Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a frequent subject of Victorian historical fiction and also popular throughout the 20th century. It was similarly popular in movies, though it fell out of fashion for a couple of decades until the game-changing success of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, released in 2000. Since then the floodgates of fictional Rome have been torn open.
But Rome means different things to different people. For some it is a military story of imperialism and war in foreign lands. For others it is the victim-tale of the conquered (especially if the conquered happen to be British or Judaic). For others it is broadly cultural: how could people be so similar to us and so different? There is a broad strand of historicals that touch on the New Testament stories, including many new ‘gospels’ and a wealth of faith stories, as well as some militantly anti-Christian novels. There are Roman detective novels, military historicals, sea stories, epics, and literary novels.
Biographical novels are perhaps the richest vein – for literature and ‘box office’.
Gemini
Genres:
Late 3rd century AD, Roman-occupied Britannia. Licinianus and Severiana are twins, born into the once-powerful Vindex family. Twins in their family have always ...Read Review
Nero
Genres:
AdventureBiographical FictionMilitary
Rome, AD 37, and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, in a furious temper, tacks horses for his chariot and argues with his pregnant wife. He storms ...Read Review
EXSILIUM: A Roma Nova Foundation Story (Roma Nova Thriller Series)
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Alison Morton is the author of the Roma Nova series of thrillers, in which a fragment of the Roman Empire survives to the ...Read Review
Caesar’s General (The Mark Antony Series, 2)
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As the second book in this series about Mark Antony, this volume can stand reasonably well on its own. The author introduces the ...Read Review
Birds of Prey
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It’s the tenth year of the emperor Domitian; between the execution of Lucullus and the arrival of the new governor Proculus to ...Read Review
Daughter of the Seven Hills
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Daughter of The Seven Hills has something for everyone. The story of a girl, Aurelia, born into one of Rome’s noble families ...Read Review
Imperatrix: The Empress Who Was Once a Slave (Nero and Sporus)
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In 65 CE, Emperor Nero, although not officially declared a deity, thought himself equal to the gods of Olympus; untouchable, all-seeing, all-knowing, and capable ...Read Review
The Wolf Queen
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Thusnelda has never forgotten when she was nine years old and the Romans came. They burned their fields, killed many of her tribe ...Read Review
I Am Rome: A Novel of Julius Caesar
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In the twilight of the Roman Republic, corruption and social unrest reach tremendous heights, exemplified by the horrible actions of Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella. ...Read Review
Death on the Tiber (Flavia Albia)
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Death on the Tiber is the latest Flavia Alba novel from Lindsey Davis. Domitian is Emperor of Rome. Gang warfare has erupted following ...Read Review
