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Turns out, juicy gossip is timeless. Scandals, power struggles, and outrageous rulers behaving badly? That's the kind of content people always want to read about, even if it's from nearly 2,000 years ago.
Enter The Lives of the Caesars, a book originally written by the Roman historian Suetonius in the early second century, which has just landed on the Sunday Times bestseller list. That's right—a book about Julius Caesar and the first 11 Roman emperors, detailing their most scandalous misdeeds, is now officially competing with modern nonfiction hits.
Why? Because some things never change. People love reading about the rich and powerful behaving badly, and as it turns out, the emperors of Rome were just as dramatic as today's politicians—if not more so. This isn't just a history book; it's an ancient gossip column, packed with enough backstabbing, affairs, and political intrigue to put House of Cards and Succession to shame.
The book, newly translated from Latin by historian Tom Holland (No, Not THAT Tom Holland, we're talking about the co-host of 'The Rest Is History' podcast), was published by Penguin Classics on February 13. Less than a week later, it became the first nonfiction Penguin Classics title to ever crack the bestseller list. Holland himself seems amused by the whole thing, saying he's "delighted for Suetonius" to finally get his moment in the spotlight—2,000 years later.
But why is The Lives of the Caesars having a moment right now? Well, for one, interest in ancient Rome is surging, partly thanks to the viral internet trend where women asked men how often they think about the Roman Empire (answer: a lot). But there's also something deeper at play. According to Holland, our modern understanding of power, politics, and leadership is still heavily influenced by Rome. The American political system, for example, was modeled after the Roman Republic—a republic that famously collapsed into autocracy. With modern political anxieties rising, it's no wonder people are looking back at the past for insight into how power can shift.
And let's be real—the book's biggest selling point is that it's wildly entertaining. Suetonius didn't just write dry historical accounts; he documented all the juicy details. Who was cruel? Who was incompetent? Who had bizarre personal habits? The book reads like an ancient version of TMZ, packed with enough shocking revelations to keep readers hooked.
So if you're in the mood for some 2,000-year-old drama, maybe it's time to pick up a copy. Because apparently, scandal never goes out of style.