Behind Caesar's Back

A thrilling exploration of what Romans thought about their emperors, and how rumours and gossip—ranging from new taxes to rulers' sex lives—shaped leadership.

Traversing more than seven hundred years of Roman history, Behind Caesar's Back explores how everyday Romans swapped gossip, spread rumours, told jokes, and chanted protests about their emperors—activity that amounted to much more than idle chatter. Caillan Davenport uses ancient evidence, including letters, graffiti, and songs, to reveal how Romans engaged in politics outside the senate house or imperial council. He argues that the idea of the Roman emperor was shaped not only by the political powers granted to him but also by the debate taking place in the streets, churches, taverns, and markets.

Davenport reveals how Romans spoke about the emperor as a figure of stability, as an agent of justice and retribution, or as a fallible human. Although few would ever see an emperor, his face (and therefore his power) was everywhere: on coins, banners, standards, and even dessert moulds, as well as in statuary and paintings. While most Romans did not question the transformation of their republic into a monarchical system of government, they were indeed invested in the empire and were in constant discussion about the type of ruler they had, wanted, and deserved.