Julius Caesar: The Last Dictator was the first, in 2001, of what are now five web historical web sites I have researched and written. I am frequently asked by students for permission to use my work (always granted) and, not infrequently, asked for my academic bona fides in having the nerve to do web biographies on some of the most famous figures from the past.

As far as my own credentials, a professional legal assistant, my college B.A. was in English with a history minor. I have read history all my life, but only became interested in ancient history - particularly Roman history - in 1997, when I met an agreeable online group of enthusiasts at a web community called AncientSites. The articles in this web site were written largely in 2000 and 2001 for another now-defunct web site devoted to ancient history (The Ancient Vine). In early 2001, I realized from constant Googling that there were meager pickings for web sites offering detailed biographies of Caesar's career. I therefore decided to research and write my own.

Since the adventure of becoming involved in e-history, several fun opportunities have appeared, including:

• Serving as contributing editor to the Horizon reissuance of Robert Payne's Ancient Rome in 2001, for which John Altmueller and I enjoyed writing the preface;
  
  
• Becoming a founding member and partner of the reborn AncientSites, now AncientWorlds, an online community devoted to the discussion of all ancient history. I also am editor of an online discussion group there devoted to discussions on Caesar's life and career.
  
  
• Through the Symposion Series at AncientWorlds, virtually meeting and learning from ancient historians and writers such as Tom Holland, Dr. Elaine Fantham, and Steven Saylor.
  
  
• The delight of being asked to compose the history for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in 2006. (I adore Shakespeare and admire Caesar, although not necessarily the Caesar Shakespeare wrote).

I have also been honored by having this and other web sites chosen by the BBC Web Guide for its "ancient history" recommendations. I completed my second web site, Feminae Romanae: The Women of Ancient Rome in late 2001. In July, 2004, I completed the "bookend" of web-based information on Julius Caesar by completing my biographical site on his great-nephew, Octavian, with Princeps: The Life of Caesar Augustus. My fourth site, Gloriana: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth I, breaks with my Roman tradition to return to a favorite historical figure from English history. My most recent site explores a new, if related, direction: the life of the one man I suspect Caesar most admired, Alexander the Great. Undying Glory: The Pursuit of Alexander took 18 months to learn and write, and took me in many directions that Caesar knew in the ancient world. As long as i find fascinating areas of history I wish to share, I will continue to enjoy writing history for the web. Since this site was first published in 2001, I have learned to my great benefit of the generosity of Internet scholars, whom I have attempted to thank by acknowledgment in the Reading and Links section of the site.

I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with a shelf of history books and several Latin-speaking cats (and one dog with little Latin and less Greek).