In the Shadow of the Gods

From the acclaimed Wolfson Prize-winning author, a dazzling history of the world''s emperorsFor millennia much of the world was ruled by emperors: a handful of individuals claimed no limit to the ...

From the acclaimed Wolfson Prize-winning author, a dazzling history of the world''s emperorsFor millennia much of the world was ruled by emperors: a handful of individuals claimed no limit to the lands they could rule over and no limit to their authority. They operated beyond normal human constraint and indeed often claimed a superhuman or divine authority. In practice they ran the gamut from being some of the most remarkable men who ever lived, to being some of the worst and least remarkable.Dominic Lieven''s marvellous new book, In the Shadow of the Gods, is the first to grapple seriously wi