If you know of works set in the pre-Republican era, please expand this section.
Founding Fathers (1959) byAlfred Duggan. Originally titledChildren of the Wolf, this novel tells the story of King Romulus and the founding of Rome through the eyes of a variety of characters who come to the new city.
Roma (2007) bySteven Saylor. According to the author's website, the book covers part of Rome's early history.[1]
Of Merchants & Heroes, published 2008 by Paul Waters. Set at the end of the 3rd century BC, about the life of a fictional Roman called Marcus. In the novel Marcus becomes involved in the war againstPhilip V of Macedon, which was led byTitus Quinctius Flamininus, who later became Consul and is a major character in the story.
"Salammbô", published 1977 by Gustave Flaubert. 240 BC. The novel is set before and during the Mercenary War, an uprising of mercenaries in the employ of Carthage in the 3rd century BC.
"The Shield of Rome", published 2011 by William Kelso. 216 BC. The novel is set during "Rome's finest hour" after the battle of Cannae when Hannibal threatens the very existence of the Republic.
"The Fortune of Carthage", published 2012 by William Kelso. 207 BC. The novel is set during the 2nd Punic War and covers Hasdrubal Barca's attempt to link up with the Carthaginian army of his brother Hannibal.
"Rome: Destroy Carthage", published 2013 by David Gibbins. 146 BC. The novel was written to promote the strategy game "Rome 2 Total War" and is set during the 3nd Punic War and covers the siege and utter destruction of Carthage.
The Bow of Heaven (2011) by Andrew Levkoff, a novel of events leading up to the battle of Carrhae, and the triumvir responsible for one of the greatest defeats suffered by Republican Rome, Marcus Licinius Crassus
Imperium andLustrum (novel) byRobert Harris, the first two volumes of a trilogy of fictionalized biography told by his slave, later freedman, Tiro depicting Cicero's rise to the consulship in 63 BC and subsequent role in the final days of the Republic.
A Pillar of Iron (1965) byTaylor Caldwell, a fictionalized biography of Cicero.
Three's Company (1958) byAlfred Duggan. The career of Lepidus, triumvir with Octavian and Marcus Antonius after the death of Julius Caesar.
Winter Quarters (1956) byAlfred Duggan. Two Gauls in the time of Julius Caesar, one of whom is under a curse from the Mother Goddess, whose worship he finds throughout the Roman world.
The Conquered byNaomi Mitchison (1923). Gaul & the Gallic Wars 1st century BC
Beric the Briton: A Story of the Roman Invasion (1893) byG. A. Henty
Persona Non Grata, Terra Incognita, Medicus andCaveat Emptor, a series of mysteries featuring the "reluctant sleuth" Gaius Petreius Ruso byRuth Downie, set around 120 AD.
Three Legions series byRosemary Sutcliff set in Roman Britain c. 130 AD. The three novels consist ofThe Eagle of the Ninth (1954),The Silver Branch (1957), andThe Lantern Bearers (1959). The three were first collected in one volume asThree Legions in 1980.
Empire published August 31, 2010, bySteven Saylor. The book follows two families through Rome's Imperial history, from the reign ofAugustus to the reign ofHadrian. The sequel toRoma.
Vespasian series by Robert Fabbri. The series details the early career and rise to power ofVespasian.
Let the Emperor Speak: A novel of Caesar Augustus byAllan Massie, Doubleday & Company, Inc, New York, 1987 (First published in Great Britain in 1986 by the Bodley Head asAugustus). Also by this author:Caesar,Anthony,Tiberius,Caligula andNero's Heirs.
A Voice in the Wind (1994) byFrancine Rivers; the story of Hadassah, a Christian slave taken from Jerusalem and taken to Rome in the time of Titus and his fatherMark of the Lion Trilogy book 1
The Robe (1942), byLloyd C. Douglas, set in the same period as Ben-Hur; like Ben-Hur, more famous as a film.
Books about Claudius or set in his reign include:
I, Claudius (1934) and its sequel,Claudius the God (1935), byRobert Graves. The classic and influential dramatised account of the life of the emperor Claudius, made into a popularTV series (see below).
The Eagle series by Nigerian-born British novelistSimon Scarrow. The first bookUnder the Eagle (part of theEagle series) was published 2000 bySimon Scarrow. Story of Roman invasion of Britain, featuring a youngVespasian. Other books in the series includeThe Eagle's Conquest (2001 set in 42 AD (introducingBoudicca at the end);When the Eagle Hunts (2002) set in 44 AD. Other books in the series includeThe Eagle and the Wolves (2003),The Eagle's Prey (2004),The Eagle's Prophecy (2005),The Eagle in the Sand (2006), and the forthcomingCenturion (January – 2008).
Josephus Trilogy (1959), byLion Feuchtwanger about Flavius Josephus, but set in Ancient Rome during Reign of Vespasianus and Titus
The Course of Honour (1998), the first novel byLindsey Davis (later author of theMarcus Didius Falco mysteries, which also take place during the reign on Vespasianus) narrates the history ofVespasian's imperial freedwoman mistressAntonia Caenis.
The Light Bearer (1994), byDonna Gillespie tells the story of a Germanic female warrior who becomes a gladiator in Rome in the reign of Domitian.
Heliogabalus or, the Crowned Anarchist (1934) byAntonin Artaud, a novelized biography of the teenage emperorElagabalus, a powerful concoction of sexual excess, self-deification and terminal violence
The Unconquered Sun byRalph Dulin, follows the life of the emperor Aurelian and his wife
Warrior Of Rome series by historianHarry Sidebottom, takes place in the years 238 to 264, mostly from 256 to 264, six books so far published
Iron And Rust also by historianHarry Sidebottom, takes place before the Warrior Of Rome series
Helena byEvelyn Waugh; follows the quest of the Empress Helena, a Christian and the mother of Emperor Constantine to uncover the remains of the cross upon which Christ was crucified.
The Sword of Attila: A Novel of the Last Years of Rome (2005) byMichael Curtis Ford
The Fall of Rome: A Novel of a World Lost (2007) by Michael Curtis Ford
Raptor (1993) byGary Jennings is an historical novel set in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. It purports to be the memoirs of an Ostrogoth, Thorn, who has a secret.
Threshold of Fire: A Novel of Fifth Century Rome (1966) byHella Haasse
TheCaius Trilogy by German authorHenry Winterfeld:Caius ist ein Dummkopf (Caius is an Idiot);Caius geht ein Licht auf (Caius has an Inspiration), andCaius in der Klemme (Caius in a Fix). The first part was published in English with the alternate titleDetectives in Togas. The second was published in English with the alternate titleMystery of the Roman Ransom.
The Aquiliad (1983), bySomtow Sucharitkul. Circa 50 AD. A light-hearted novel in which Roman legions discover America, battle the Aztecs, encounter Big Foot, and drive off flying saucers.
Oebis (2002), byScott Mackay. Romans return to a modern-day Earth to retake it from alien invaders who exiled them centuries ago and imposed a strange form of Christianity.
Emperor (2006), by Stephen Baxter. After a Celtic chieftain obeys an ancient prophecy, and sides with the invaders, the history of Roman Britain takes a different path. First in a series.
INCEPTIO (2013) first in the ten book Roma Nova thriller series by Alison Morton where a remnant of the ancient empire has survived into the 21st century and is led by women.
The Adventures of Alix (1948–now) series byJacques Martin of which some titles are set in Rome and the Ancient World. This series has a spin-off, calledThe travels of Alix, that gives illustrated information on famous places and empires of the Ancient World during the Roman Era.
Astérix (1959–now) series byRené Goscinny (stories) andAlbert Uderzo (illustrations). A tiny village in Gaul holds out against the Roman Army, and its doughtiest warriors meet all the famous Romans.
Dominic Flandry series byPoul Anderson, a space empire similarly inspired by Gibbon's history (and by Asimov) is decaying and about to collapse into a Long Night of barbarism; a heroic secret agent fights to stave off this fate.
InPhilip K. Dick'sVALIS ancient Rome is superimposed over the present (California in the 20th century) and the far future world ofThe Android Cried Me a River to reveal "the Empire" – a supra- or trans-temporal constant. Furthermore, it is often repeated that the empire never fell. Also the novel's protagonist is described as living in two spacetime-continua with one of the personalities presently living in ancient Rome. Ancient Rome is also described as to breaking through into the modern world and "real time" is speculated as to having ceased in 70 AD with Roman times still being present.[4]
Leading Comics - in the 1940s, a series called "Nero Fox" (about atalking animal named Nero Fox, who was emperor of Rome) was published as a backup series in this comic title.
Trigan Empire was a Science Fiction comic series telling of adventures on the planet Elekton with many similarities to the Roman Empire
