Blood of the Caesars: How the Murder of Germanicus Led to the Fall of Rome

by Stephen Dando-Collins

Could the killing of Germanicus Julius Caesar—the grandson of Mark Antony, adopted son of the emperor Tiberius, father of Caligula, and grandfather of Nero—while the Roman Empire was still in its infancy have been the root cause of the empire's collapse more than four centuries later? This brilliant investigation of Germanicus Caesar’s death and its aftermath is both a compelling history and first-class murder mystery with a plot twist Agatha Christie would envy.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2008

About the author

Stephen Dando-Collins is the multi-award-winning author of 48 books. British reviewer, noted playwright Robin Hawdon, says that Dando-Collins is "the modern age's foremost dramatizer of Greek and Roman history," while American reviewer bestselling military author Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman has described Dando-Collins as "a literary giant." Considered an authority on the legions of ancient Rome, Dando-Collins has written ancient and modern history, children's novels, scientific nonfiction, and biographies. The bulk of his works deal with military history, ranging from Greek, Persian and Roman times to American, British and Australian 19th century history and World I and Word War II.
Many of his books have been translated into foreign languages including Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, Russian, Albanian and Korean.
His most acclaimed book on the ancient military, 'LEGIONS OF ROME,' was the culmination of decades of research into Rome's imperial legions.
Dando-Collins aims to travel roads that others have not, unearthing new facts and opening new perspectives on often forgotten or overlooked people and aspects of history.
He has two new books in 2024: 'CAESAR VERSUS POMPEY: Determining Rome's Greatest General, Statesman & Nation-Builder,' (Turner, US), and 'THE BUNA SHOTS: The Amazing Story Behind Two Photographs that Changed the Course of World War Two,' (Australian Scholarly Publishing).

Reviews

[Jerry Mrizek · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is terrible. The author has a BBC knowledge of Roman history, substandard. The problems with the book are numerous. For starters, there is absolutely no basis for his thesis whatsoever. The author claims that had Germanicus survived, Rome would have enjoyed continued success on all fronts in perpetuity. The basis for this assertion? Everyone loved Germanicus and if he had succeeded Tiberius, he would have eventually been succeeded by his competent son Nero. The basis for declaring Nero competent? None, we have no record of any accomplishments.
The author shows a lack of understanding of even basic Roman government. He continuously refers to propraetors as the equivalent of major generals and proconsuls as the equivalent of lieutenant generals. Again, no, not even close. He refers to Augustus as a soldier emperor. How does one even claim to know anything about Roman history and make that statement? Finally his ultimate conclusion about the murderer of Germanicus is utterly ludicrous. Is it possible? Sure, anything is possible after nearly 2000 years. Is it likely? No. Does he have any evidence? No. If this were a legal proceeding he wouldn't even get an indictment. Stay away from this book if you enjoy serious academic works.

[eirene dekarios ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay I'm not entirely finished with the book, but as I'm well-versed in the life of Germanicus, as well as that of his wife and children, I skipped ahead to see who this fool author thought killed Germanicus only to find that he thinks Agrippina was involved??? The utter disrespect. You have to be a literal insane person to think Agrippina was involved in murdering her own husband. Those two were completely devoted to one another period!!! Agrippina nor Germanicus ever took another lover—she bore him NINE CHILDREN. The audacity...it honestly pisses me off just thinking someone out there considered this to be historically accurate and factual enough to print it IN A BOOK. I'm sorry to the author if he reads this, but what a load of crap. (This guy also suggests that Drusus is older than Tiberius when anyone with access to Wikipedia knows Tiberius was older than Drusus, so that shows you what he knows.) With Seneca, sure, ~maybe~ I could have gotten on board with that, but Agrippina? What lunacy! IF he was even murdered at all. It's more likely Germanicus died from a disease he picked up while abroad in Egypt. If anyone is reading this and wants to know more accurately what happened to Germanicus, go read Emma Southon's book Agrippina, it's a better telling of what happened to Germanicus and his family. I give this book one star only because I love Germanicus with every fiber of my being. I do not recommend.

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"More like a man than a woman."

A fascinating and most enjoyable story, both ancient Roman history and murder mystery. When Germanicus died, presumed murdered, whilst on military campaign, his.death altered the likely succession of Emperors to come and ultimately led to the end of the Caesarian dynasty. In turn, this altered the entire future of the Roman Empire.
So, if it was murder, who killed him?
The author, in a most enjoyable way, tells the story from Augustus through the emperors to the death, and just beyond, of Nero as well as covering the believed murder of Germanicus and the subsequent, unsatisfactory trial in Rome of his accused poisoner, Piso, a trial which ended suddenly with his assumed suicide.

Finally, a plot and the reasoning behind it is suggested by The author in the least two chapters, naming two murderers and how, as well as why, it was accomplished. He makes a good case, though two thousand years after the event it can only ever be supposition.
Whether accurate or not this is an excellent mystery.

This Audiobook is narrated by Robert Blumenfeld, his reading clear but jerky, sentences paused at odd places before resumption. This unconventional presentation made the text less easy to follow smoothly and, consequently, the whole experience less enjoyable. The book is therefore highly recommended but as a text reading rather than as an audiobook.

[Ethan Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that the author’s survey of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, as well as his description of the murder of Germanicus and the Piso trial, was well written and definitely worth the read.

However, he presents a theory regarding who killed Germanicus that’s outlandish and almost totally unsupported by historical evidence. It really feels like a disappointing conclusion to an otherwise excellent book.

Also, his claim that Germanicus would have been the next Alexander the Great or Augustus and would prevented the decline of the Roman Empire is incredibly presumptuous. Germanicus was a great general, but not all great generals made good emperors. Galba was living proof of that. Making claims like that discredits an otherwise strong thesis.

[Maria Luihn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I’ve enjoyed the authors previous works, especially “The Ides”, this one is not worth your time as a work of history.

As entertainment, it is well written, and proceeds at a good clip, which earns it a few stars.

As a work of history, it unfortunately falls apart completely in the last chapter, where the author just plain starts making things up.

He offers an explanation for the murder of Germanicus, but supports it on no evidence whatsoever, except vague pronouncementa of “plausibility”. I’ve seen ripperology theories with more solid foundations.

It’s sad when an otherwise good writer takes a turn into wild speculation. This should have been a novel, and frankly someone should write that novel. I’d even read it.

[Tony Gualtieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lively narrative of the early years of the Roman Empire up to the fall of Nero. The event on which the story hinges, the death of Gemanicus, is shown to have been a major factor in the reigns of Tiberius and his three Julian successors.

The last two chapters offer a surprising pair of suspects for Germanicus's murders. I am not convinced, but I do find the argument feasible. It certainly opens up areas for speculation that I've not encountered in any other history of the era.

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had always believed through my research that it was the assassination of Germanicus that directly led to the decline and eventual fall of the Roman empire. I happened upon this book because the author clearly believed the same. I'm glad that I came across it because I definitely learned something mind-blowing from it, and I will never think of Seneca the same. It's a good book and worth a read-through.

[Jim Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book about Germanicus

I really enjoy this book both in print and audible enough I've ripped through this book a couple times in three years since I got them both. Piso's bitch wife worked it out with Livia with Tiberius and Piso going along with it. The world would be a different place had Germanicus lived to be emperor...

[Nicolay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once more reality exceeds fiction.

If you want to read a riveting story about history and human virtues and sins, this is one of the best.

Of course, this is also a tragedy and makes you wonder, what if? over and over.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

very enjoyable book....looking forward to reading more of his books

[Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sudden death of Germanicus struck me more as a tragic event, more so than an unsolved mystery. My personal opinion holds that he was indeed murdered, though it is, I will admit far more likely, that he merely succumbed to some foreign illness as was common at the time period. Dando-Collins however firmly and unequivocally insists on the foul play hypothesis-which certainly is a valid one-and carries through the subsequent murder trial of Piso and his wife. However Dando-Collins does not buy that they were the murderers, instead arguing for Seneca, which I thought too far fetched, though I surely dislike Seneca I must admit. In any which case the problem here of course is obvious: this is a crime committed two millenia prior to the writing of this book. Only two suspects: Piso and Plancina were truly implicated by any of the roughly first hand sources (i.e. Tacitus), and Germanicus' symptoms were very briefly described, and lumped as a case of poisoning. There is thus not enough evidence to prove definitively any accusation, and truly there is really not enough evidence to even take an educated guess, much less to implicate Seneca should one favor murder as the cause of death. What Dando-Collins has done is to basically write a situation to favor his findings, which is about as scientific as Clue, though less accurate. It was surely written well, and it was entertaining, no doubt, though it is hardly a work of historical scholarship.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very different book from Dando-Collins' prior works in this series, each of which was the history of an individual Roman legion, this book examines a millenia-old murder mystery and its effects - who killed Germanicus? The murder of Germanicus lead to the principates of Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, thus to the end of the Julio-Claudians and perhaps ultimately to the collapse of the Roman Empire. How would history have been different had he not been murdered?
Dando-Collins makes a stunning accusation and brilliant case to support it. I actually find it somewhat convincing, and if he is correct, I am quite disappointed in the murderer, of whom I had thought better. I shan't give it away here; you'll just have to read it for yourself.

[Bliss Devlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought-provoking account of how the murder of famous and admired Roman general Germanicus Caesar was the beginning of the Julio-Claudian dynasty's self-destruction amid intrigues, poisonous jealousies, political purges, and murders. Like Dando-Collins' other works, this book is packed with fascinating cultural detail and historical background.
My one criticism is that I'm listening to the audiobook edition, and am finding narrator's rhythm very odd, with strange little pauses sprinkled in...it frequently sounds like he thinks he's reached the end of a sentence, the realizes he hasn't.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reads like a soap opera so people who usually shy away from history books who say they are boring would enjoy the book.

[Bill Churchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great endings have humble beginnings. This is the ("true") story of how a minor event in history had great consequences. Its a quick read, chock full of interesting history.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lively look at the best-known part of the Roman Empire -- that time they make movies and fab TV series like I, Claudius about -- that time of the first five Emperors (Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero.) Whether or not half the tales attributes to this infamous quintet are true will always be debated -- but what is known is still pretty hot and weird stuff.



Many people died under mysterious circumstances at this time. Or did they? Anyway, the most mysterious was the death of the seemingly heir to the throne, Germanicus. He was clearly poisoned (if descriptions of how he looked like at death are accurate.) He was even supposed to name his poisoners right before he died. But were the poisoners REALLY the poisoners?

Although a very readable and enjoyable history book not bogged down by tons of footnotes, obscure references to historians we never heard of or even small print, this nonetheless winds up having an unsatisfying ending. Dando-Collins makes a case for the "real" poisoner but his selection falls flat. I'm not a historian but even I have huge doubts about who he points the finger to.