Oxbow says: Many will be familiar with the name Philip Matyszak through his book The Enemies of Rome (2004). This time, he turns his attention away from Rome's enemies, to consider Rome's leaders and the rise and fall of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. The Julio-Claudian dynasty, which began with the rise of Julius Caesar in the 1st century BC and ended with the death of Nero in AD68, was powerful and successful but the family was also bloodstained, tragic and doomed. Philip Matyszak tells the story of imperial Rome's first dynasty through the lives of six men, Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Gaius Caligula, Claudius and Nero, set against the background of the changing social and political climate in Rome, foreign wars, the strain of an expanding empire, domestic crises and disputes, and rivalries for power. Through these men, Matyszak reveals how the transition from Republic to Rome becoming 'a private family possession' was achieved, and how it was maintained for so long. He examines the problems facing each emperor, how they dealt with the senate, the people, the army, the ambitions of their own family and the problem of the succession, and discusses the main themes and events of the reign, as well as each emperor's legacy. Well written, insightful and a great read.