Messalina: Empress, Adulteress, Libertine: The Story of the Most Notorious Woman of the Roman World

This is one of those history books for the history books! She writes with such a deep knowledge of Roman history and of Messalina without ever once becoming pedantic or boring. It’s nothing short of a feat and I recommend it to anyone interested in history, female historical figures, Roman history, or just someone who loves to learn about an iconic and powerful woman. Cannot wait to read her next work!

Loved this biography. Huge amount of context and colour - place, culture and court all vividly drawn and Messalina herself leaps out of the pages.

This is a remarkable work of history - simultaneously informative and entertaining. The book looks at the life of Messalina, notorious wife of the emperor Claudius. Messalina has been accused of almost everything and was one of the few women in Ancient Rome to be subject to damnatio memoriae - the attempt to erase someone from history. As the author makes clear many of the most lurid claims about her life are almost certainly fictitious, but that still leaves a lot of adultery and conspiracy to murder to be going along with.There is a lot here about the emperors and their wives before Claudius and Messalina, including Augustus, Tiberius and Caligula - an interesting bunch in themselves for differing reasons.All of this is related in a fluent, readable, sometimes dryly amusing, sometimes horrifying narrative. This is the author's first book. I am astonished by the virtuosity of the writing - truly remarkable for someone at the start of their career as a historian. I will watch out for more of Ms Cargill- Martin's work with eager anticipation. Most certainly one of the best works of history that I have read in the past few years. I flew through it over a weekend despite its 350 pages of narrative, transported to imperial Rome in my mind

As a total novice, this book by the immensely talented Honor Cargill Martin, is a fabulous introduction to the life of the Romans.Her biography of Messalina, third wife of Emperor Claudius, is a total eye opener .. and complete page turner.Whilst reading on the bus, I’ve been both giggling and gasping in horror .. those romans were brutal!Honor’s writing, knowledge and empathy for her subject have you engaged and immersed in their world.It takes some time to come to terms with the fact that they all seem to have the same names(!) but, persevere and you’re in for an entertaining, educational, titillating, eye opening, sometimes jaw dropping account of the life of an undeniably, incredible woman.It’s a beautiful book .. I loved it!

The media could not be loaded.  I loved this book. It is a captivating journey into the world of Rome in the first half of the first century AD. This is also a serious and substantial account of the machinations of the Roman Court and breathes accomplished scholarship. It's the best historical book I have read for many years.

I pre ordered this and I'm glad I did. How refreshing to have the history of a woman written honestly and without bias!

This is a really fun read. It is fast paced, laced with barbed wit and a really good story. Messalina, is in fact such a good story that nobody has let facts get in its way over the centuries. Honor does a fine job of peeling away layers of myth and propaganda to present a plausible historical analysis.