Rex Juba

This is terribly good. I’ve wanted to read a biography of Juba II of Mauretania all my life and here it is. The African scholar-king married to Cleopatra Selene, daughter of the triumvir Mark Antony & Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt. It’s a delight and a must-read. – Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The World: A Family History of Humanity
A wonderful biography of a man who lived many lives - as a hostage, a scholar, a soldier, a king, a father and a husband - and a fascinating exploration of identity and empire building across the full sweep of the ancient Mediterranean. A brilliantly told story of an important and much overlooked Roman king which expands our conception of the Roman Empire. – Emma Southon, author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women
A virtuoso recovery of two of antiquity’s most intriguing and little-known characters … the author treats readers to a study of identity and power, leavened with sharp insights into the messiness and expedience that underlay the marble façade of Augustus’ power … The end result is a triumph, giving two of the ancient world’s most charismatic yet neglected characters the centre stage they so richly deserve. * Literary Review *
Seventeen images of ancient artefacts introduce Juba, North African client king and Greek intellectual, and place him in the limelight of Roman history. With its striking arrangement, Rex Juba is a fine piece of storytelling, written with verve and style. – Harry Sidebottom, bestselling author of the Warrior of Rome series
Colourful, engaging and timely, this portrait of a man caught between two worlds captures the full beauty and complexity of the ancient world. – Paul M.M. Cooper, host of the Fall of Civilizations podcast and Sunday Times bestselling author
A fascinating book that brilliantly tackles how to write biographies of people in the ancient world. It brings the reader to the heart of life in Imperial Rome, Ptolemaic Egypt, and ancient North Africa. A fantastic read. – Gareth Russell, author of Queen James
This fascinating portrait of a ‘lost king’ often reads something like a detective story. * Daily Mail: Book of the Week *
A fresh account of Juba II, whose life as a Roman protégé, scholar and monarch deserves far wider recognition … an innovative alternative approach … fascinating and intriguing … [Juba] was once an international celebrity, and hopefully, with Andrew Kenrick’s work serving to restore him to posterity, he can be again. – Jane Draycott * BBC History Extra *
Juba II of Mauretania and his wife, Cleopatra Selene – daughter of the famous Cleopatra – are astonishing figures of history, and far too little known. With so much focus on Rome and the beginnings of empire in Italy, there’s hardly any talk of these two gritty and powerful rulers who ruled in north Africa in the wake of the devastating wars of the Republic. In Rex Juba, Kenrick has penned a gripping read, packed with historical detail, that offers insights into an extraordinary ruler at an extraordinary period of history. – Emily Hauser, Sunday Times bestselling author of Mythica
Few lives in the ancient world were as improbable as that of Juba II – African prince, Roman hostage, turned scholar-king of Mauretania, who navigated power, identity, and empire at one of history’s great turning points. Andrew Kenrick has written a textured and richly sourced story that showcases his complex and fascinating life. – Dr Eve MacDonald, author of Carthage
[A] scrupulous, smoothly written book * The Spectator *

Dr Andrew Kenrick teaches Creative Non-Fiction at the University of Cambridge. His interdisciplinary studies have taken him from ancient history and archaeology to the movie Gladiator and Roman cooking, as well as researching new methods for writing ancient biography. His proposal for Rex Juba won the Biographers’ Club Tony Lothian Prize.

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