Roman History and Roman Historical Fiction Books
'Masters of Command' by Barry Strauss
A review of the 2012 'Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the Genius of Leadership' written by Barry Strauss.
'The Romans and Their World,' by Brian Campbell
Brian Campbell has written an excellent introduction to ancient Rome in an amazingly short compass. Read my review.
'Forgotten Legion' Trilogy: Review of the Second and Third Volumes
Taking place at the tail end of the Roman Republic from the defeat of Crassus at the hands of the Parthians up to the assassination of Julius Caesar, Ben Kane has finished an action-packed, cliff-hanger-filled series named for the men who survived that battle with Crassus, the forgotten legion.
A.D. 62: Pompeii - East, Rebecca
In Rebecca East's historical fiction time travel story, the heroine lands in Pompeii right before a devastating earthquake, but several years before the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. She is able to use her modern knowledge of events in history to work her way up the ancient social ladder.
Ad Infinitum: A Biography of Latin - Ostler, Nicholas
Nicholas Ostler tells the story of the Latin language from its emergence to its near death.
All Roads Lead to Murder - Bell, Albert
An engaging story, which breathes life into the Roman Empire of the first century and the story of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, while showing the conflicts inherent in period social customs.
Always I am Caesar - Tatum, W. Jeffrey
Review of W. Jeffrey Tatum's Always I Am Caesar.
Battle That Stopped Rome - Wells, Peter S.
If you're trying to understand what we know of the Teutoberg Forest disaster in A.D. 9, when three Roman legions were annihilated by German tribes, or you are looking for background on the opening scene of the movie Gladiator, Peter S. Wells' very clearly written The Battle That Stopped Rome - Emperor Augustus, Arminius, and the Slaughter of the...
Belisarius: The First Shall Be Last
Irene Hahn reviews the novel "Belisarius: The First Shall Be Last," by Paolo Belzoni.
Caesar and Cleopatra Fiction
Fiction about Julius Caesar and Cleopatra of Egypt.
Caesar's Legion - Dando-Collins, Stephen
Review of "Caesar's Legion The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome," by Stephen Dando-Collins.
Caesar: Life of a Colossus - Goldsworthy, Adrian
Irene Hahn reviews Adrian Goldsworthy's Caesar Life of a Colossus.
Cicero - Everit, Anthony
In "Cicero," Anthony Everitt deftly weaves Roman hoodlums, generals, and moralists of the first century B.C. into his story of the life and tragedy of Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Classical Mythology and More A Reader Workbook
As its title suggests, Classical Mythology and More - A Reader Workbook is both a workbook and reader of the myths of ancient Greece and Rome. The workbook requires outside research and reasoning, and also supplies bits of lore and, occasionally, simple recipes.
Completely Parsed Cicero - Maclardy, Archibald A.
If you are teaching Cicero's First Oration Against Catiline, whether to a family, a class, or yourself, this is the perfect tool. Absolutely everything is explained and in case that's not enough, Maclardy provides a translation in the margin. Originally written in the nineteenth century, "Completely Parsed Cicero" is like a review course in Latin.
Daughter of Lazarus - Bell, Albert A. Jr.
Irene Hahn reviews "Daughter of Lazarus," a work of historical fiction, by Albert A. Bell, Jr., which takes place during the reign of Domitian.
Day of the Barbarians - Barbero, Alessandro
The Day of the Barbarians: The Battle That Led to the Fall of the Roman Empire, by Alessandro Barbero.
Engineering in the Ancient World - Landels, J. G.
Engineering in the Ancient World, by J. G. Landels. Review of Landels' Engineering in the Ancient World.
Etruscan Life and Afterlife - Bonfante, Larissa
Etruscan Life and Afterlife is a collection of monographs on Etruscan topics from 1986.
Getorix - The Eagle and the Bull - Geary, Judith
Historical Fiction for young adults, by Judith Geary, dealing with the son of a Celtic chieftain captured by Romans in the time of Sulla and Marius.
Gothic Wars - Kulikowsky, Michael
Jordanes is the main source of information on the Goths, but Michael Kulikowsky says he is unreliable, even if he is the only source on the origins of the Goths.
Great Caesar! - Fry, Plantagenet Somerset
Biography of the greatest man ever, according to some.
Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era - Jeffers, James S.
Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era.
Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs - Mayor, Adrienne
In "Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs - Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World," Adrienne Mayor does a masterful job of showing how everything modern in the areas of terrorism and warfare has ancient antecedents.
Hannibal Crosses the Alps - Prevas, John
We have to accept that we don't know what happened to Hannibal Barca in his famous crossing of the Alps, but given our ignorance, Prevas has done an admirable job interpreting events and trying to show why his recreated routes through the Alps work best.
History of Money - Weatherford, Jack
This isn't the place to turn to for a look at economic theory, but for a fast paced history of the world through the lens of money, this is an excellent choice.
History of the Ancient World - Bauer, Susan Wise
Review of Susan Wise Bauer's The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome.
Household & Family Religion in Antiquity - Bodel, John and Saul Olyan
Review of Household and Family Religion in Antiquity, edited by John Bodel and Saul M. Olyan.
Huns - Thompson, E.A.
Review of E.A. Thompson's 1948 text on the nomadic people led by Attila.
Hypatia of Alexandria - Dzielska, Maria
Review of Maria Dzielska's book on the truth behind the legend of the woman described as the body of Aphrodite and the spirit of Plato.
Imperial Exits - Cicatrix, Julius
Written by Julius Cicatrix and illustrated by Martin Rowson, Imperial Exits is an entertaining, unorthodox survey of Roman Imperial History. The "exits" of the title refers to the deaths of the Roman emperors.
Imperium - A Novel of Ancient Rome - Harris, Robert
Book Review of Robert Harris' novel about Cicero, Imperium, by Irene Hahn.
Irene Hahn
Irene Hahn reviews books on ancient Rome.
Island of Ghosts - Bradshaw, Gillian
Review of Island of Ghosts by Gillian Bradshaw, an historical fiction novel about Sarmatians in Roman Britain at Hadrian's Wall, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
Julian - Vidal, Gore
Gore Vidal's fictional memoirs of Emperor Julian the Apostate.
Last Pagan - Murdoch, Adrian
Review of Adrian Murdoch's The Last Pagan: Julian the Apostate and the Death of the Ancient World.
Libraries in the Ancient World - Casson, Lionel
Review of Lionel Casson's Libraries in the Ancient World.
Life in Ancient Rome - Kaufman, William
Learn about Ancient Rome while you color.
Lives of the Caesars - Barrett, Anthony, ed.
Product summary and review of Lives of the Caesars, edited by Anthony A. Barrett.
Lock - Jaro, Benita Kane
Product summary and review of The Lock - an historical novel about Cicero by Benita Kane Jaro. In The Lock Benita Kane Jaro writes about Cicero and other major figures in Rome of the time - Clodius Pulcher - Pompey - Milo.
Lovers' Legends - Callimach, Andrew
Andrew Callimach's "Lovers' Legends - The Gay Greek Myths" puts together the major stories about Greek heroes' and gods' love affairs with other men.
Night Attila Died - Babcock, Michael A.
In The Night Attila Died - Solving the Murder of Attila the Hun Michael A. Babcock explains how philological evidence supports his theory that Attila the Hun did not die on his wedding night of a nosebleed or an alcoholism-induced esophageal rupture.
October Horse - McCullough, Colleen
Irene Hahn reviews the last in the Masters of Rome series, by Colleen McCullough, "The October Horse."
Party Politics in the Age of Caesar - Taylor, Lily Ross
Product review of "Party Politics in the Age of Caesar," by Lily Ross Taylor, a close examination of the political system of personal favoritism, bribery, religious machinations, and such Roman favorites as coitiones and bringing one's troops in to scare people into voting.
Plagues and Poxes
A.J. Bollet reports on diseases that have created epidemics among human populations. Plagues and Poxes is a series of essays on individual diseases.
Pompeii - Harris, Robert
Pompeii, by Robert Harris, is a retelling of the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius from the perspective of an ancient aqueduct engineer.
Quest for the Lost Roman Legions - Clunn, Tony
Irene Hahn's review of The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions, by Tony Clunn, a book about the Roman disaster in the Teutoberg Forest.
Roman Family - Dupont, Florence
Instead of a conflict between family values and the values of the state, Republican Romans steeped their children in morality so they would become fit members of the body politic.
Roman Warfare - Goldsworthy, Adrian
Review of Adrian Goldsworthy's Roman Warfare.
Roman Woodworking - Ulrich, Roger B.
Roman Woodworking is an amply b&w illustrated reference work for those students and scholars interested in ancient trees and wood crafts. It should share shelf space with books on ancient ships and architecture and would be an especially handy companion for Vergil and Pliny.
Sand of the Arena - Duffy, James
Irene Hahn's review of Sand of the Arena (A Gladiator of the Empire Novel).
Satire - Dominik, William J. and WIlliam T. Wehrle
Origins of the Roman genre and review of Dominik and Wehrle's book on Roman Satire.
Secundus Papyrus - Noyer, Albert
The Secundus Papyrus is a mystery constructed in the 5th century A.D. and largely taking place in the imperial city of Ravenna, in the Western Empire. Book review by Irene Hahn
Seneca's Oedipus - Rutenberg, Michael
A recent translation of Seneca's tragedy, adapted by Michael Rutenberg, makes Oedipus accessible to modern audiences.
Sutcliff's Roman Britain
Historical fiction about Roman Britain, by young adult writer Rosemary Sutcliff.
Tres Porculi - Williams, Rose
Between Rose Williams' easy-to-read Latin translation of the story of the "Three Little Pigs," and James Hillyer Estes' toga-clad line drawings of the main characters, Tres Porculi is great fun to read aloud.
Vergil's Aeneid, Hero, War, Humanity - Cobbold, G.B.
In Vergil's Aeneid, Hero, War, Humanity, G.B. Cobbold has translated Vergil's Aeneid for the modern reader who has no knowledge of Latin and only a limited knowledge of Classics.
Book on Parallels Between Ancient Rome and the United States
Answer to a question on a book about parallels between Rome and the United States.
Review of 'Caesars' Wives Sex, Power, and Politics in the Roman Empire'
Review of 'Caesars' Wives - Sex, Power, and Politics in the Roman Empire.'
Review of 'The Romans and Their World,' by Brian Campbell
The Romans and Their World: A Short Introduction