Dorian Bond

Augustus and Tiberius; Caligula, Claudius and Nero – we can all name a Roman emperor or two.But what about the philosopher Marcus Aurelius musing in his favourite villa on the Danube in Austria?How about the wretched Valerian, used as a mounting block for the King of Persia before being flayed alive?Or Elagabalus, the sun-worshipping transgender emperor?He who took the poisoned chalice of the Imperial purple was feared and respected. But these were no ordinary rulers. Ambitious, cunning, ruthless and cruel, fear was their watchword and raw power, through the dangerous Praetorian Guard and the legendary legions, their enforcer. Few died peacefully in bed.Rome and her emperors were anything but ‘little’, but The Little Book of Roman Emperors packs them all in with a punch – discover both the key players and lesser-known figures behind one of the greatest empires ever known. Full of fascinating insights, this compendium is essential reading for everyone interested in the history of Rome.

The answer to the question posed on the left is Belisarius, who became known to history as ''the last of the Romans''. But how many can honestly say they know much about this man, who, as well as being the victor at the Battle of Dara that brought peace to Persia, suppressed an uprising at the hippodrome in Constantinople by massacring 30,000? The same can be said of Albrecht von Wallenstein, Supreme Commander of the Habsburg Armies during the bloody Thirty Years War - the first ''World War''; and Maurice de Saxe, Marshal of France, one of the most successful Generals of the 18th century. Author Dorian Bond''s meticulous selection of military leaders reveals what it is to be a General - and how circumstance can write even the greatest out of history. Count Suvarov, the last Generalissimus of the Russian Empire, never lost a battle. Ennobled by both Catherine the Great and the Emperor Joseph II and undoubtedly one of the greatest commanders in history, he was exiled, recalled to fight the French revolutionary forces in Italy to great effect, but died forgotten in St Petersburg in 1800.What did General Sir Richard O''Connor do in the Second World War? He took Tobruk and half of Libya, capturing 100,000 prisoners, 400 tanks and 1,000 guns. So why is he nowhere near as famous as Montgomery? The author answers this and many other questions about leadership and fame in these dozen portraits gleaned from primary sources.