Roman History Books
Best Books, Education, History, Italy, Nonfiction, Regional & Global

The Best Roman History Books

“What are the best Roman History Books?” We looked at 243 different titles, aggregating and ranking the entries in an attempt to answer that very question!

Part 7 of our Italy week is Roman History! We can think of no better way to end our Italy week with a list of books about one of the largest and longest empires the world has ever known. Rome’s history is great and expansive, and hopefully this assortment of fiction and nonfiction titles can help shed some more much-deserved light on a subject the world should probably eye a little more carefully right about now.

The lists we made are:

Below you can find the top 27 books, all appearing on 3 or more lists, with images, summaries, and links. The remaining books, all appearing on 2 or fewer lists, as well as the articles we used are at the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!



The Top Fiction And Nonfiction Books About Roman History



27 .) The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History by Peter Heather

The Fall of the Roman Empire- A New History of Rome and the Barbarians by Peter Heather

Lists It Appears On:

  • About (Education)
  • R4H
  • Goodreads

“The death of the Roman Empire is one of the perennial mysteries of world history. Now, in this groundbreaking book, Peter Heather proposes a stunning new solution: Centuries of imperialism turned the neighbors Rome called barbarians into an enemy capable of dismantling an Empire that had dominated their lives for so long.
A leading authority on the late Roman Empire and on the barbarians, Heather relates the extraordinary story of how Europe’s barbarians, transformed by centuries of contact with Rome on every possible level, eventually pulled the empire apart. He shows first how the Huns overturned the existing strategic balance of power on Rome’s European frontiers, to force the Goths and others to seek refuge inside the Empire. This prompted two generations of struggle, during which new barbarian coalitions, formed in response to Roman hostility, brought the Roman west to its knees. The Goths first destroyed a Roman army at the battle of Hadrianople in 378, and went on to sack Rome in 410. The Vandals spread devastation in Gaul and Spain, before conquering North Africa, the breadbasket of the Western Empire, in 439. We then meet Attila the Hun, whose reign of terror swept from Constantinople to Paris, but whose death in 453 ironically precipitated a final desperate phase of Roman collapse, culminating in the Vandals’ defeat of the massive Byzantine Armada: the west’s last chance for survival.”

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26 .) The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius

The Twelve Caesars (De vita duodecim Caesarum libri #1-12) by Suetonius,

Lists It Appears On:

  • Five Books
  • Goodreads
  • Useless Book Club

As private secretary to the Emperor Hadrian, the scholar Suetonius had access to the imperial archives and used them (along with eyewitness accounts) to produce one of the most colourful biographical works in history. The Twelve Caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over Rome, from the foundation of the empire under Julius Caesar and Augustus, to the decline into depravity and civil war under Nero and the recovery that came with his successors. A masterpiece of observation, anecdote and detailed physical description, The Twelve Caesars presents us with a gallery of vividly drawn—and all too human—individuals.

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25 .) Antony and Cleopatra by Colleen McCullough

Antony and Cleopatra (Masters of Rome #7) by Colleen McCullough

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads

Caesar is dead, and Rome is, again, divided. Lepidus has retreated to Africa, while Antony rules the opulent East, and Octavian claims the West, the heart of Rome, as his domain. Though this tense truce holds civil war at bay, Rome seems ripe for an emperor — a true Julian heir to lay claim to Caesar’s legacy. With the bearing of a hero, and the riches of the East at his disposal, Antony seems poised to take the prize. Like a true warrior-king, he is a seasoned general whose lust for power burns alongside a passion for women, feasts, and Chian wine. His rival, Octavian, seems a less convincing candidate: the slight, golden-haired boy is as controlled as Antony is indulgent and as cool-headed and clear-eyed as Antony is impulsive. Indeed, the two are well matched only in ambition.

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24 .) Augustus by John Edward Williams

Augustus by John Williams

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Library Thing
  • Historical Novels

In Augustus, his third great novel, John Williams took on an entirely new challenge, a historical narrative set in classical Rome, exploring the life of the founder of the Roman Empire. To tell the story, Williams turned to the epistolary novel, a genre that was new to him, transforming and transcending it just as he did the western in Butcher’s Crossing and the campus novel in Stoner. Augustus is the final triumph of a writer who has come to be recognized around the world as an American master.

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23 .) Caesar by Colleen McCullough

Caesar (Masters of Rome #5) by Colleen McCullough

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads

“Colleen McCullough’s track record in publishing reads like Caesar’s triumphs in battlewide-ranging in scope, masterful in style, unequaled in achievement. From her almost twelve-million-copy-selling Thorn Birds through her four novels in the Masters of Rome series, McCullough has never faltered.
Here she turns her attentions to Caesar’s conquest of Gaul and to his momentous decision at the river Rubicon to claim his place in the government of Rome. At a time that preceded the technology of any firearm, when military acumen, strategy, and leadership were all, it was Caesar’s genius that prevailed, over and over. What Caesar accomplished in Gaul is the stuff of historical epic, of military academies, and of this novel. He was utterly awesome. Yet history forgets that Caesar was also a man, not immune to the human condition. He succeeded brilliantly, but he also suffered great personal grief and disappointment. It is the full portrait of Caesar, a man destined to inspire an empire, that Colleen McCullough paints here–faithfully, magnificently, and in radiant light.”

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22 .) Caesar’s Women by Colleen McCullough

Caesar's Women (Masters of Rome #4) by Colleen McCullough

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads

His victories were legend—in battle and bedchamber alike. Love was a political weapon he wielded cunningly and ruthlessly in his private war against enemies in the forum. Genius, general, patrician, Gaius Julius Caesar was history. His wives bought him influence. He sacrificed his beloved daughter on the altar of ambition. He burned for the cold-hearted mistress he could never dare trust. Caesar’s women all knew—and feared—his power. He adored them, used them, destroyed them on his irresistible rise to prominence. And one of them would seal his fate.

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21 .) Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome’s Greatest Politician by Anthony Everitt

Cicero- The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician by Anthony Everitt

Lists It Appears On:

  • The Week
  • Goodreads
  • Library Thing

“He squared off against Caesar and was friends with young Brutus. He advised the legendary Pompey on his somewhat botched transition from military hero to politician. He lambasted Mark Antony and was master of the smear campaign, as feared for his wit as he was for exposing his opponents’ sexual peccadilloes. Brilliant, voluble, cranky, a genius of political manipulation but also a true patriot and idealist, Cicero was Rome’s most feared politician, one of the greatest lawyers and statesmen of all times. Machiavelli, Queen Elizabeth, John Adams and Winston Churchill all studied his example. No man has loomed larger in the political history of mankind.

In this dynamic and engaging biography, Anthony Everitt plunges us into the fascinating, scandal-ridden world of ancient Rome in its most glorious heyday. Accessible to us through his legendary speeches but also through an unrivaled collection of unguarded letters to his close friend Atticus, Cicero comes to life in these pages as a witty and cunning political operator.”

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20 .) Empire: the Novel of Imperial Rome (Roma, #2) by Steven Saylor

Empire- the Novel of Imperial Rome (Rome #2) by Steven Saylor

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads

“Continuing the saga begun in his New York Times bestselling novel Roma, Steven Saylor charts the destinies of the aristocratic Pinarius family, from the reign of Augustus to height of Rome’s empire. The Pinarii, generation after generation, are witness to greatest empire in the ancient world and of the emperors that ruled it―from the machinations of Tiberius and the madness of Caligula, to the decadence of Nero and the golden age of Trajan and Hadrian and more.
Empire is filled with the dramatic, defining moments of the age, including the Great Fire, the persecution of the Christians, and the astounding opening games of the Colosseum. But at the novel’s heart are the choices and temptations faced by each generation of the Pinarii.
Steven Saylor once again brings the ancient world to vivid life in a novel that tells the story of a city and a people that has endured in the world’s imagination like no other.”

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19 .) Fire in the East by Harry Sidebottom

Fire in the East (Warrior of Rome #1) by Harry Sidebottom

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Useless Book Club

A.D. 255: The Roman Imperium is stretched to the breaking point, its authority and might challenged throughout the territories and along every border. One man is sent to marshal the defenses of a lonely city and to shore up the crumbling walls of a once indomitable symbol of Roman power, a man whose very name means war, a man called Ballista. So unfolds an epic drama—a story of empire, heroes, treachery, courage, and most of all, of brutal, bloody warfare.

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18 .) Fortune’s Favorites by Colleen McCullough

Fortune's Favorites (Masters of Rome #3) by Colleen McCullough

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads

“With incomparable storytelling skill, New York Times bestselling author Colleen McCullough brings Rome alive in all her majesty—and illuminates the world of those favored by the gods at birth.

In a time of cataclysmic upheaval, a bold new generation of Romans vied for greatness amid the disintegrating remnants of their beloved Republic. They were the chosen…and the cursed—blessed with wealth and privilege yet burdened by the dictates of destiny in a savage struggle for power that would leave countless numbers crushed and destroyed. But there was one who would tower above them all—a brilliant and beautiful boy whose ambition was unparalleled, whose love was legend, and whose glory was Rome’s: a boy they would one day call “”Caesar.”””

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17 .) Julian by Gore Vidal

Julian by Gore Vidal

Lists It Appears On:

  • Richard Blake
  • Goodreads
  • Library Thing

Julian the Apostate, nephew of Constantine the Great, was one of the brightest yet briefest lights in the history of the Roman Empire. A military genius on the level of Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great, a graceful and persuasive essayist, and a philosopher devoted to worshipping the gods of Hellenism, he became embroiled in a fierce intellectual war with Christianity that provoked his murder at the age of thirty-two, only four years into his brilliantly humane and compassionate reign. A marvelously imaginative and insightful novel of classical antiquity, Julian captures the religious and political ferment of a desperate age and restores with blazing wit and vigor the legacy of an impassioned ruler.

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16 .) Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar

Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Goodreads
  • Library Thing

Both an exploration of character and a reflection on the meaning of history, Memoirs of Hadrian has received international acclaim since its first publication in France in 1951. In it, Marguerite Yourcenar reimagines the Emperor Hadrian’s arduous boyhood, his triumphs and reversals, and finally, as emperor, his gradual reordering of a war-torn world, writing with the imaginative insight of a great writer of the twentieth century while crafting a prose style as elegant and precise as those of the Latin stylists of Hadrian’s own era.

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15 .) Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz

Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Goodreads
  • Library Thing

Quo Vadis tells a powerful tale of love and redemption in a time of ultimate danger — for Christians and Romans alike. “Quo vadis Domine” is Latin for “Where are you going, Lord?” and alludes to the apocryphal Acts of Peter, in which Peter flees Rome but on his way meets Jesus and asks him why he is going to Rome. Jesus says, “I am going back to be crucified again”, which makes Peter go back to Rome and accept martyrdom. It is a phrase of great meaning to Christians. The author of Quo Vadis, Henryk Sienkiewicz, was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1905, and the enduring popularity of Quo Vadis contributed greatly to the award. Set in Rome in the time of Nero, Quo Vadis tells the story of Roman tribune Marcus, who falls in love with a beautiful Christian girl, Ligia.

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14 .) Roma by Steven Saylor

Roma (Rome #1) by Steven Saylor

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads

“Spanning a thousand years, and following the shifting fortunes of two families though the ages, this is the epic saga of Rome, the city and its people.
Weaving history, legend, and new archaeological discoveries into a spellbinding narrative, critically acclaimed novelist Steven Saylor gives new life to the drama of the city’s first thousand years ― from the founding of the city by the ill-fated twins Romulus and Remus, through Rome’s astonishing ascent to become the capitol of the most powerful empire in history. Roma recounts the tragedy of the hero-traitor Coriolanus, the capture of the city by the Gauls, the invasion of Hannibal, the bitter political struggles of the patricians and plebeians, and the ultimate death of Rome’s republic with the triumph, and assassination, of Julius Caesar.”

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13 .) Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic by Tom Holland

Rubicon- The Last Years of the Roman Republic by Tom Holland

Lists It Appears On:

  • The Week
  • Useless Book Club
  • Goodreads

A vivid historical account of the social world of Rome as it moved from republic to empire. In 49 B.C., the seven hundred fifth year since the founding of Rome, Julius Caesar crossed a small border river called the Rubicon and plunged Rome into cataclysmic civil war. Tom Holland’s enthralling account tells the story of Caesar’s generation, witness to the twilight of the Republic and its bloody transformation into an empire. From Cicero, Spartacus, and Brutus, to Cleopatra, Virgil, and Augustus, here are some of the most legendary figures in history brought thrillingly to life. Combining verve and freshness with scrupulous scholarship, Rubicon is not only an engrossing history of this pivotal era but a uniquely resonant portrait of a great civilization in all its extremes of self-sacrifice and rivalry, decadence and catastrophe, intrigue, war, and world-shaking ambition.

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12 .) The Agricola and The Germania by Tacitus

The Agricola and The Germania by Tacitus

Lists It Appears On:

  • Library Thing
  • R4H
  • Goodreads

The Agricola is both a portrait of Julius Agricola—the most famous governor of Roman Britain and Tacitus’ well-loved and respected father-in-law—and the first detailed account of Britain that has come down to us. It offers fascinating descriptions of the geography, climate and peoples of the country, and a succinct account of the early stages of the Roman occupation, nearly fatally undermined by Boudicca’s revolt in AD 61 but consolidated by campaigns that took Agricola as far as Anglesey and northern Scotland. The warlike German tribes are the focus of Tacitus’ attention in the Germania, which, like the Agricola, often compares the behaviour of “barbarian” peoples favourably with the decadence and corruption of Imperial Rome.

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11 .) The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon

Lists It Appears On:

  • Jet Punk
  • Five Books
  • Goodreads

Gripping, powerfully intelligent, and wonderfully entertaining, Gibbon’s classic account of Rome ranks as one of the literary masterpieces of its age. Attacked for its enlightened views on politics, sexuality, and religion, the first volume was nonetheless found on every table and received widespread acclaim for its elegant prose. Famously skeptical about Christianity, unexpectedly sympathetic to the barbarian invaders and the Byzantine Empire, constantly aware of how political leaders often achieve the exact opposite of what they intend, Gibbon captured both the broad pattern of events and the significant revealing detail. This abridged edition compresses thirteen turbulent centuries into a single epic narrative, and features a foreword, introduction, and extended appreciation by Hugh Trevor-Roper, an esteemed professor of history at Oxford University.

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10 .) The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff

The Eagle of the Ninth (The Dolphin Ring Cycle #1) by Rosemary Sutcliff

 

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • The Guardian
  • Library Thing

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9 .) The Eagle’s Conquest by Simon Scarrow

The Eagle's Conquest (Eagle #2) by Simon Scarrow

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads

When Centurion Macro and his young subordinate, Optio Cato arrive on the shores of Britain to take part in the Emperor Claudius’ invasion in AD 43, Macro knows the desperately outnumbered Roman army will be facing one of the toughest campaigns ever. Meanwhile, a sinister organization is secretly betraying the brave men of the legions. When assassination rumors coincide with the Emperor’s arrival, the soldiers realize they are up against a force more ruthless than the Britons, and that time is running out if they are to prevent Claudius’s glorious victory from turning to disaster.

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8 .) The Ides of March by Thornton Wilder

The Ides of March by Thornton Wilder

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Goodreads
  • Library Thing

“Drawing on such unique sources as Thornton Wilder’s unpublished letters, journals, and selections from the extensive annotations Wilder made years later in the margins of the book, Tappan Wilder’s Afterword adds a special dimension to the reissue of this internationally acclaimed novel.

The Ides of March, first published in 1948, is a brilliant epistolary novel set in Julius Caesar’s Rome. Thornton Wilder called it “”a fantasia on certain events and persons of the last days of the Roman republic.”” Through vividly imagined letters and documents, Wilder brings to life a dramatic period of world history and one of history’s most magnetic, elusive personalities.

In this inventive narrative, the Caesar of history becomes Caesar the human being. Wilder also resurrects the controversial figures surrounding Caesar — Cleopatra, Catullus, Cicero, and others. All Rome comes crowding through these pages — the Rome of villas and slums, beautiful women and brawling youths, spies and assassins.”

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7 .) The October Horse by Colleen McCullough

The October Horse- A Novel of Caesar and Cleopatra (Masters of Rome #6) by Colleen McCullough

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads

“Grand in scope and vivid in detail, McCullough’s gripping narrative thrusts readers headlong into the complex and fascinating world of Rome in the tumultuous last days of the Republic. At the height of his power, Gaius Julius Caesar becomes embroiled in a civil war in Egypt, where he finds himself enraptured by Cleopatra, the nation’s golden-eyed queen. To do his duty as a Roman, however, he must forsake his love and return to the capital to rule.

Though Caesar’s grip on power seems unshakable, the political landscape is treacherous — the returning hero has no obvious successor, and his legacy seems to be the prize for any man with the courage and cunning to fell Rome’s laurelled leader. Caesar’s jealous enemies masquerade as friends and scheme to oust the autocrat from power and restore true republican government to Rome. But as the plot races to its dramatic conclusion, it becomes clear that with the stakes this high, no alliance is sacred and no motives are pure.”

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6 .) Claudius the God by Robert Graves

Claudius the God and His Wife Messalina (Claudius #2) by Robert Graves

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads
  • Jet Punk

Robert Graves begins anew the tumultuous life of the Roman who became emporer in spite of himself. Captures the vitality, splendor, and decadence of the Roman world at the point of its decline.

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5 .) The Grass Crown by Colleen McCullough

The Grass Crown (Masters of Rome #2) by Colleen McCullough

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Jet Punk
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads

Throughout the Western world, great kingdoms have fallen and despots lay crushed beneath the heels of Rome’s advancing legions. But now internal rebellion threatens the stability of the mighty Republic. An aging, ailing Gaius Marius, heralded conqueror of Germany and Numidia, longs for that which was prophesied many years before: an unprecedented seventh consulship of Rome. It is a prize to be won only through treachery and with blood, pitting Marius against a new generation of assassins, power-seekers, and Senate intriguers—and setting him at odds with the ambitious, tormented Lucius Cornelius Sulla, once Marius’s most trusted right-hand man, now his most dangerous rival.

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4 .) The Roman Revolution by Ronald Syme

The Roman Revolution by Ronald Syme

Lists It Appears On:

  • About (Education)
  • Five Books
  • The Week
  • Library Thing

The Roman Revolution is a profound and unconventional treatment of a great theme – the fall of the Republic and the decline of freedom in Rome between 60 BC and AD 14, and the rise to power of the greatest of the Roman Emperors, Augustus. The transformation of state and society, the violent transference of power and property, and the establishment of Augustus’ rule are presented in an unconventional narrative, which quotes from ancient evidence, refers seldomly to modern authorities, and states controversial opinions quite openly. The result is a book which is both fresh and compelling.

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3 .) Under the Eagle by Simon Scarrow

Under the Eagle (Eagle #1) by Simon Scarrow

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Library Thing
  • Goodreads
  • Useless Book Club

It is the year 42 AD, and Centurion Macro, battle-scarred and fearless, is in the heart of Germany with the Second Legion, the toughest in the Roman army. Cato, a new recruit and the newly appointed second-in-command to Macro, will have more to prove than most. In a bloody skirmish with local tribes, Cato gets his first chance to prove that he’s more than a callow, privileged youth. As their next campaign takes them to a land of unparalleled barbarity – Britain – a special mission unfolds, thrusting Cato and Macro headlong into a conspiracy that threatens to topple the Emperor himself.

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2 .) The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough

The First Man in Rome (Masters of Rome #1) by Colleen McCullough

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Jet Punk
  • Library Thing
  • Rick Steves
  • Goodreads

When the world cowered before the legions of Rome, two extraordinary men dreamed of personal glory: the military genius and wealthy rural “upstart” Marius, and Sulla, penniless and debauched but of aristocratic birth. Men of exceptional vision, courage, cunning, and ruthless ambition, separately they faced the insurmountable opposition of powerful, vindictive foes. Yet allied they could answer the treachery of rivals, lovers, enemy generals, and senatorial vipers with intricate and merciless machinations of their own—to achieve in the end a bloody and splendid foretold destiny . . . and win the most coveted honor the Republic could bestow.

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1 .) I, Claudius by Robert Graves

I, Claudius (Claudius #1) by Robert Graves

Lists It Appears On:

  • Historical Novels
  • Jet Punk
  • Richard Blake
  • The Guardian
  • Useless Book Club
  • Library Thing
  • Rick Steves
  • Goodreads
  • The Culture Trip

Considered an idiot because of his physical infirmities, Claudius survived the intrigues and poisonings of the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and the Mad Caligula to become emperor in 41 A.D. A masterpiece.

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The Remaining Best History Of Rome Books



 

#BookAuthorLists
(Appear On 2 Lists Each)
28Ancient InventionsPeter James and Nick ThorpeThe Guardian
The Guardian 2
29Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an EmpireSimon BakerR4H
Rick Steves
30Antony and CleopatraWilliam ShakespeareGoodreads
Library Thing
31Caesar Life of a ColossusAdrian GoldsworthyAbout (Education)
Goodreads
32Captain of RomeJohn StackHistorical Novels
Library Thing
33CarthageRoss LeckieHistorical Novels
Library Thing
34Count BelisariusRobert GravesJet Punk
Goodreads
35Daily Life in Ancient RomeJérôme CarcopinoThe Guardian
The Guardian 2
36Dark NorthGillian BradshawHistorical Novels
Library Thing
37Eagle in the SnowWallace BreemGoodreads
Library Thing
38Family FavouritesAlfred DugganHistorical Novels
Library Thing
39HannibalRoss LeckieHistorical Novels
Library Thing
40Island of GhostsGillian BradshawGoodreads
Library Thing
41Josephus and the EmperorLion FeuchtwangerHistorical Novels
Library Thing
42Julius CaesarWilliam ShakespeareGoodreads
Library Thing
43King of KingsHarry SidebottomHistorical Novels
Library Thing
44Lion of the SunHarry SidebottomHistorical Novels
Library Thing
45Master of RomeJohn StackHistorical Novels
Library Thing
46Pagans and ChristiansRobin Lane FoxFive Books
Library Thing
47PompeiiRobert HarrisGoodreads
Rick Steves
48Pride of CarthageDavid Anthony DurhamHistorical Novels
Library Thing
49Render unto CaesarGillian BradshawHistorical Novels
Library Thing
50Roman BloodSteven SaylorRichard Blake
Goodreads
51Roman BritainKeith BraniganThe Guardian
R4H
52Roman WallBryherHistorical Novels
Library Thing
53SalammboGustave FlaubertHistorical Novels
Library Thing
54Scipio AfricanusRoss LeckieHistorical Novels
Library Thing
55Ship of RomeJohn StackHistorical Novels
Library Thing
56SPQRMary BeardUseless Book Club
Goodreads
57The AeneidVirgilGoodreads
Library Thing
58The Caspian GatesHarry SidebottomHistorical Novels
Library Thing
59The Coin of CarthageBryherHistorical Novels
Library Thing
60The Conquest of GaulJulius CaesarR4H
Goodreads
61The Eagle and the WolvesSimon ScarrowHistorical Novels
Library Thing
62The Eagle’s PreySimon ScarrowHistorical Novels
Library Thing
63The GladiatorsArthur KoestlerHistorical Novels
Library Thing
64The HistoriesTacitusGoodreads
Library Thing
65The Jew of RomeLion FeuchtwangerHistorical Novels
Library Thing
66The Legate’s DaughterWallace BreemHistorical Novels
Library Thing
67The Love ArtistJane AlisonLibrary Thing
Historical Novels
68The Only Good RomanChristine Elaine BlackGoodreads
Goodreads
69The Oxford History of the Classical WorldJohn BoardmanLibrary Thing
Library Thing
70The Seasons of RomePaul HofmannRick Steves
Bear Cave
71Three’s CompanyAlfred DugganHistorical Novels
Library Thing
72When the Eagle HuntsSimon ScarrowHistorical Novels
Library Thing
73Winter QuartersAlfred DugganHistorical Novels
Library Thing
(Appear On 1 List Each)
74The Fall of the Roman Republic: Six LivesPlutarchGoodreads
75The Twelve CaesarsMichael GrantGoodreads
76A ConspiracyJohn HerseyLibrary Thing
77A Day in Old Rome: A Picture of Roman LifeWilliam Stearns DavisLibrary Thing
78A Day in the Life of Ancient RomeAlberto AngelaRick Steves
79A God Strolling in the Cool of the EveningMário de CarvalhoLibrary Thing
80A History of the Roman World 753 to 146 B.C.H.H. ScullardAbout (Education)
81A Literary Companion to RomeJohn VarrianoRick Steves
82A Mist of Prophecies (Roma Sub Rosa, #9)Steven SaylorGoodreads
83A Murder on the Appian Way (Roma Sub Rosa, #5)Steven SaylorGoodreads
84A Soldier of the Great WarMark HelprinRick Steves
85A Topographical Dictionary of RomeSamuel Ball Platner and Thomas AshbyThe Guardian 2
86A Voice in the Wind (Mark of the Lion, #1)Francine RiversGoodreads
87Absolute MonarchsJohn Julius NorwichRick Steves
88Africanus: el hijo del Cónsul (Publio Cornelio Escipión, #1)Santiago PosteguilloGoodreads
89Alberto MoraviaThe Woman of RomeThe Culture Trip
90Always I Am CaesarAbout (Education)
91Amara LakhousClash of Civilisations Over an Elevator in Piazza VittorioThe Culture Trip
92An Imperial Possession: Britain in the Roman Empire, 54 BC – AD 409David MattinglyLibrary Thing
93Ancient Rome on Five Denarii A DayUseless Book Club
94Angels & DemonsDan BrownRick Steves
95Annals and Histories (Tacitus)Useless Book Club
96Arms of Nemesis (Roma Sub Rosa, #2)Steven SaylorGoodreads
97Augustine of Hippo: A BiographyPeter BrownLibrary Thing
98Augustus: The Life of Rome’s First EmperorAnthony EverittGoodreads
99Ben-Hur: A Tale of the ChristLew WallaceGoodreads
100Carlo Emilio GaddaThe Culture Trip
101Catilina’s Riddle (Roma Sub Rosa, #3)Steven SaylorGoodreads
102Child of the SunLance Horner and Kyle OnstottRichard Blake
103Children of the WolfAlfred DugganLibrary Thing
104Cicero: Select LettersThe Week
105City of the Soul : A Walk in RomeWilliam MurrayBear Cave
106City: A Story of Roman Planning and ConstructionDavid MacaulayRick Steves
107Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza VittorioAmara LakhousRick Steves
108Cleopatra: A LifeStacy SchiffGoodreads
109Cleopatra’s DaughterMichelle MoranGoodreads
110Conquerors and SlavesK. HopkinsThe Times Literary Supplement
111ConspiracyJohn HerseyHistorical Novels
112Cookery and Dining in Imperial RomeApiciusR4H
113Cooking Apicius: Roman Recipes for TodaySally GraingerR4H
114CoriolanusWilliam ShakespeareGoodreads
115Corruption and the Decline of RomeRamsay MacMullenLibrary Thing
116Courtesans and FishcakesJ. DavidsonThe Times Literary Supplement
117Daughters of Rome (The Empress of Rome, #2)Kate QuinnGoodreads
118Der jüdische KriegLion FeuchtwangerLibrary Thing
119Dictator (Cicero Trilogy #3)Useless Book Club
120Doctors and Diseases in the Roman EmpireRalph JacksonThe Guardian 2
121Eat, Pray, LoveElizabeth GilbertRick Steves
122Empress of the Seven Hills (The Empress of Rome, #3)Kate QuinnGoodreads
123EpigramsMartialLibrary Thing
124Et tu BruteG WoolfThe Times Literary Supplement
125Exploring Roman BritainAndrew McCloyR4H
126First Man in Rome (Masters of Rome #1)Useless Book Club
127Founding FathersAlfred DugganHistorical Novels
128From the Gracchi to NeroH.H. ScullardAbout (Education)
129Gabriele D’AnnunzioPleasureThe Culture Trip
130Gardens of the Roman WorldPatrick BoweThe Guardian 2
131GermaniaTacitusGoodreads
132Handbook to Life in Ancient RomeLesley Adkins and Roy A AdkinsThe Guardian
133HelenaEvelyn WaughLibrary Thing
134Hellenism in Late AntiquityGlen W. BowersockLibrary Thing
135History of RomeMichael GrantGoodreads
136History of the Twelve CaesarsSuetoniusLibrary Thing
137How Rome Fell: Death of a SuperpowerAdrian GoldsworthyGoodreads
138How to Win an ElectionQuintus Tullius Cicero (translatedThe Guardian 2
139Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome (Cicero, #1)Robert HarrisGoodreads
140Italian JourneyJohann Wolfgang von GoetheRick Steves
141JosephusLion Feuchtwanger:Historical Novels
142Las legiones malditas (Publio Cornelio Escipión, #2)Santiago PosteguilloGoodreads
143Last Seen in Massilia (Roma Sub Rosa, #8)Steven SaylorGoodreads
144LaviniaUrsula K. Le GuinGoodreads
145Lest Darkness FallL. Sprague de CampLibrary Thing
146Letters from a StoicSenecaGoodreads
147Life and Death in Pompeii and HerculaneumPaul RobertsThe Guardian 2
148Lives of the Noble RomansPlutarchGoodreads
149Lucrezia BorgiaMaria BellonciRick Steves
150Lustrum (Cicero, #2)Robert HarrisGoodreads
151Makers of Rome: Nine LivesPlutarchGoodreads
152Maria BellonciLucrezia BorgiaThe Culture Trip
153Medicus (Gaius Petreius Ruso, #1)Ruth DownieGoodreads
154Meditations: A New TranslationMarcus AureliusGoodreads
155Michelangelo and the Pope’s CeilingRoss KingRick Steves
156Mistress of Rome (The Empress of Rome, #1)Kate QuinnGoodreads
157Muriel SparkThe Public ImageThe Culture Trip
158My Brilliant FriendElena FerranteRick Steves
159Nathaniel HawthorneThe Marble FaunThe Culture Trip
160Once Upon the TiberRose WilliamsAbout (Education)
161Orgy-Planner Wanted: Odd Jobs and Curious Careers in the Ancient WorldVicki LeonThe Guardian 2
162Party Politics in the Age of CaesarLily Ross TaylorAbout (Education)
163Plutarch’s LivesPlutarcoLibrary Thing
164PolybiusF. W. WalbankLibrary Thing
165Roman Battle Tactics 109BC – AD313 (Elite)Ross CowanR4H
166Roman Britain: A New HistoryGuy de la BédoyèreR4H
167Roman Britain: Outpost of the EmpireH.H. ScullardR4H
168Roman Social Relations, 50 B.C. to A.D. 284Ramsay MacMullenLibrary Thing
169Roman WarfareAdrian GoldsworthyAbout (Education)
170Rome Against Caratacus – The Roman Conquest of BritainGraham WebsterR4H
171Rome and a VillaEleanor ClarkRick Steves
172Rome and Her EmpireBarry CunliffeThe Guardian
173Rome TalesThe Culture Trip
174Rome: A cultural and literary companionJonathan BoardmanBear Cave
175Rome: An Oxford Archaeological GuideAmanda ClaridgeThe Guardian
176Rome: The Eagle of the TwelfthManda ScottLibrary Thing
177Rome’s Greatest Defeat: Massacre in the Teutoburg ForestAdrian MurdochGoodreads
178Rome’s Saxon Shore: Coastal Defenses of Roman Britain AD 250-500 (Fortress)Nic FieldsR4H
179Rubicon (Roma Sub Rosa, #7)Steven SaylorGoodreads
180Saints & SinnersEamon DuffyRick Steves
181Scipio Africanus: Greater Than NapoleonB. H. Liddell HartLibrary Thing
182See Delphi and Die (Marcus Didius Falco, #17)Lindsey DavisGoodreads
183Selected Political SpeechesMarcus Tullius CiceroGoodreads
184Selected WorksMarcus Tullius CiceroGoodreads
185Shadows in Bronze (Marcus Didius Falco, #2)Lindsey DavisGoodreads
186Shopping in Ancient RomeClaire HolleranThe Guardian 2
187Social Conflicts in the Roman RepublicP.A. Brunt’sThe Times Literary Supplement
188Tennessee WilliamsThe Roman Spring of Mrs. StoneThe Culture Trip
189Terra Incognita (Gaius Petreius Ruso, #2)Ruth DownieGoodreads
190That Awful Mess on the Via MerulanaCarlo Emilio GaddaRick Steves
191The Agony and the EcstasyIrving StoneRick Steves
192The Ancient RomansChester G. StarrLibrary Thing
193The AnnalsTacitoLibrary Thing
194The Annals of Imperial RomeTacitusGoodreads
195The Beginnings of RomeTim CornellAbout (Education)
196The Civil WarJulius CaesarThe Week
197The Classical CookbookAndrew Dalby and Sally GraingerR4H
198The ColosseumKeith Hopkins and Mary BeardThe Guardian
199The Complete Roman ArmyAdrian GoldsworthyR4H
200The Course of HonorLindsey DavisGoodreads
201The Day of the BarbariansAlessandro BarberoAbout (Education)
202The Death of CaesarBarry StraussThe Week
203The Death of Kings (Emperor, #2)Conn IgguldenGoodreads
204The DecameronGiovanni BoccaccioRick Steves
205The Eagle and the RavenPauline GedgeLibrary Thing
206The Early History of Rome: (The History of Rome, #1-5)LivyGoodreads
207The Essential WritingsFlavius JosephusGoodreads
208The Field of Swords (Emperor, #3)Conn IgguldenGoodreads
209The Gallic War and Other WritingsGaius Iulius CaesarGoodreads
210The Gates of Rome (Emperor, #1)Conn IgguldenGoodreads
211The Gods of War (Emperor, #4)Conn IgguldenGoodreads
212The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire: From the First Century A.D. to the ThirdEdward N. LuttwakLibrary Thing
213The Greeks: a portrait of self and othersP. CartledgeThe Times Literary Supplement
214The History of Rome, Books XXI-XXX: The War With HannibalLivyGoodreads
215The House of the Vestals (Roma Sub Rosa, #6)Steven SaylorGoodreads
216The Iron Hand of Mars (Marcus Didius Falco, #4)Lindsey DavisGoodreads
217The Judgment of Caesar (Roma Sub Rosa, #10)Steven SaylorGoodreads
218The Last Days of PompeiiEdward Bulwer-LyttonGoodreads
219The Last Generation of the RomanErich GruenAbout (Education)
220The Letters of the Younger PlinyPliny the YoungerGoodreads
221The Light BearerDonna GillespieGoodreads
222The Lost World of PompeiiColin Amery and Brian Curran JrThe Guardian
223The Mysterious Fayum Portraits: Faces from Ancient EgyptEuphrosyne DoxiadesThe Guardian 2
224The Pope’s ElephantSilvio A. BediniRick Steves
225The RobeLloyd C. DouglasGoodreads
226The RomanMika WaltariGoodreads
227The Roman Empire: Second EditionColin WellsLibrary Thing
228The Roman History: The Reign of Augustus (Classics)Cassius DioR4H
229The Roman Spring of Ms. StoneTennessee WilliamsRick Steves
230The Roman TriumphMary BeardFive Books
231The Romans Who Shaped BritainSam MoorheadLibrary Thing
232The Ruin of the Roman Empire: A New HistoryJames J. O’DonnellLibrary Thing
233The SatyriconPetronius ArbiterGoodreads
234The Secret HistoryProcopiusLibrary Thing
235The Secrets of Rome: Love and Death in the Eternal CityCorrado AugiasRick Steves
236The Silver Pigs (Marcus Didius Falco, #1)Lindsey DavisGoodreads
237The Sword of PleasurePeter GreenRichard Blake
238The Triumph of Caesar (Roma Sub Rosa, #12)Steven SaylorGoodreads
239The Venus Throw (Roma Sub Rosa, #4)Steven SaylorGoodreads
240The Woman of RomeAlberto MoraviaRick Steves
241Titus AndronicusWilliam ShakespeareGoodreads
242Venus in Copper (Marcus Didius Falco, #3)Lindsey DavisGoodreads
243When in RomeRobert HutchinsonRick Steves


The Top Roman History Book Lists



SourceArticle
About (Education) Selected Books on Roman History
Bear Cave Books on Italy
Five Books Tom Holland recommends the best books on Ancient Rome
Goodreads Best Books About Ancient Rome
Historical Novels The 50 Best Historical Novels for a Survey of Ancient Roman History
Jet Punk Best Books about Roman History
Library Thing Best Roman Empire Books
R4H Our best selling Roman History books with reviews
Richard Blake Five Recommended Roman Historical Novels (2015)
Rick Steves Rome: Recommended Books and Movies
The Culture Trip 10 Books that Will Make You Fall in Love with Rome
The Guardian Lindsey Davis’s top 10 Roman books
The Guardian 2 Lindsey Davis’s top 10 books about ancient Rome
The Times Literary Supplement Some good books on ancient history
The Week Robert Harris recommends 6 books about the final years of the Roman republic
Useless Book Club Best Ancient Rome Books (fiction and nonfiction)