The emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty are among the most fascinating figures in Roman history. Augustus, the most well-known of them, established the form of government known as the Principate and thus founded the Julio-Claudian dynasty. However, understanding Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero merely as successors of Augustus does not do them justice. Each of these emperors shaped the Roman Empire in different ways and governed in their own unique manner. The book provides a solid introduction to the complex historical processes between Tiberius's accession to power in 14 AD and Nero's death in 68 AD. Babett Edelmann-Singer not only describes the most important political and biographical events but also offers a clear structural analysis of the history of the early Principate. She reconstructs the era using numerous epigraphic and numismatic sources.