I have read over 70 books about ancient Roman history over the past five years. Most of the books I have read are in English, but I have also read books in Italian (notably those of Alberto Angela) and in Spanish (Santiago Posteguillo). Here are my recommendations sorted by category.
Life in Ancient Rome
24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There, by Philip Matyszak. A great way to experience what daily life was like in Rome at the peak of its glory at the time of Trajan.
A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome, by Alberto Angela (English version)
Una giornata nell'antica Roma. Vita quotidiana, segreti e curiosità, by Alberto Angela (original Italian version)
The Reach of Rome: A Journey Through the Lands of the Ancient Empire, Following a Coin, by Alberto Angela
General Roman History
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, by Mary Beard is a very well written history of Rome from foundation to 212 CE.
The Dream of Rome, by Boris Johnson. Even though I dislike Boris Johnson as a politician, his book was quite enjoyable because it was very funny, while at the same time being well-written and erudite.
Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual, by Philip Matyszak. An insightful and entertaining book about the life of Roman legionaries. A must read for anyone interested in Roman military history.
Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's (Unofficial) Manual, by Philip Matyszak. The author's wit and humorous prose makes reading about gladiators a gripping experience. You won't be able to put the book down.
History of the Roman Republic
The Roman Republic: A Very Short Introduction, by David M. Gwynn. An Oxford reference to the Roman Republic. It is very well written and very easy to read.
Cataclysm 90 BC: The forgotten war that almost destroyed Rome, by Philip Matyszak about the Social War in which Italian cities and tribes fought against the Roman Republic in order to lose their independence to become Roman (the only case in history of the opposite of an independence war!).
Sertorius and the Struggle for Spain, by Philip Matyszak. This book is about one of the greatest Roman generals of his age, but also about romanisation of Iberia, and how both Pompey and Caesar both made their teeth as generals.
Mithridates the Great: Rome's Indomitable Enemy, by Philip Matyszak. The life and deeds of the man who unified Anatolia and defied Rome. Ultimately his demise would bring the whole of Anatolia under Roman control.
The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic, by Mike Duncan. The book covers the period 146-78 BCE and notably the conflict between Sulla and Marius.
History of the Roman Empire
Pax Romana: War, Peace and Conquest in the Roman World, by Adrian Goldsworthy. This book covers mostly the late Republic (first part) and early Empire (second part). It deals essentially with the military and administrative aspects of the Roman rule. It is great to learn about the Senate, magistrates, legions and how the whole system worked.
Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine, by Barry Strauss. The book is very well written and provides a great overview of the life and achievements of 10 of the most important Roman emperors.
The Roman Emperor Aurelian: Restorer of the World, by John F. White. The book isn't just about Aurelian, but also about Valerian, Gallienus, Claudius II, Tacitus, Probus, Carus, the Gallic emperors (Postumus, Tetricus) as well as Zenobia and Vaballathus of Palmyra. A very interesting period (253-284) that almost saw the collapse of the Roman empire. This period was not mentioned by Barry Strauss in Ten Caesars, so the two books complete each other.
Roman Britain: A New History, by Guy de la Bédoyère. For anyone interested in how life was in that particular part of the empire.
Patricians and Emperors: The Last Rulers of the Western Roman Empire, by Ian Hughes. I recommend reading the book after Stilicho and Aetius (listed above) by the same author to follow the chronology. This volume provides worthwhile insight into the numerous reasons why the Western Roman Empire eventually collapsed.
Stilicho: The Vandal Who Saved Rome, by Ian Hughes. A great book covering the late 4th and early 5th centuries in the Western Roman Empire, a period that doesn't get enough attention.
Historical fiction
The following books are all based on real events and the authors have attempted to keep the story as historical and realistic as possible. It's only fiction in that these are written as novels with fictional heroes, but the historical context and main events are real.
The Gold of Tolosa, by Philip Matyszak. The story is based on old papyri dating from the 1st century CE found in Pompeii. It is not clear whether the story is (entirely) real or not, but it is certainly based on actual historical events. It might either be the true account of how the greatest robbery in history took place (gold and silver worth about $2 billions in today's money) or it might be the oldest novel in the world (antedating by 1000 years The Tale of Genji). In any case the story is exhilarating and mind-blowing. It was superbly translated from colloquial Latin by Philip Matyszak, an expert in that domain. The language is crude and hilarious. It's one of the most captivating books I have ever read!
The Servant of Aphrodite is the sequel of The Gold of Tolosa and is just as amazing.
Over the last year I read the 15 volumes of the Marius' Mules series by British author S.J.A. Turney. The series retraces the life of Julius Caesar from the beginning of the Gallic Wars until his assassination - a period of 15 years, with one book dedicated to each year. Although it is historical fiction, the story is thoroughly researched and as realistic as can possibly be based on all the historical evidence available. The books are extremely well written and captivating. It is far more entertaining than to read Julius Caesar's De Bello Gallico. Simon Turney actually intended to rewrite Caesar's work in a more modern and diverting style, which is succeeded masterfully.
Simon Turney has written many other novels about ancient Rome. I quite enjoyed the Praetorian series (6 volumes so far, with a 7th due to complete the series). The story starts at the end of the reign of Marcus Aurelius, lasts through the reign of Commodus, and ends with the civil war between Septimius Severus against Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus.
If you read Spanish, I can only recommend the three books of the Africanus series by Santiago Posteguillo. Africanus: El hijo del cónsul is the first of three volumes (of about 1000 pages per volume) of a historical retelling of the Second Punic Wars following mainly Publius Cornelius Scipio (later nicknamed Africanus) and his friend Gaius Laelius, as well as inevitably also Hannibal Barca and Quintus Fabius Maximus. The book is only available in Spanish at the moment. I chose it to improve my Spanish and I was not disappointed. It's really great. It is the same kind of series as Marius' Mules above, but with less gory details of battles. The author also follows the life of Titus Maccius Plautus, one of the most famous Roman playwrights of the time and a protégé of Scipio Africanus (at least according to the book). Highly recommended if you can read Spanish! It's also availalable in Italian and Polish(!)
I read the first book of Santiago Posteguillo's new series about the life of Julius Caesar : Roma soy yo. It was published in April 2022 and was the most sold book in Spain in 2022 with 180,000 copies sold in eight months. I agree that the book is a masterpiece. Santiago managed to write the story in a very compelling fashion, with very emotional moments and lots of suspense. This first volume deal with Caesar's youth during the civil war between Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla, which is the main focus of the book.
The book is described as "the true story of Julius Caesar" and it is mostly based on historical facts. However the author gave himself some narrative license to make the events sound more dramatic. For example, he placed the birth of Julius Caesar's daughter during the siege of Rome in 82 BCE (Battle of the Colline Gate), when she was actually born several years later (in 76 BCE). He also made Titus Labienus a childhood friend of Caesar's although Labienus was not even from Rome (but from Picenum) and the pair didn't meet until well into their adulthood. Nevertheless it is one of the best historical novels I have read and am looking forward to the next volumes in the series. It will surely be translated into English, but in the meantime, if you can read Spanish, don't hesitate! It's already available in Italian and Catalan.
Life in Ancient Rome
24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There, by Philip Matyszak. A great way to experience what daily life was like in Rome at the peak of its glory at the time of Trajan.
A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome, by Alberto Angela (English version)
Una giornata nell'antica Roma. Vita quotidiana, segreti e curiosità, by Alberto Angela (original Italian version)
The Reach of Rome: A Journey Through the Lands of the Ancient Empire, Following a Coin, by Alberto Angela
General Roman History
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, by Mary Beard is a very well written history of Rome from foundation to 212 CE.
The Dream of Rome, by Boris Johnson. Even though I dislike Boris Johnson as a politician, his book was quite enjoyable because it was very funny, while at the same time being well-written and erudite.
Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual, by Philip Matyszak. An insightful and entertaining book about the life of Roman legionaries. A must read for anyone interested in Roman military history.
Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's (Unofficial) Manual, by Philip Matyszak. The author's wit and humorous prose makes reading about gladiators a gripping experience. You won't be able to put the book down.
History of the Roman Republic
The Roman Republic: A Very Short Introduction, by David M. Gwynn. An Oxford reference to the Roman Republic. It is very well written and very easy to read.
Cataclysm 90 BC: The forgotten war that almost destroyed Rome, by Philip Matyszak about the Social War in which Italian cities and tribes fought against the Roman Republic in order to lose their independence to become Roman (the only case in history of the opposite of an independence war!).
Sertorius and the Struggle for Spain, by Philip Matyszak. This book is about one of the greatest Roman generals of his age, but also about romanisation of Iberia, and how both Pompey and Caesar both made their teeth as generals.
Mithridates the Great: Rome's Indomitable Enemy, by Philip Matyszak. The life and deeds of the man who unified Anatolia and defied Rome. Ultimately his demise would bring the whole of Anatolia under Roman control.
The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic, by Mike Duncan. The book covers the period 146-78 BCE and notably the conflict between Sulla and Marius.
History of the Roman Empire
Pax Romana: War, Peace and Conquest in the Roman World, by Adrian Goldsworthy. This book covers mostly the late Republic (first part) and early Empire (second part). It deals essentially with the military and administrative aspects of the Roman rule. It is great to learn about the Senate, magistrates, legions and how the whole system worked.
Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine, by Barry Strauss. The book is very well written and provides a great overview of the life and achievements of 10 of the most important Roman emperors.
The Roman Emperor Aurelian: Restorer of the World, by John F. White. The book isn't just about Aurelian, but also about Valerian, Gallienus, Claudius II, Tacitus, Probus, Carus, the Gallic emperors (Postumus, Tetricus) as well as Zenobia and Vaballathus of Palmyra. A very interesting period (253-284) that almost saw the collapse of the Roman empire. This period was not mentioned by Barry Strauss in Ten Caesars, so the two books complete each other.
Roman Britain: A New History, by Guy de la Bédoyère. For anyone interested in how life was in that particular part of the empire.
Patricians and Emperors: The Last Rulers of the Western Roman Empire, by Ian Hughes. I recommend reading the book after Stilicho and Aetius (listed above) by the same author to follow the chronology. This volume provides worthwhile insight into the numerous reasons why the Western Roman Empire eventually collapsed.
Stilicho: The Vandal Who Saved Rome, by Ian Hughes. A great book covering the late 4th and early 5th centuries in the Western Roman Empire, a period that doesn't get enough attention.
Historical fiction
The following books are all based on real events and the authors have attempted to keep the story as historical and realistic as possible. It's only fiction in that these are written as novels with fictional heroes, but the historical context and main events are real.
The Gold of Tolosa, by Philip Matyszak. The story is based on old papyri dating from the 1st century CE found in Pompeii. It is not clear whether the story is (entirely) real or not, but it is certainly based on actual historical events. It might either be the true account of how the greatest robbery in history took place (gold and silver worth about $2 billions in today's money) or it might be the oldest novel in the world (antedating by 1000 years The Tale of Genji). In any case the story is exhilarating and mind-blowing. It was superbly translated from colloquial Latin by Philip Matyszak, an expert in that domain. The language is crude and hilarious. It's one of the most captivating books I have ever read!
The Servant of Aphrodite is the sequel of The Gold of Tolosa and is just as amazing.
Over the last year I read the 15 volumes of the Marius' Mules series by British author S.J.A. Turney. The series retraces the life of Julius Caesar from the beginning of the Gallic Wars until his assassination - a period of 15 years, with one book dedicated to each year. Although it is historical fiction, the story is thoroughly researched and as realistic as can possibly be based on all the historical evidence available. The books are extremely well written and captivating. It is far more entertaining than to read Julius Caesar's De Bello Gallico. Simon Turney actually intended to rewrite Caesar's work in a more modern and diverting style, which is succeeded masterfully.
Simon Turney has written many other novels about ancient Rome. I quite enjoyed the Praetorian series (6 volumes so far, with a 7th due to complete the series). The story starts at the end of the reign of Marcus Aurelius, lasts through the reign of Commodus, and ends with the civil war between Septimius Severus against Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus.
If you read Spanish, I can only recommend the three books of the Africanus series by Santiago Posteguillo. Africanus: El hijo del cónsul is the first of three volumes (of about 1000 pages per volume) of a historical retelling of the Second Punic Wars following mainly Publius Cornelius Scipio (later nicknamed Africanus) and his friend Gaius Laelius, as well as inevitably also Hannibal Barca and Quintus Fabius Maximus. The book is only available in Spanish at the moment. I chose it to improve my Spanish and I was not disappointed. It's really great. It is the same kind of series as Marius' Mules above, but with less gory details of battles. The author also follows the life of Titus Maccius Plautus, one of the most famous Roman playwrights of the time and a protégé of Scipio Africanus (at least according to the book). Highly recommended if you can read Spanish! It's also availalable in Italian and Polish(!)
I read the first book of Santiago Posteguillo's new series about the life of Julius Caesar : Roma soy yo. It was published in April 2022 and was the most sold book in Spain in 2022 with 180,000 copies sold in eight months. I agree that the book is a masterpiece. Santiago managed to write the story in a very compelling fashion, with very emotional moments and lots of suspense. This first volume deal with Caesar's youth during the civil war between Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla, which is the main focus of the book.
The book is described as "the true story of Julius Caesar" and it is mostly based on historical facts. However the author gave himself some narrative license to make the events sound more dramatic. For example, he placed the birth of Julius Caesar's daughter during the siege of Rome in 82 BCE (Battle of the Colline Gate), when she was actually born several years later (in 76 BCE). He also made Titus Labienus a childhood friend of Caesar's although Labienus was not even from Rome (but from Picenum) and the pair didn't meet until well into their adulthood. Nevertheless it is one of the best historical novels I have read and am looking forward to the next volumes in the series. It will surely be translated into English, but in the meantime, if you can read Spanish, don't hesitate! It's already available in Italian and Catalan.
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