I picked this up because of that viral trope about how all straight men think about ancient Rome constantly. And it tickled me that one of the foremost experts on the Roman Empire is a woman, and this book has a pink cover.
Emma Southon delivers a snarky history of Roman murder that’s as engaging as a book on such a niche and distant topic can be. If we’re not learning about Nazis or something else that requires deep gravitas, then I’d much prefer a history book with some humor and flair (although poking fun at the Nazis’ weirdest bits would definitely upset the Neo-Nazis, so maybe? anyone?).
The topic of murder in Ancient Rome can feel a bit thin at times—there are only so many ancient stabbings you can cover before you need something more—but Southon does a great job of keeping things lively, even when the historical material runs a little dry. Would it surprise you that killing enslaved people wasn’t really that big a deal aside from property damage? Would it shock you that killing girl kids not as relevant as killing boy kids? If no, then surprise you do know a modicum of world history. Romans, for all their aqueduct building ways, seem to be uniformly some of the worst people and it’s a miracle they lasted as long as they did.
This book could’ve benefitted from being a bit shorter or more focused. Maybe an omnibus on murder plus other Roman crimes? Or perhaps delving into how Roman law still impacts the modern world? Southon has other books on Roman history, and while I’m undecided about picking them up, at least now I’ve got some fun murder facts in my back pocket for the next time one of my straight cis male friends dazes off thinking about Rome when they should be unloading the dishwasher. Back in the kitchen with thee!