Must read books on ancient Rome?

**Kολοσσός** · 02-02-2008, 03:37

Does anybody have such a list?

**PrimusPilus** · 02-02-2008, 04:46

I liked Tom Holland's Rubicon. A lot of people do not like his writing style.

There is a lot of information in Goldsworthy's The Complete Roman Army but when I ordered it I was expecting a bit more glitz like Warfare in The Classical Age (Wharry) except all about Rome.

Goldsworthy also wrote an excellent biography of Caesar.

I wish there was better historical fiction but Colleen McCulloughs series is good and very well researched. A bit of soap opera but good.

Hope this gives you a start.

Sorry if I have misspelled the authors names. Not looking at the books right now.

pp

**johnhughthom** · 02-02-2008, 05:19

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=70698

Check out the bibliography, there is a list of books on Rome, also check some of the books from the classical sources list. I'm reading Suetonius right now, pretty interesting.

**Kολοσσός** · 02-02-2008, 07:50

Originally Posted by johnhughthom

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=70698

Check out the bibliography, there is a list of books on Rome, also check some of the books from the classical sources list. I'm reading Suetonius right now, pretty interesting.

That's perfect and exactly what I had hoped for. Thanks.

**TruePraetorian** · 02-02-2008, 08:12

If you are looking into a historical fiction, with Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus, Marius and Sulla, Cato and Pompey, all the way to Octavian and Marc Antony, purchase the series Emporer. Written by Conn Igguldenn, they are great books. Some of the information in them is not historically acurate, but it is explained as part of the plot, and it all comes down to the facts.

Don't read if you mind one part of the book

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Primative1** · 02-02-2008, 09:47

Cary and Scullard 'A History of Rome'.

Start to finish no-frills history.

Re Tom Holland, I'm currently 3/4 of the way through Persian Fire and it is superb. Will read Rubicon when I finish it.

**Horst Nordfink** · 02-02-2008, 12:04

Make sure you do, it's really good. I'm re-reading it now.

**The Wandering Scholar** · 02-02-2008, 12:52

Originally Posted by TruePreatorian

If you are looking into a historical fiction, with Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus, Marius and Sulla, Cato and Pompey, all the way to Octavian and Marc Antony, purchase the series Emporer. Written by Conn Igguldenn, they are great books. Some of the information in them is not historically acurate, but it is explained as part of the plot, and it all comes down to the facts.

Don't read if you mind one part of the book

Examples of this are Sulla is poisoned when in actuality he died of age, nothing serious

Wow long extract

How come it reads like it does, like a broken translation.

**Tarkus** · 02-02-2008, 17:06

Polybius' Rise of the Roman Empire is an outstanding account of the early history...highly recommended.

**Mediolanicus** · 02-02-2008, 19:09

Rubicon from Tom Holland is certainly a must-read. He writes very prozaic for an informative book, maybe that's why some don't like his style.
If you like historically correct fiction about ancient Rome, try Robert Harris' books.