Caillan Davenport, "Behind Caesar's Back: Rumor, Gossip, and the Making of the Roman Emperors" (Yale UP, 2026)

Feb 10, 2026

Caillan Davenport, Roman historian and ANU professor, explores how rumor and gossip shaped perceptions of emperors across seven centuries. He discusses sources like graffiti and songs. Conversations cover how talk circulated, sparked protests, shaped succession stories, and how rulers tried to manage reputation.

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INSIGHT

Emperor As Idea Not Just Person

Roman emperor stories repeat across reigns, revealing more about the idea of empire than individuals.
Caillan Davenport argues we should study how Romans thought about 'the emperor' rather than just biographies of rulers.

INSIGHT

Rumour Versus Gossip Defined

Rumors are sense-making when official information is lacking and reflect prejudices.
Gossip evaluates character through personal talk and reveals social norms.

INSIGHT

Street Talk As Politics

Talking about the emperor constituted political communication outside formal institutions.
Street conversations passed judgment on laws, taxes, and religious decrees affecting daily life.

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In Behind Caesar's Back: Rumor, Gossip, and the Making of the Roman Emperors (Yale UP, 2026), Professor Caillan Davenport presents a thrilling exploration of what Romans thought about their emperors, and how rumors and gossip—ranging from new taxes to rulers’ sex lives—shaped leadership.

Traversing more than seven hundred years of Roman history, this book explores how everyday Romans swapped gossip, spread rumors, told jokes, and chanted protests about their emperors—activity that amounted to much more than idle chatter. Professor Davenport uses ancient evidence, including letters, graffiti, and songs, to reveal how Romans engaged in politics outside the senate house or imperial council. He argues that the idea of the Roman emperor was shaped not only by the political powers granted to him but also by the debate taking place in the streets, churches, taverns, and markets.

Professor Davenport reveals how Romans spoke about “the emperor” as a figure of stability, as an agent of justice and retribution, or as a fallible human. Although few would ever see an emperor, his face (and therefore his power) was everywhere: on coins, banners, standards, and even dessert molds, as well as in statuary and paintings. While most Romans did not question the transformation of their republic into a monarchical system of government, they were indeed invested in the empire and were in constant discussion about the type of ruler they had, wanted, and deserved.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.

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