This account of the Ceasars, set against a background of Roman social and political life - sexual mores, slavery, the games and the law, plus an essay on food and dining customs - aims to present both an informative and humorous insight into the lives of the Emperors. Julius Caesar, founder of the dynasty, shows up as an arrogant charmer, while the revered Augustus, his nephew, is shown to be a lonely little man who used lifts in his shoes. Other members of the family portrayed warts and all include Caligula, Claudius - possibly the most scheming and murderous of them all - and Nero, who surprisingly turns out to be an architectural visionary, opposed to human blood sports.