Women who shaped the Roman empire

How do you surface the stories of women in the Roman empire, when the majority of ancient texts were written by men, telling of military victories and losses, or intrigues in the political arena? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Emma Southon chronicles the Roman empire through the stories of women whose experiences illuminate war, empire and political machinations, taking readers from the foundational myth of Rome to a ‘leisure centre’ in ancient Pompeii.

Emma Southon is the author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women (Oneworld, 2023)