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Biographies of 2nd century emperors
#1
Are there any modern biographies out there for Antoninus Pius, Lucius Verus or Commodus?
David J. Cord
www.davidcord.com
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#2
Hi David!

This book / summary you probably know already?:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Antonines-Roman ... 470&sr=1-4
Virilis / Jyrki Halme
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#3
Terve!

I haven't read that, but I did find it when I was doing some internet searches. That seems to be the only thing I could find. I have some other stuff from Michael Grant which I enjoyed, so I'll have to get that one.

I am a bit surprised that there is nothing out there for Antoninus Pius. Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius seem to be popular, so why nothing for him? Maybe it is because his reign was less eventful. I would also love to see something about Verus. To me he seems under-rated. Birley covers him a bit in his Marcus biography, though.
David J. Cord
www.davidcord.com
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#4
Quote:Are there any modern biographies out there for Antoninus Pius, Lucius Verus or Commodus?
For Commodus, there's Olivier Hekster's book. It is not bad, but not methodologically groundbreaking either. I was surprised that it was accepted as a Ph.D. thesis.

http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2003/2003-07-11.html
Jona Lendering
Relevance is the enemy of history
My website
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#5
Quote:
Virilis:a282waua Wrote:This book / summary you probably know already?: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Antonines-Roman ... 470&sr=1-4
I haven't read that, ... I have some other stuff from Michael Grant which I enjoyed, so I'll have to get that one.
Michael Grant has written some great books in the past. But this isn't one of them. It's very short and very superficial.
posted by Duncan B Campbell
https://ninth-legion.blogspot.com/
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#6
Thanks, Duncan. That's a shame: that book was on the top of my list.
David J. Cord
www.davidcord.com
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#7
Quote:That's a shame: that book was on the top of my list.
By all means read it, David -- it won't take long. One reviewer called it "a condensed and rich overview" (Hist. Zeitschr. 264, 1997), which may be just what you want.
posted by Duncan B Campbell
https://ninth-legion.blogspot.com/
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#8
Michael Grant is one of the best populizers of history to my knowledge. He has made many good overviews on roman and greek worlds. Btw, is he still working?
Virilis / Jyrki Halme
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#9
Quote:Btw, is he still working?
Died in 2004: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/25/obituaries/
posted by Duncan B Campbell
https://ninth-legion.blogspot.com/
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#10
Quote:
Virilis:1vn3rjyw Wrote:Btw, is he still working?
Died in 2004: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/25/obituaries/

Cry
Virilis / Jyrki Halme
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