# Fictional books set in Rome. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 29, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366 "2005-06-29T15:30:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/1 "2005-06-29T15:30:18Z")
For future reference, and considering the **Rome-a-palooza** going on right now with ABC’s Empire and the future HBO rome mini series, I thought I might start this thread. I am thoroughly enjoying the **Lindsey Davis** Marcus Didius Falco Series Start with **The Silver Pigs**. There is an earlier one **The course of Honor** but our hero (Falco) apparently isn’t it in and this book is hard to find off internet. If the book is a part of a series, please put the book to start with. It sucks coming in the middle of a series. [size=1] I mean, I have an emotional investment …😃 ) Any fiction book set in Rome, any genre ( even…_gasp_ Romance.) I’ll send off the first shot with a **Time Travel Romance:** **Somewhere in Time** by Merline Lovelace. A female supply plane officer type in the Airforce ( which this writer was a USAF pilot, so she does know her shit but doesn’t asphixiate you like Tom Clancy.) crash lands somewhere in Bagdad/Iraq/That Area with her co-pilot and find out they (well, she. Her co-pilot is pretty much unconcious through most of it.) are in Roman times and end up being captured by the Head Centurion of a roman outpost. Wacky hijinx ensue and loads of sex. :dubious: Ending with traveling back to our time. I bought this book about two years ago because I wanted to see how badly the language gap would be handled and thought it would suck beyond measure. It surprised me and has become a favorite of mine. A poolside read at best. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/2 "2005-06-29T15:58:25Z")
**The Course of Honor** , in addition to not being one of the Falco books, isn’t even a mystery…it’s a historical romance. If you want other pieces of fiction set in Ancient Rome, there’s Stephen Saylor’s _Roma sub Rosa_ series, which is another mystery series set near the end of the Republic. The first book in that series is **Roman Blood**. Then, of course, there’s Colleen McCulloch’s 6 book “Masters of Rome” series, also set at the end of the Republic. The first book there is **The First Man in Rome**. It’s not a bad read, even though she holds the _populares_ in overly high regard, falls victim to hero worship, and treats Caesar like he’s divine. You also might want to check out Robert Graves’s **I, Claudius** and **Claudius the God** , which together make up a fictional autobiograpy of the Emperor Claudius. It was also turned into a really good BBC miniseries. If you’re looking for older works, I’d suggest **Ben Hur** by Lew Wallace, **Quo Vadis** , by Henryk Sienkiewicz, and Lloyd Douglas’s **The Robe** , all of which deal (Ben Hur obliquely, Quo Vadis and The Robe more directly), with the birth and spread of Christianity in the early Empire. If you want books set in medieval, rennaisance, or modern Rome, let me know. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/3 "2005-06-29T16:47:31Z")
John Maddox Roberts has a series(first of which is titled SPQR) that is set in Republican Rome. They are very good, set in the period when Julius Caesar is rising in power. Then there are Steven Saylor’s books on Gordianus the Finder, set in the same period. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/4 "2005-06-29T17:08:48Z")
In \*Household Gods \* by Judith Tarr and Harry Turtledove, a modern American woman from L.A. finds herself changing places with a woman tavernkeeper in a minor city of the Roman Empire. Not exactly high adventure (though she does get to meet Marcus Aurelius face to face), but it gives an interesting view of what ordinary, everyday life was like back in Roman days. “Wonderful chaps, those Romans.” ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/5 "2005-06-29T17:15:43Z")
In \*Household Gods \* by Judith Tarr and Harry Turtledove, a modern American woman from L.A. finds herself changing places with a woman tavernkeeper in a minor city of the Roman Empire. Not exactly high adventure (though she does get to meet Marcus Aurelius face to face), but it gives an interesting view of what ordinary, everyday life was like back in Roman days. “Wonderful chaps, those Romans.” ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/6 "2005-06-29T17:17:30Z")
My apologies for the double post. ---
**Author:** ![furthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@furthur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furthur)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/7 "2005-06-29T20:29:52Z")
There are some other Roman mystery series, too. Marilyn Todd does one about Claudia Seferius, a widow with a shadowy past, who has inherited her husband’s struggling wine business in Rome. Series is set in early first century Rome – reign of August, I think. David Wishart has another featuring patrician Marcus Corvinus, also set in first century Rome. Rosemary Rowe does one, although it’s not set in Rome proper, but rather Roman Britain. Main character’s name is Libertus, who is a mosaicist (and if memory serves, a freedman. May even be a slave when the series opens). Last but not least (and apologies if someone else has mentioned this), Steven Saylor does a good series featuring Gordianus the Finder, an inquiry agent/PI like Falco. Time frame begins in 56 BC. Mrs. Furthur ---
**Author:** ![furthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@furthur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furthur)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/8 "2005-06-30T00:52:06Z")
> [@furthur](#): > > reign of August, I think. > Mrs. Furthur I mean Augustus, sorry. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/9 "2005-06-30T11:36:20Z")
It is not set in Rome, but Guy Gavriel Kay’s _Sailing to Sarantium_ (and the sequel) is mostly set in thinly disguised Byzantium. (some scenes in a thinly disguised Rome) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/10 "2005-06-30T11:54:05Z")
These are great. I picked up the middle book of Colleen McCullough last night at a used book store and will be printing this out for future reference. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/11 "2005-06-30T13:11:12Z")
Taylor Caldwell- A PILLAR OF IRON- about Cicero also- DEAR AND GLORIOUS PHYSICIAN- about St. Luke, with some scenes in Rome Anthony Burgess- THE KINGDOM OF THE WICKED - his novel developed alongside his screenplay for the TV miniseries A.D. Paul L. Maier PONTIUS PILATE and THE FLAMES OF ROME Hank Hanengraff (& Sigismund B… something) THE LAST DISCIPLE (about John writing Revelation during the time of Nero) ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/12 "2005-06-30T14:47:43Z")
_Lest Darkness Fall_ posits a man taken back to Italy during Roman times and he attempts to get them to bootstrap their technology to prevent the collapse. ---
**Author:** ![Pythian\_Habenero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Pythian\_Habenero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythian_Habenero)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/13 "2005-06-30T14:54:09Z")
Hmm. I know of a series the first book of which is set in Rome inches before it falls - specifically, in Britain in about 400 AD. It’s called _Skystone_ by Jack Whyte, and it’s a truly lovely piece of work (though it could do with less random sex). It proceeds to carry you past Rome and into the beginnings of Britain, but we needn’t concern ourselves with that as it all happens in the books after Skystone. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/14 "2005-06-30T15:43:55Z")
I’m gonna repeat a lot of choices, but this is my favorite genre, so screw it. Steven Saylor’s _Roma Sub Rosa_ series is great. John Maddox Roberts’ SPQR series is also good (thanks again, **aker**!). Currently I’m reading _Course of Honor_ by Davis and although the romance aspect can be a little heavy-handed, it’s still a great book. I enjoyed _The Silver Pigs_ and look forward to reading the rest of the Falco series. _I, Claudius_ and _Claudius the God_ are must-reads. Not mentioned: Allan Massie’s _Augustus_ drags but it has its moments. _Brothers_ is a very disturbing book about Jesus’ half-brother, an evil centurion, obviously set during Roman times. Edward Rutherford’s _Sarum_ and _London_ have large portions that take place during Rome’s occupation of Britain. Finally, if you’re into mysteries, _The Mammoth Book of Roman Whodunits_ is a fine collection of short stories set throughout the whole of Rome’s history. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/15 "2005-06-30T16:15:15Z")
For the late Empire, Gore Vidal’s [Julian](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/037572706X/qid=1120148607/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_ur_1/103-9295317-0276655?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) is good. It’s a fictional autobiography of the [Emperor Julian the Apostate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian) (ca. 332-363) whose greatest fame was for restoring the Roman Empire to paganism after his great-uncle Constantine made Christianity the state religion. (His heirs immediately restored Christianity.) Most of the book is set on campaign or in the Eastern capitol at Constantinople, but it’s still technically Roman Empire and one of the most colorful and overlooked periods. David Macaulay’s [City](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0395349222/qid=1120148812/sr=8-5/ref=pd_bbs_ur_5/103-9295317-0276655?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) is a picture book (technically for kids though I’d recommend them to _anybody_ with an interest) about the building of a fictional Roman town. There’s also a video that goes with this. (Macaulay’s great- my favorite of his works is [Castle](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0395329205/ref=pd_sxp_f/103-9295317-0276655?v=glance&s=books) (which also has a video- many public libraries carry his books and videos). Finally, you did say _any_ book, right? One of the greatest series on ancient history (and I’ve done grad work in history) is Larry Gonick’s 3 volume _Cartoon History of the Universe_. [Volume 2](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385420935/qid=1120148984/sr=8-9/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i9_xgl14/103-9295317-0276655?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) follows Rome from the Etruscans to the Fall and is a fantastic introduction to its history (and to the history of pretty much anything else it covers). ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/16 "2005-06-30T16:56:25Z")
David McCauley is awesome. I would love to work with him and see how his mind works tearing things apart. Any genre… Are there any kids books set in Rome? Or ancient Greece? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/17 "2005-06-30T17:58:45Z")
Just to clarify, do you want books set in Rome, or books set in the Roman Republic/Empire? ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/18 "2005-06-30T18:07:21Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > Just to clarify, do you want books set in Rome, or books set in the Roman Republic/Empire? Roman Empire first, but really, I had not thought about Current or Near current Rome. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/19 "2005-06-30T18:08:35Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > David McCauley is awesome. I would love to work with him and see how his mind works tearing things apart. > Any genre… > > Are there any kids books set in Rome? Or ancient Greece? I remember a book about a young Roman boy titled A Triumph for Flavius. It’s got to be pretty old, as I read it when\* I\* was a kid! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![furthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@furthur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furthur)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-books-set-in-rome/310366/20 "2005-06-30T21:31:57Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > David McCauley is awesome. I would love to work with him and see how his mind works tearing things apart. > Any genre… > > Are there any kids books set in Rome? Or ancient Greece? Henry Winterfeld did two good ones: Detectives in Togas and Mystery of the Roman Ransom. Both good, detective-y, starring 4 9-12 aged boys Caroline Lawrence does a series of kids’ mysteries, too, starting with Thieves of Ostia. Rosemary Sutcliff wrote an excellent adult/YA book called The Eagle of the Ninth. Mary Ray also does an ancient Rome series beginning with The Ides of April. In the Life and Times series, there’s a title called Atticus of Rome, 30 BC, that centers on a boy sold into slavery in Republican times. And of course, there’s always See You Later, Gladiator by Jon Scieszka. It’s a time travel book that dumps three boys into ancient Rome. Mrs. Furthur