The death of Nero in AD 68 marked the end of an era in more than one respect. Not only did it mark the fall of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, NeroÕs suicide also brought about the extinction of the house of the Domitii Ahenobarbi, one of the most distinguished families of Roman aristocracy. The Domitii Ahenobarbi could boast of nine consuls during eight generations in the male line. The Rise and Fall of a Roman Noble Family is the first monograph of the Domitii Ahenobarbi and fills a gap in our knowledge of the Roman aristocracy. The study offers a collective biography of one Roman senatorial family and contributes to a new and more profound understanding of Roman political, religious, social, and economic life by focusing on the activities of the protagonists on a wide front.
