This is the story of one of the most powerful dynasties in history. At the heart of it are the lives of six men - Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Gaius Caligula, Claudius and Nero - men who mastered ancient Rome, and changed it from a democracy to a personal possession.

Set against a background of foreign wars and domestic intrigue, the story of Rome's greatest dynasty is also the story of the birth of an imperial system which shaped the Europe of today. Octavian recreated himself as the emperor Augustus and allied the Julian clan with the Claudians. The principate which he created lasted for centuries, but the strain on his family resulted in personal tragedy, murder and assassination.