the Praetorian prefect Gaius Septicius Clarus. The Twelve Caesars is considered very significant in antiquity and remains a primary source on Roman history. The book discusses the significant and critical period of the Principate from the end of the Republic to the reign of Domitian; comparisons are often made with Tacitus whose surviving works document a similar period. The book can be described as racy, packed with gossip, dramatic and sometimes amusing. There are times the author subjectively expresses his opinion and knowledge. Though he was never a senator, Suetonius took the side of the Senate in most conflicts with the princeps, as well as the senators' views of the emperor. This resulted in biases, both conscious and unconscious. Suetonius lost access to the official archives shortly after beginning his work. He was forced to rely on second-hand accounts when it came to Claudius (with the exception of Augustus' letters which had been gathered earlier) and does not quote the emperor. Despite this, it provides valuable information on the heritage, personal habits, physical appearance, lives and political careers of the first Roman Emperors. It mentions details that other sources do not. For example, Suetonius is the main source on the life of Caligula, his uncle Claudius, and the heritage of Vespasian (the relevant sections of the Annals by his contemporary Tacitus being lost). Suetonius made a reference in this work to "Chrestus", which may refer to "Christ". During the book on Nero, Suetonius mentions a sect known as the Christians (see Historicity of Jesus). Like many of his contemporaries, Suetonius took omens seriously and carefully includes reports of omens portending Imperial births, accessions and deaths.

How long is The Lives of the Twelve Caesars?

The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Tranquillus is 312 pages long, and a total of 78,624 words.

This makes it 105% the length of the average book. It also has 96% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read The Lives of the Twelve Caesars Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 7 hours and 9 minutes to read The Lives of the Twelve Caesars aloud.

What Reading Level is The Lives of the Twelve Caesars?

The Lives of the Twelve Caesars is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy The Lives of the Twelve Caesars?

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