ancient novels and storys.

**Emperor Mithdrates** · 08-24-2008, 22:03

i have just finished reading an excellent book called Centurion by simon scarrow. i want to know about any historic-fiction novels any of you have read.

this one is well worth a read. its about two centurions in the roman army who are sent on a treacherous mission with their two cohorts through the eastern desert, to a city that may be attacked soon by Parthia. they must rescue the king and hold off a parthian supporting rebel army that lays seige tro them in the citys citadal.
its quite new so you can easily find it in a book shop near you. now lets hear yours.

**Warmaster Horus** · 08-24-2008, 23:43

If you liked that book, why not read the rest of that series? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Scarrow Look under the "Eagle" section.
Otherwise, there are plenty of historical fictions. The SPQR series by John Maddox Roberts is one, the Masters of Rome by Colleen McCullough another.
I personally am in the middle of going through the Didius Falco series by Lindsey Davis about an informer, a sort of modern PI. Quite interesting, though they are set in Vespasian's Empire (not my favorite period).
Whatever you read, I strongly advise you do not go for Conn Iggulden's Emperor series, centered around Julius Caesar's life. They just smack of ... non-historical. To give the most blatant example, Caesar knew Brutus all his life. Not quite true.

**Sinner** · 08-26-2008, 21:49

Steven Saylor does the Roma Sub Rosa series of novels based around the character of Gordianus the Finder, a sort of detective series set in the late Republic. He also wrote an interesting standalone novel called Roma that traces the history of Rome from its prehistoric founding up until the end of the Republic, seen through the eyes of various members of two families.

**Omanes Alexandrapolites** · 08-29-2008, 21:14

Moved to the Monastery (history forum)

A forum search pulled up this thread, which is a fairly comprehensive set of book lists. I'm not sure if there are any historical fiction ones among it, but factual pieces can often be as interesting as fiction works.

Happy reading

**Prince Cobra** · 09-01-2008, 13:12

In fact, now I'm reading " Tha Last of the Mochicans" by Feminore Cooper. This is a classic book about the Seven-year-war between France and Great Briatain in North America (XVIII century). Not very Ancient, true, but so far I find it interesting.

On Roman theme: Has anybody here read " I Claudius " by R.Graves?

**KrooK** · 09-02-2008, 00:42

"Sinuhe the Egyptian" and "Enemies of Human Kind" by Mika Waltari - first of them won Nobel prize

**Martok** · 09-03-2008, 02:11

If you like ancient Greek history, then you'll enjoy just about any book by Steven Pressfield. I particularly recommend his novels Tides of War and Gates of Fire -- they're masterpieces of both storytelling and historical recreation.