Book Review: A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome, by Emma Southon

A book about murders in Ancient Rome? Gimme!

This is a non-fiction work, covering not just the notable murders — but the Roman people’s attitudes towards killing. A great piece to understanding both the ancient world and ourselves, as we take our modern viewpoints to evaluate historical accounts.

What to expect

Southon does a credible job of surveying this cast subject. From first defining the characteristics of murder (a moral judgement) vs general homicide (the fac...