Lives of the Caesars
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Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius gets recommended on The Rest Is History, with transcript quotes, timestamps, and episode context.
Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius appears 6 times across 6 podcast episodes on 1 show, with transcript quotes and timestamps.
“So if people want to make up their own minds, what they should do is to buy Tom's new translation of Suetonius's book, The Lives of the Caesars.”
Why people keep bringing this up
The Rest Is History has returned to Suetonius’s The Lives of the Caesars across three episodes (340, 534, 537), using the text both as a source of striking anecdote and as a personal touchstone. In episode 340 the hosts quote Suetonius’s characterizations of Claudius and Galba’s sexual lives, showing the book’s role as a repository of pointed imperial descriptions. In episode 534 a host recalls reading the work at a young age and emphasizes the strength of its content and its lasting personal impact, which explains why the title resurfaces in conversation beyond strictly academic contexts.
Episode 537 treats the book as a current publishing event: the episode explicitly mentions “Tom’s new translation of Suetonius’s book, The Lives of the Caesars,” available from Penguin Classics. Together these references explain the repeated mentions: the work supplies memorable, quotable portrayals of emperors, it has had demonstrable influence on the hosts’ own reading, and a recent translation gives the podcast an immediate reason to point listeners to the book.
The host discusses Tiberius' life and his notorious reputation, particularly focusing on the shocking accounts of his behavior on Capri as described by Suetonius. This mention serves to highlight the tension between public perception and private life in Roman society.
The host discusses the dramatic and tragic death of Nero as described in Suetonius' 'Lives of the Caesars'. This leads to an exploration of the significance of the book and its impact on understanding Roman history.
The host discusses the notorious reputation of Emperor Tiberius as depicted in Suetonius's biography, highlighting the complexities behind his retirement to Capri. This mention serves to illustrate how Suetonius reveals the darker aspects of Tiberius's character and reign, contrasting public perception with the sordid reality.
Recent show rotation: The Rest Is History.
Fastest path back to the source: the strongest indexed mention lands at 1:07:37 in the episode where we captured it.
Quick FAQ
Answers to common book, episode, podcast, and guest questions.
Which episode recommended Lives of the Caesars?
537. Emperors of Rome: Claudius, Paranoia and Poison (Part 4) on The Rest Is History is one of the clearest indexed episodes that recommended Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius. Other indexed episodes include 340: Hadrian and Antinous on The Rest Is History and 534. Emperors of Rome: Sex Secrets of the Caesars (Part 1) on The Rest Is History. The first indexed transcript timestamp lands at 1:07:37.
Which podcast mentioned Lives of the Caesars?
The Rest Is History is the main indexed podcast currently tied to Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius.
Who recommended Lives of the Caesars on podcasts?
PodcastMentions ties Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius to The Rest Is History, but the underlying mentions do not yet expose stable guest names for every episode.
Why do podcast guests bring up Lives of the Caesars?
The host discusses Tiberius' life and his notorious reputation, particularly focusing on the shocking accounts of his behavior on Capri as described by Suetonius. This mention serves to highlight the tension between public perception and private life in Roman society. It most often appears in conversations about Tiberius' retirement and reputation, Death of Nero, and Tiberius and Capri.
Mentions across episodes
Every mention card links back to the episode page and exact transcript anchor.
“Tom's new translation of Suetonius's book, The Lives of the Caesars, is available now from all good bookshops with Penguin Classics.”
“Suetonius in his Lives of the Caesars describes Claudius as a man who only ever slept with women and Galba as a man who only ever slept with men.”
“The speaker recalls reading 'Lives of the Caesars' at a young age, noting its strong content and the impact it had on them.”
“Suetonius who describes, one of the sentences with which he describes what Tiberius is getting up to on Capri, I think, is the single most shocking sentence in the whole of ancient literature.”
“The excerpt discusses the account of Tiberius as an emperor according to Suetonius, highlighting his governance and character.”
“The speaker recalls reading Suetonius at a young age and reflects on its content regarding Nero and his mother.”