5 Great Novels About Ancient Rome

[@Copterman]

Wait, so I'm not the only one who randomly and frequently thinks about Rome?

[@BeyondSolitaire]

As Ken would say, my job is Rome. :P

[@Poiuytrew.Q]

I think about Rome multiple times a week, but it’s not random!

[@alicemoore2036]

SPQR an excellent mystery series by John Maddox Roberts. It follows the sleuthing of patrician detective Decius Metellus. Another is Steven Sailor’s novel Roma and Dominus. Saylor has mysteries tied to historical events in Republican Rome. The drawback for me is his antipathy to Christianity. It’s a small drawback and doesn’t let it interfere with the overall plot. I really liked Robert Harris’ Cicero trilogy.

[@NancyABQ]

Yes I have read the SPQR series and enjoyed them. I know John did a lot of research for these, but I have no idea how historically accurate they are. I wonder if Liz had read them and has any opinion on them? (Full disclosure: I know the author of these)

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I haven't but they are on my radar now. >:) I confess one of my ulterior motives when I post a video like this is to get new recommendations.

[@alicemoore2036]

@@NancyABQ The mysteries take place during historical events. To me it seemed the research was thoroughly done. Aside from the fictional characters the events occur as written by history.

[@getbentlarsen5409]

I was going to mention the Robert Harris Cicero books but i see somebody already has - so I will just add the performance/presentation on audible is really excellent. Ive just finished watching I Claudius which i loved. I will definitely read that at some point.

[@rholford1982]

Have you ever tried the Lindsay Davis Falco series - not sure it is 'great' literature but they are great crime fiction novels and the historical research (I gather) is pretty accurate and reasonably well focused on how 'ordinary' Romans lived. They are also all available as unabridged audiobooks.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I've read The Silver Pigs! It was a good time and actually I would love to revisit the series. :D (Also if people like this video I am MORE than happy to keep making ancient world historical fiction videos, there is so much goodness out there.)

[@rholford1982]

@@BeyondSolitaire they get a lot better as the world builds - the 2nd book is all about the fallout from the events that take place in the Silver Pigs and then it goes on from there

[@AndrewBorgelin]

Great to see this Liz. Love Roman fiction titles and many of the ones mentioned here I have already read, some a number of times. Couple of others worth considering are George Shipway's Imperial Governor about the Boudican Revolt. Also Keith Roberts book The Boat of Fate amongst many ,many others. I personally think that post the film Gladiator brought about a glut in titles which are very similar particularly in the Roman Crime or Roman Military field. Way too much of this stuff post 2000 but prior to this titles are excellent if a little difficult to get hold of copies sometimes. Hope you do more on this subject.

[@PhysicsKrikke]

I quite like the novels by Robert Harris (Pompeii, Cicero trilogy).

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I haven't read Pompeii, but should! I really liked the Cicero trilogy--I'm totally a Cicero hater but I had more sympathy for him as presented in those books.

[@jonaskissling8343]

Pompeii was realy a great read 🙂👍

[@KSpllr]

Pompeii is really worth reading. Absolutely recommendable!

[@KaaptnIglo]

I'll give Julian a try, thanks for the recommendation! I'm going to suggest a title that is neither really historical, neither exactly roman, and which on top of that is pretty dated, but that I like very much: The Last Galley. It is a short story (I'd say 20 minutes of reading time), written by Arthur Conan Doyle, imagining how the crew of the last galley of Carthage felt. I read it as a kid, loved it. As an adult, I see now its heavy-handed imperialistic commentary, but I still enjoy the atmosphere. And it's public domain, so you won't lose much but a bit of your time.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

That sounds GREAT.

[@akaflint10]

'Julian' is one of my favorite books- I've read it several times.

[@akaflint10]

I picked up Margaret George's 'The Confessions of Young Nero' at a Dollar Tree store and thought I'd give it a chance, even though I wasn't impressed by her 'Memoirs of Cleopatra'. I was pleasantly surprised; it was actually pretty good. I also recommend 'The Far Arena' by Richard Ben Sapir: Through a series of events, a gladiator from the time of Domitian becomes frozen in a block of ice in the North Sea and is discovered and thawed out in the late 20th Century (the book came out in 1978). It's an interesting contrast between the Ancient and Modern worlds.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

OK gladiator time travel sounds like a blast. I'm going to have to find this!

[@basiliscornelius]

Thanks so much for this! I love historical fiction and have been eager for Roman recommendations from a pro. These all sound great, especially "Julian," which I knew of but just have to read now! Speaking of that, have you read "Marius the Epicurean" by Walter Pater? I read it earlier this year and found it very moving though I don't know how historically accurate it is. It's a slow moving, Victorian philosophical novel, so not everyone's cup of tea! Still I found it worth the effort. The reason I mention it in the context of "Julian" is that "Marius" focuses on the slow but steady growth of Christianity during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, who appears as a character. Pater's more positive about Christianity but he fixates on emotional elements of it, rather than theological aspects. You may well have read it but, on the off chance you haven't, maybe worth looking at for more on the spiritual side of things. Again, thanks so much!

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I have not, but I'm going to now!

[@basiliscornelius]

@@BeyondSolitaire And unlike me, you obviously won't have any issues with the Latin strewn about in the book. My copy doesn't have footnotes so I had to keep running to Google! 😜

[@majkus]

There is a series of seventeen juvenile fiction books by Caroline Lawrence, 'The Roman Mysteries' ('The Thieves of Ostia' 2001-'The Man from Pomegranate Street' 2009). I became aware of the books when CBBC produced two seasons of shows based on it about fifteen years ago, which I quite enjoyed. Four 'tween' characters in first-century Rome solve mysteries and encounter some historical individuals along the way. One of the main characters describes himself as Jewish, but in fact he is being raised by his unorthodox father as a first-century Christian, which is not obvious at first. Apparently Lawrence has classics degrees, and by and large the books have been well received by those who know the period well.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

Oh that is really interesting! And it is true that people we would see as early "Christians" saw themselves as Jewish people who were correct about the Messiah. Jesus and Paul both see themselves as Jewish. Even in the 4th century, John Chrysostom was trying to tell his church congregation to quit going to synagogues, so the blending of identities was likely strong for a WHILE. I'm delighted to hear about a characterization like that.

[@alicemoore2036]

Margaret George wrote a 2 part series of the Emperor Nero. It is presented in a somewhat positive light.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

You know what, I've read the first one but not the second. It might be a good time for a revisit--I'm actually working on a game about Agrippina right now! >:)

[@QuayleTBird]

I saw "I Claudius" on the DC PBS station as a teenager and I've been hooked on Roman intrigue ever since! A great review and analysis of the novels. It is a fun subject. Thank you! Nick Stasnopolis

[@BeyondSolitaire]

As long as all the parents sign off, my Latin IV kids are going to watch I, Claudius and read some adapted Suetonius next semester. I can't wait! It's very embarrassing though--I have seen I, Claudius several times now and I still cry at the end.

[@QuayleTBird]

Any exposure to literature in any form, I support!!!!! The story is so wonderfully human. Derek Jacobi gives a nearly perfect performance and the production is fantastic. It is very sad that in the end the world passes him (and us) by. NIck

Great list, thanks! Just want to add "Memoirs of Hadrian", by Marguerite Yourcenar.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

This one is on my list for the eventual sequel to this video, since people actually seem to dig it! :D

[@Rivercat0338]

Adding Feast of Sorrow to my TBR, thanks! I read Gore Vidal's Burr in high school (a very long time ago) and it was immensely readable even at that age. Currently down a Greek mythology rabbit hole, but really need to revisit I, Claudius. The BBC recently rebroadcast the original series so its having a bit of a moment.

[@kitcarpo4745]

Quite interesting. Julian looks like a take on something I have wondered about, namely how the Romans shifted to control of Christianity as it rose rather than continuing to fail at eliminating it, in order to preserve their aristocracy.

[@crepusculo1027]

This video was amazing. Thanks a lot!

[@christianvansomeren3760]

I think you should check out The Sarantine Mosiac by Guy Gavriel Kay. It's actually a fantasy novel, but it draws heavily from the history of the Eastern Roman Empire. The main character's job is to design the mosiacs for the Hagia Sophia, but he gets pulled into the court intrigues, assassination plots, chariot races, and all that fun stuff. And Kay is an excellent writer.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I am looking this up NOW. Thank you!

[@NeilRoseman]

Thanks for this video! I love you doing book reviews, and will be adding "A God Strolling..." to my list immediately. "Julian" is such a good book. One I would give a +1 to -- and looking forward to your thought's on the follow-up video is Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian" -- written as a letter to "Mark" (Marcus Aurelius) and also at a pivotal time between paganism and Christianity. Anyway, great stuff and thanks for all you do!

[@BeyondSolitaire]

It's coming, I'm thinking of transferring my favorite booktube stuff over to this channel and just running it all together.

[@kitcarpo4745]

Our dog is named "Pax". :)

[@BeyondSolitaire]

So cute! We have a cat named Cato and a lizard named Mucia Scaevola (aka Mookie) because she's missing a toe on her right foot.

[@kitcarpo4745]

@@BeyondSolitaire Ouch. We are retired on a family farm. As a child my G. Uncle had a dog, pure white, with one paw lost on a sickle mower. Lived 21 years without that foot.

[@kitcarpo4745]

@@BeyondSolitaire I have followed your FB page now. BTW did you pick up the dog's name is latin? (I think it means "Peace" but...?)

[@BeyondSolitaire]

Pax absolutely means peace! You are good to go. :)

[@MeanderingMikesManCave]

Great list! I wish I had more time for novels.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

Work doesn't matter... ;)