I recently finished McCullough’s Masters Of Rome series, and of course I’ve been jonesing for more. Immediately after finishing the last book in her series I read Augustus by Allan Massie. I was slightly disappointed, but I think part of it was that I was so used to McCullough’s overwrought style that Massie’s laid-back and slightly snarky prose was a bit jarring. On the other hand, I’m now reading Roman Blood by Steven Saylor, and enjoying every word of it. My mother lent me all her Gordianus the Finder books and I’m looking forward to devouring the rest. I have, of course, read I, Claudius and Claudius the God.
So what are your favorite novels set in ancient Rome? Any recommendations – military, mystery, straight history, even romance, it doesn’t matter. And which should people avoid at all costs?
John Maddox Roberts SPQR series. It’s set in the same period as the Saylor books, before the end of the Republican period.
Since you read the Masters of Rome you’ll recognize the family of the person telling the stories in the SPQR series. He’s one of the numerous Mettellus clan.
For a later period, set during the reign of the emperor Vespasian, there are the books by Lindsey Davis, featuring Marcus Didius Falco. He’s a sort of private investigator, as Gordianus is. These books often have a lighter tone, but there are serious parts too.
Forgot to mention, especially with the Davis books, it helps to read them in order, starting with Silver Pigs. Many characters are carried over, and if read out of order you’d find yourself wondering how certain things came to happen. And Davis lets the characters evolve, they aren’t static, or cardboard cutouts.
I love both Linsey Davis and Steven Saylor. The The Course of Honor by Davis is one of my favorites. It’s out of print in the states, but a lot of libraries have it. Another great author is Gillian Bradshaw. Beacon of Alexandria is terrific.
Margaret George’s Memoirs of Cleopatra is the fictional retelling of the Cleopatra and Caesar story. A lot of the action takes place in Egypt, of course, but Cleopatra goes to Rome.
Robert Harris’s Pompeii is a good thriller. Harris, who wrote Fatherland and Engima, is talented at weaving together fact and fiction and building up a realistic world. He also drops in occassional guest appearances from real historical figures such as Pliny the Elder.
I have also recently read a decent non-fiction book about the end of the Republic called Rubicon.
The Course of Honor is NOT out-of-print in the USA. It’s been in every Borders bookstore I’ve shopped in; I believe the publisher is Mysterious Press and you can also get it through Amazon.
As you might have guessed, I’m a hge Lindsey Davis fan.
I am assuming you read I Claudius second part: Claudius the god. If you have, then I can only recommend “Hadrian’s Memoirs” by Marguerite Yourcenar. She is one of France’s best writers of the 20 century, (the first woman to be admitted into the French Academy), and this is her masterpiece.-
The novel is basically Emperor Hadrian telling his life story to his future succesor, Marco Aurelio.
The reason this is a great novel is the way to Yourcenar manages to portray Hadrian and incredible complex man who was a soldier, a poet, a tyran and humanity’s benefactor.
I picked up Silver Pigs at a used book sale, because the concept of a mystery in Roman times intrigued me - had never heard of Davis or Falco prior to that. It was a pretty good read.
The Unwilling Vestal is a fun one. I think it’s available at Project Gutenberg. I first found it when I was 12 or so, and still love it. When my mother wanted to scan it for Gutenberg, she borrowed the copy I stole from her years ago, and graciously gave it back to me.
David Wishart has a series with a main character called Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus. I don’t think it’s quite as good as Lindsey Davis’ series, but still pretty readable.
Marilyn Todd does a series, nominally mystery, about a woman called Claudia Seferius, set in 13 BC onward. Claudia’s a little anachronistic and completely badly behaved, but amusing.
Rosemary Rowe has a series set in Roman Britain, 186 AD, with freedman Libertus as the main character.
Rosemary Sutcliff has a brilliant one-off called The Eagle of the Ninth.
My Lindsey Davis books are among my most treasured possessions – I love Falco, Helena, and all the crew. John Maddox Roberts and Steven Saylor write great books too. And of course I, Claudius was wonderful.