Two thousand years after his death, the story of the founder of the Roman Empire is one of the most riveting in western history. Caesar Augustus evolved from an entitled teenager – heir of the murdered Julius Caesar – to a skillful politician and servant of the state who brought stability and peace to Rome and created a new, emperor-run system of government.

Adrian Goldsworthy, a leading ancient historian, examines the man for whom the month of August is named in a discussion of his highly anticipated biography, Augustus: First Emperor of Rome. He digs beneath the myths, revealing the Augustus who was a consummate manipulator, propagandist, and showman, both generous and ruthless.

The author of earlier biographies of Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, among many other books, Goldsworthy is a frequent lecturer and consultant on historical documentaries produced by the History Channel, National Geographic, and the BBC.