Anthony Blond: A scandalous history of the Roman Emperors

Robinson $29.95

Review: Gilbert Wong

After Ridley Scott's Gladiator we can assume the Circus
Maximus was named after Russell Crowe's character.

Actually it was the biggest show in town and as Rome's
emperors and their subjects grew fatter on their empire, holidays increased until they took up six months of the year.

So the circus or games kept the citizens occupied. Being a gladiator was not much fun, but chariot racers enjoyed a celebrity not unlike present-day top jockeys and they earned good money.

Blond has managed a witty account of these and other amusements that we never heard about when declining Latin verbs on long summer afternoons.