Gwyn Morgan (1)

Dense reading, but Morgan's scholarship is impressive. This book sheds more light on this very obscure part of history than I would have thought possible.Well written with a surprisingly fast pace given the subject, but still seems to be very thorough. Turns out it was a very momentous time for the western world.

Good narrative history, but the important analytical framework is relegated to the appendices. A little too much ODTAA, but a solid account. I would have preferred a shorter narrative with more closely reasoned arguments

After Nero's suicide in 68 AD, four governours of military provinces succesively made a bid for the Purple, leading to the first major civil war after a century of internal peace during the reign of the Julio-Claudians. This book is a very detailed account and an insightful narrative history of a violent period in Roman history. It draws heavily on Tacitus, but does not neglect other sources, like Suetonius or Flavius Josephus. Anyone with a deeper interest in Roman history will enjoy this book.

A great look at a transitional period for the Roman Empire. Well researched and written, it is a must have for those interested in Roman History