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Official Website of Roman Historian and Author
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Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire

Pre Order
21 May 2026
 
About
Dr Emma Southon 003.jpg
About

I received my PhD in Ancient/Late Antique History from the University of Birmingham in 2013, and a version on my thesis was published in 2017 as Marriage, Sex and Death: The Family and the Fall of the Roman West. After a few years teaching Ancient and Medieval history, followed by some years teaching academic writing. I quit academia because it is grim and started writing for my own enjoyment.

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I have since written five books for adults and one book for children (co-authored with Greg Jenner). I have written for History Today, All About History, The British Museum, Opera News, and BBC History and appeared on various podcasts including You're Dead To Me, Betwixt the Sheets, The Ancients and After Dark. I have done regular radio appearances in the UK and Australia, and appeared in television documentaries for History Hit, Channel 4 and Netflix. I love giving public talks and have appeared at Chalke History Festival, The British Museum, Warwick History Festival and the J. Paul Getty Museum, both online and in person. 

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I also co-host a history/comedy podcast with Janina Matthewson called History is Sexy.

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Mostly I just truly love and hate the Romans and want to write about them with stupid jokes forever. 

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My Books

Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire

Totally Chaotic History: Roman Britain Gets Rowd

A History of The Roman Empire in 21 Women

My Books
My Books

A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Agrippina the Younger

Marriage, Sex and Death

My Books
IN THE PRESS

“At a moment when the study of classics struggles to escape its starchy, imperialist legacy, Southon’s cheeky enthusiasm feels like the path of salvation.” 

James Romm

Wall Street Journal

Press

ELS

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