AD69: Emperors, Armies and Anarchy

The author of God's Viking brings to life "a period in Roman history that provides many twists and turns as Rome emerged from the period of rule by Nero" (Firetrench).

With the death of Nero by his own shaky hand, the ill-sorted, ill-starred Julio-Claudian dynasty came to an ignominious end, and Rome was up for the taking. This was 9 June, AD 68. The following year, commonly known as the "Year of the Four Emperors," was probably one of Rome's worst.

In all previous successions, the new...