Triumph and Tragedy provides a superbly illustrated, chronological history of all the Roman Emperors who ever ruled. The book begins in 27 BCE with Augustus, Emperor of Rome, and follows the various manifestations of the empire through to Byzantine Constantinople and to Germany, ending with the fall of the Holy Roman Empire and the last (Holy) Roman Emperor, Francis II, in 1806. It is comprehensive in coverage, including both 'official' emperors and usurpers. Each chapter looks at a specific period of Roman imperial history, focusing not only on the emperors' reigns, but also on the rulers as people, discussing their personality and motivation and bringing them to life for a modern audience.