Germanicus Julius Caesar – father of future Emperor Caligula – was the golden boy of the first Roman imperial family – the Julio Claudian dynasty. He was born in 15 BC to Nero Claudius ...

His father died when Augustus was four. His prospects were bleak: Rome was dangerous, engulfed by civil war between power-hungry factions. One of these was led by his great-uncle, Julius Caesar.

His first books covered areas of particular interest – the life of his father-in-law ... gave a vivid picture of Rome from the time of Julius Caesar to the Emperor Domitian.