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A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Emma Southon (Author), Sophie Ward (Narrator), Blackstone Publishing (Publisher)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 675 ratings
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An entertaining and informative look at the unique culture of crime, punishment, and killing in ancient Rome

In ancient Rome, all the best stories have one thing in common - murder. 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.

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 and death and what it means to be human.

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  1. Listening Length
    11 hours and 12 minutes
  2. Author
    Emma Southon
  3. Narrator
    Sophie Ward
  4. Audible release date
    March 9, 2021
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Blackstone Publishing
  7. ASIN
    B08T6BRT86
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 11 hours and 12 minutes
Author Emma Southon
Narrator Sophie Ward
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date March 09, 2021
Publisher Blackstone Publishing
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B08T6BRT86
Best Sellers Rank #52,103 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#36 in Ancient & Classical Roman History
#246 in Ancient Roman History (Books)

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
675 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's writing style entertaining and engaging. They appreciate the wry sense of humor and how it puts serious topics in perspective. The book provides an informative look at ancient Rome history from the perspective of murder. Readers praise the well-researched, insightful content and interesting facts.

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Writing styleEnjoymentHistorical accuracyInformation quality
26 customers mention "Writing style"21 positive5 negative

Customers find the writing style entertaining and engaging. They appreciate the wry sense of humor that keeps them turning the pages. The book is described as a wonderful read that leaves readers with an overwhelming sense of violence. Readers praise the author's extensive, well-researched writing style.

"...book, but I'd also recommend it for anybody looking for a book that's funny and enjoyable." Read more

"...Fascinating. She also, brilliantly, leaves the reader with an overwhelming sense of the all-encompassing violence of life in Ancient Rome, all of..." Read more

"...The language and writing style is not dry and very funny at times...." Read more

"...Third, not only is she a gifted historian but an excellent writer, which is a hard-to-find combination in any person...." Read more

22 customers mention "Enjoyment"22 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it entertaining, well-written, and engaging. The historical vignettes are interesting and humorous.

"...'d also recommend it for anybody looking for a book that's funny and enjoyable." Read more

"...Fascinating. She also, brilliantly, leaves the reader with an overwhelming sense of the all-encompassing violence of life in Ancient Rome, all of..." Read more

"...Her running side commentary is both heinous and historically hilarious; it is a bit like getting regaled over drinks at the local pub—sans smoke,..." Read more

"...It is a really good time, if you’re into this sort of thing...." Read more

18 customers mention "Historical accuracy"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and entertaining, providing an engaging look at ancient Rome history from the perspective of murder. They appreciate the well-researched content that puts the Roman world in perspective. The historical background during the Republic and the section on gladiators provide a fun, educational read.

"...I'd recommend it for somebody looking for a good history book, but I'd also recommend it for anybody looking for a book that's funny and enjoyable." Read more

"...it is ideal for anyone looking for a well- researched, irreverent romp through classical Rome that is both entertaining and informative." Read more

"...I also just want to add that she makes history accessible, and provides the female perspective, which is important in a historically male dominated..." Read more

"...Third, not only is she a gifted historian but an excellent writer, which is a hard-to-find combination in any person...." Read more

16 customers mention "Information quality"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and engaging. They say it's well-researched, witty, and unputdownable. The insights are definitive, and the book provides interesting facts and useful information. Readers appreciate the smart analysis of history and how murder serves as an entry point to analyze different aspects of society. It explains for a non-academic audience what exactly murder means. Overall, it's an ideal introduction into the topic for casual readers.

"This book is both hilarious and insightful...." Read more

"...some serious historical writing here, as the author is well versed in the surviving ancient sources and she gives a convincing take on the nature of..." Read more

"...is graphic at times, but it is ideal for anyone looking for a well- researched, irreverent romp through classical Rome that is both entertaining and..." Read more

"...Second, there is a lot of very interesting information that is presented in a very easy-to-read format with colorful language...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Martha
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2023
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    This book is both hilarious and insightful. It gives you an incredible feel for what Ancient Rome was like - in the universal similarities we share and the vast differences between our worlds. The humor of the book helps you to see how absolutely human these people and their culture were - something often lacking in more "serious" works - but it's also just a super funny book! I'd recommend it for somebody looking for a good history book, but I'd also recommend it for anybody looking for a book that's funny and enjoyable.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • David H. (Austin)
    4.0 out of 5 stars Bizarre combination of pop culture, foul language, oh, and yes, serious history
    Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2021
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    Other reviewers of this book have already weighed in on the author’s strange penchant for foul language, and the even stranger references to pop culture and and a motley crew of quotidian ‘famous’ (or infamous) persons. I don’t care about the bad language but, as most people know, fame has the potential of having the lifespan of a mayfly. When the author used pop references, I was too bored to look them up.

    That being said, there is some serious historical writing here, as the author is well versed in the surviving ancient sources and she gives a convincing take on the nature of murder vs. homicide. Fascinating. She also, brilliantly, leaves the reader with an overwhelming sense of the all-encompassing violence of life in Ancient Rome, all of which makes the book a must read.

    I do have some bones to pick however.

    1) Who is this book for? For example, the author dismisses those figures who played prominent roles in their time. Her chief victims are males — all males, leaving the impression that she adheres to the old saw: “a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle”. In general I agree with her, but she disposes of key figures including Antoninus Pius, Tiberius, and Domitian. Students of Ancient Rome and interested autodidacts surely know of these persons, while readers new to Roman history may never have heard of them. Tiberius is labeled “Useless”, no one “remembers” Antoninus Pius, and since Tacitus hated Domitian, so does the author, which leads to

    2) There is a disturbing trend among historians of Ancient Rome to ignore the bias of Tacitus (and Suetonius, by the way) against, especially, Tiberius and Domitian. Don’t get me wrong: Tacitus makes for fascinating reading; even in translation his writing flows smoothly and his insights can be definitive. However, Tacitus was of the Patrician class, and Patricians were the chief victims of any emperor who didn’t mind bumping off anyone who he perceived to be suspicious. Tiberius served in the Roman army and, as most current historians ignore, both Tiberius and Domitian were excellent administrators of the empire, as talented as the “Good” emperors Trajan and the “forgotten” Antoninus Pius.

    I was going to give this book three stars but occasionally the author’s chatty and breezy style came in handy to lighten complex distinctions that bordered on tedium for casual readers. So, four stars then.
    31 people found this helpful
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  • Francis O Walker
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mors et Mori (id est--Death and Dying)
    Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    In this engaging work, Emma Southon might become known as a ‘Sheesh-historian’—recounting Roman whackings in gruesome detail. Her running side commentary is both heinous and historically hilarious; it is a bit like getting regaled over drinks at the local pub—sans smoke, noise or hangover. My high-school Latin classes were all about the language and never about the dark side of its speakers, so this account starkly reshaped my mental picture of ancient Italy. Not for the squeamish, the book is graphic at times, but it is ideal for anyone looking for a well- researched, irreverent romp through classical Rome that is both entertaining and informative.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Kyla DiPietro
    5.0 out of 5 stars If you like history but don’t like dry content
    Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2022
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    I heard of this book from the NPR reading list. With in the first few pages she had me rolling. The language and writing style is not dry and very funny at times. Couple this with the Historian pod she also does and you have a full package of the absurdities of the era and murder. It is a really good time, if you’re into this sort of thing. I also just want to add that she makes history accessible, and provides the female perspective, which is important in a historically male dominated industry, as well as an all male perspective from the time. I love this book and will read anything she writes in the future.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Defenestrate
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2021
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    This is by far one of the best books on history that I have read this summer. First, it is well organized and really flows. Second, there is a lot of very interesting information that is presented in a very easy-to-read format with colorful language. Third, not only is she a gifted historian but an excellent writer, which is a hard-to-find combination in any person. Fourth, you will learn a lot of very interesting facts and information that was totally absent in my classical history class. For example, Marcus Aurelius advocated for an insanity defense! I would highly recommend this book.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Maelen Moonsinger
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nightmare fuel
    Reviewed in Canada on May 16, 2022
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    Well written, always interesting and in places even funny, this study ends on a very dark note that reminds us ancient Rome was a slave society based, as all slave societies are, on terrorism. If a slave murdered their master, every slave and freedman in the household was executed; no exceptions. In the case that ends the book, the executioner was confronted with a professional problem: one of the slaves was a twelve year old girl, and there were religious sanctions against executing a virgin. His solution was to rape the girl and then crucify her. Takes a bit of the shine off the much-lauded glory of Rome, doesn't it?
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  • Ck
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and witty
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2024
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    Really enjoyed this book. Provides lots of knowledge in an easily digestanle manner, and the author writes with a wit and humour that kept me engaged throughout.
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  • Impeccable
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bon livre
    Reviewed in France on April 20, 2024
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    C'est un bon livre, donne pas mal de piste de réflexion et d'apprentissage. Seul bémol c'est qu'il n'existe qu'en anglais.
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  • Carolin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and Hilarious
    Reviewed in Germany on September 29, 2020
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    Emma Southon's take on Roman homicide is hilarious, even though the covered stories are often quite sad (not always though; yes, I am looking at you Macedo). One needs a certain tolerance for swearing, but her style works well in making clear that the people she talks about were actual, real people. It also humanizes the mostly nameless masses that got ground up by the Roman's complete disregard for human life.

    As an example of her funny way of making history relatable, what other authors would simply call a "procession", she describes, more truthfully in my opinion, as follows: "It was at the festival of the Lupercalia, held on 15 February, which culminated in the brilliant spectacle of all the most famous men in the city getting naked, slaughtering a sheep, oiling up all shiny, and then running through the city hitting women with bits of leather. For fertility, of course."

    If you want to read stories about famous, and not so famous, ways in which the Romans killed each other that don't leave out the funny and embarassing bits, this is the right book for you.
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  • OldSoulNewTech
    1.0 out of 5 stars Nothing new hear plus annoying writing style
    Reviewed in Canada on June 28, 2021
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    I really wanted to like this book. It is just a collection from already existing sources. Nothing new. The writing style for me was very annoying
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