Nero / illustration BEE

Messalina part 2 / illustration BEE

Messalina / BEE

Agrippina / BEE

illustration / Bee

Forward

Rome. The name of the eternal city where a violent and vibrant society conquered and ruled the Mediterranean for nigh two thousand years. When we think of Rome, we naturally conjure images of Julius Caesar, the Coliseum, and the gladiator. We might even think about the gods and goddesses they borrowed and imported, the architectural wonders like the arch, the aqueduct, and a sewer system that still runs underneath the city nearly three thousand years since its creation. We might even give a nod to the children and grandchildren of the Latin language: French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian.

But who were the Romans?

Much like us, most Romans lived in cities, raised families, complained bitterly about crazy or inept politicians, traffic, and taxes. They enjoyed comedies, thrilled at the sight of pain inflicted remorselessly on others (one has only to watch an episode of American Idol or shows of that ilk to see this reflected in our society), and worshipped celebrities lavishly.

But what about the rich elite? They have galvanized our attention for centuries, with unbelievable audacity, galling stupidity, and at times chilling cruelty. The plight of the common Roman is as commonplace as today, but the rich!...nary a crowd would gather to watch an acrobat walking across a string five inches above the ground, but raise the string to fifty feet, and underneath will be a mob.

While most of the time Rome remained fairly stable, peaceful, and calm, what fun was there in that? This book shows you the foibles, the peccadilloes, and the excesses that the rich Romans of influence and power committed.

Let us turn the pages and revel in the madness, in the sordid, in the wicked fun.

But remember, gentle reader: we aren’t so far removed from ancient Rome as we would like.

Kyle Christopher Smith 2010
illustrator BEE 2010