On June 20 we are having our first of two chats about Caesars' Wives: Sex, Power, and Politics in the Roman Empire by Anneliese Freisenbruch.
"Caesars' Wives" discusses Roman empresses from Livia to Galla Placidia and the development of their position over the centuries, with flashbacks to Roman women during the Republic; as well as some of the formers' relatives, such as in the chapter, "Augustus' Women." But this is not all: the book covers in some depth the status of Roman women, legally and societal. Thorough scholarship and a free and easy prose make reading the book a delight! The UK title is "The First Ladies of Rome: The Women Behind the Caesars."
Since there are three week between the first and second (July 11) chat because of the July 4th Holiday, we need not split the read 50/50. So let's do the Julio-Claudians through Chapter 3 (page 97 in the hardcover edition), "Family Feud: The People's Princess and the Women of Tiberius' Reign." However, if you all think you can manage through Chapter 4, "Witches of the Tiber: The Last Julio-Claudian Empresses," by all means let's do that.
Also, I am talking with Albert Bell about moving the author chat on The Blood of Caesar: A Second Case from the Notebooks of Pliny the Younger, the last chat before our August recess, from July 18 to July 25 to give us more time and I will keep you posted.
