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Suetonius’ account of the life of Nero does not shy away from the emperor’s alleged barbarism. In this biography from The Twelve Caesars, the Roman historian recounts numerous examples of Nero’s narcissism, perversion, and cruelty. It is from this account that we get the legend that Nero “fiddled as Rome burned.” When the heirless emperor ended his own life, it marked he fall of the Julio-Claudian empire and led to rejoicing in the streets.

Augustus adopted Tiberius as his heir after noting his success in military campaigns across Germany. Tiberius was reluctant to take rule, however, and gained a reputation as “the exile” after he sent himself on an eight-year, self-imposed exile to Rhodes. Eventually he did take control of the empire, but he gained a reputation for cruelty which led Rome to rejoice at his eventual death. In this excerpt from The Twelve Caesars, Roman biographer Suetonius digs deep into both the conquests and character of Tiberius.

Domitian succeeded his older brother Titus as Roman emperor. In “The Life of Domitian,” Suetonius remarks on the emperor’s innovative approach to governing that granted the empire safety and peace. As an individual, he preferred to go it alone and was naturally suspicious of others, a trait which inevitably led to his downfall. The final of three Flavian emperors, Domitian is also the last entry in Suetonius’ The Twelve Caesars.

Galba was the first emperor in the infamous Year of the Four Emperors. After Nero’s suicide, which marked the death of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Galba took control of the empire. A mere seven months later, he was assassinated. This short biography comes from Suetonius’ The Twelve Caesars and deals largely with Galba’s brief rule amid the first Roman civil war.

In Dialogue on Orators, Tacitus presents a conversation about the art and philosophy of rhetoric. Four characters discuss the merits and pitfalls of oration and poetry, debating one another’s point of view. With this text, Tacitus follows in the tradition and structure of Cicero, the great orator. It marks a distinct change in style from Tacitus’ longform historical works, Germania and Agricola.

The Life of Otho tells a story of ambition, betrayal, and power. After Nero’s suicide, Otho expected to assume the role of emperor, but his old ally Galba became Nero’s successor. Rather than give up, Otho murdered Galba and took his place as emperor, though not for long. Suetonius’ account of Otho’s brief rule during the Year of the Four Emperors is an excerpt from his work The Twelve Caesars.

Thomas Horn Jr. was an infamous figure in the 19th-century American Old West. Cowboy, soldier, government scout, translator, and gunman, Horn’s storied life has become an important part of western folklore. In 1902, he was convicted for murdering a 14-year-old boy after a run-in during a feud with a cattle rancher. The Life of Tom Horn is his life story in his own words, written from prison before he met his fate at the gallows the following year.