Great Og help me - Father’s Day is coming up. I need non-fiction book recommendations about ancient Roman life that are entertaining reads for a father who is an avid reader but definitely not the sort interested in a dry academic tome. Length isn’t a major consideration, as long as it’s one book; a single volume of a larger work is fine. Much as I hate to say it, blood helps - gladiators (especially), military campaigns, that sort of thing. I’ve searched the archive, but all I’m turning up are fiction recommendations, and I know he’s prefer an entertainingly written non-fiction book. Given the popularity of the time period, and after some browsing on Amazon, I’m convinced there are gobs of them out there but not sure which are the best. I place my faith and my pocketbook in the hands of the Dopers. What should I get for him?
I’m a huge fan of ancient history myself. I know you stated you wanted non-fiction titles, but there are a series of books written by Colleen McCullough that really are quite interesting. The series is The First Man in Rome series. The books deal with people who really existed and are well researched. The books also have their share of gore and politics. The battle plans are discussed in great detail. The first book starts with the rise of Pompey, a great roman general.
The books are written in such a way as to make everything seem interesting yet cover great eras in Roman history and great historial figures such as Sulla, a roman general and dictatar who is still studied in War College today, philosphers, senators, all way through Julius Caesar and his assassination.
I recommend Imperial Exits: Being an Account of the Varied and Violent Deaths of the Roman Emperors, by Julius Cicatrix. It’s very entertaining.
A good recent book about the late republic is Holland’s “Rubicon”. I’ve also heard good things about the new book “Swords against the Senate”, but haven’t red it.
The Conquest of Gaul and The Civil War by Julius Caesar are both great.
Though not a military history, As The Romans Did is a very interesting book about the daily lives of Romans. It’s certainly readable by the layman.