A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

In Ancient Rome, all the best stories have one thing in common—murder. But what did killing mean in a city where gladiators fought to the death to sate a crowd? 

In A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Emma Southon examines a trove of real-life homicides from Roman history to explore Roman culture, including how perpetrator, victim, and the act itself were regarded by ordinary people. Inside Ancient Rome's darkly fascinating history, we see how the Romans viewed life, death, and what it means to be human.

Romulus killed Remus to found the city, Caesar was assassinated to save the Republic. Caligula was butchered in the theater, Claudius was poisoned at dinner, and Galba was beheaded in the Forum. In one 50-year period, 26 emperors were murdered.

An entertaining and informative look at the unique culture of crime, punishment, and killing in Ancient Rome.

“Emma Southon has found a most rewarding path by focusing on real-life murders of the era to illustrate how Romans saw life, death, and themselves. Julius Caesar, of course, earns a chapter, but the author presents an astonishing docket of cases that bring vividly alive (with a dash of wit) what Romans feared the most.” (Air Mail)

Dr. Emma Southon holds a PhD in ancient history from the University of Birmingham. The author of Marriage, Sex and Death: the Family and the Fall of Rome and Agrippina, she co-hosts a history podcast with writer Janina Matthewson called History is Sexy and works full time as a bookseller at Waterstones Belfast.