List of fiction set in ancient Rome

Last updated

Historical novels arranged by the period of their setting

Rome as a Kingdom

If you know of works set in the pre-Republican era, please expand this section.

Contents

Early Republic (before 264 BC)

If you know of works set in the Early Republic, please expand this section.

Middle Republic (264–133 BC)

If you know of works set in the Middle Republic, please expand this section.

  1. Africanus, el hijo del cónsul
  2. Las legiones malditas
  3. La traición de Roma

Late Republic (after 132 BC)

Early/High Empire (27 BC to AD 192)

The Julio-Claudian Dynasty

Books about early Christians or Jesus include:

Books about Claudius or set in his reign include:

  • I, Claudius (1934) and its sequel, Claudius the God (1935), by Robert Graves. The classic and influential dramatised account of the life of the emperor Claudius, made into a popular TV series (see below).
  • The Eagle series by Nigerian-born British novelist Simon Scarrow. The first book Under the Eagle (part of the Eagle series) was published 2000 by Simon Scarrow. Story of Roman invasion of Britain, featuring a young Vespasian. Other books in the series include The Eagle's Conquest (2001 set in 42 AD (introducing Boudicca at the end); When the Eagle Hunts (2002) set in 44 AD. Other books in the series include The Eagle and the Wolves (2003), The Eagle's Prey (2004), The Eagle's Prophecy (2005), The Eagle in the Sand (2006), and the forthcoming Centurion (January - 2008).

Books set in Nero's reign include:

The Flavian Dynasty

The Nervan-Antonian (Ulpio-Aelia) Dynasty

Middle Empire (AD 193–293)

Late Empire: West (AD 293–457)

Byzantine Empire (AD 457–1453)

Unknown period

Detective fiction

Science fiction/time travel novels

Alternate history

The following alternate history novels are set in fictional universes where Rome's struggle with Carthage went differently

The following alternate history novels are set in fictional universes where the Roman Empire never fell, and has endured to the present day:

Comic books

Movies

Plays

Television

Video games

Video gameYearPlatformScore [3]
Ryse: Son of Rome 2013 Windows, Xbox One 60
Total War: Rome II 2013 Mac, Windows 76
Roman Empire2013 Windows Phone, Windows 76
Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising 2011 Windows 50
Gladiator Begins 2010 PSP 59
Tournament of Legends 2010 Wii 45
Grand Ages: Rome 2009 Windows 72
Cradle of Rome 2008 Nintendo DS, Wii 63
Europa Universalis: Rome 2008 Windows, Mac 73
Imperium Romanum 2008 Windows 63
Caesar IV 2006 Windows 74
CivCity: Rome 2006 Windows 67
Glory of the Roman Empire 2006 Windows 66
Colosseum: Road to Freedom 2005 PlayStation 2 56
Imperivm: Great Battles of Rome 2005 Windows
Legion Arena 2005 Mac, Windows 65
Shadow of Rome 2005 PlayStation 2 75
Spartan: Total Warrior 2005 PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox 74
Nemesis of the Roman Empire 200474
Rome: Total War 2004 Windows, Mac 92
Gladius 2003 GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox 82
Praetorians 2003Windows78
Celtic Kings: Rage of War 2002Windows82
Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars 2002 PlayStation 2, Xbox 67
Catechumen 2000 Windows
Nethergate 1999 Mac, Windows
Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome 1998 Windows
Caesar III 1998 Mac, Windows
The Settlers II 1996 Mac, MS-DOS, Nintendo DS
SPQR: The Empire's Darkest Hour 1996 Windows
Caesar II 1995 Mac, MS-DOS, Windows
Walls of Rome 1993 MS-DOS
Caesar I 1992 Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS
Rome: Pathway to Power 1992 Amiga, MS-DOS
Warrior of Rome II 1992 Genesis
Warrior of Rome 1991 Genesis
Centurion: Defender of Rome 1990 MS-DOS, Amiga, Genesis
Legions of Death 1987 Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Annals of Rome 1986 Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, ZX Spectrum
Legionnaire 1982 Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64

Works inspired by Roman history, or by works of fiction and non-fiction about Rome

Science fiction

Comic books

See also

Related Research Articles

The Roman legion, the largest military unit of the Roman army, was composed of Roman citizens serving as legionaries. During the Roman Republic the manipular legion comprised 4,200 infantry and 300 cavalry. After the Marian reforms in 107 BC the legions were formed of 5,200 men and were restructured around 10 cohorts, the first cohort being double strength. This structure persisted throughout the Principate and middle Empire, before further changes in the fourth century resulted in new formations of around 1,000 men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vitellius</span> Roman emperor in AD 69

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Teutoburg Forest</span> 9 AD Roman defeat by Germanic tribes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titus</span> Roman emperor from AD 79 to 81

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of ancient Rome</span> Overview of and topical guide to ancient Rome

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to ancient Rome:

<i>I, Claudius</i> 1934 novel by Robert Graves

I, Claudius is a historical novel by English writer Robert Graves, published in 1934. Written in the form of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius, it tells the history of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the early years of the Roman Empire, from Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BC to Caligula's assassination in AD 41. Though the narrative is largely fictionalized, most of the events depicted are drawn from historical accounts of the same time period by the Roman historians Suetonius and Tacitus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Praetorian Guard</span> Bodyguards of the Roman emperors

The Praetorian Guard was an elite unit of the Imperial Roman army that served as personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for the Roman emperors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legio IV Macedonica</span> Roman legion

Legio IV Macedonica, was a legion of the Imperial Roman army founded in 48 BC by Gaius Julius Caesar with Italian legionaries. The legion was disbanded in AD 70 by Emperor Vespasian. The legion symbols were a bull and a capricorn.

Legio I Germanica,, was a legion of the Imperial Roman army, possibly founded in 48 BC by Julius Caesar to fight for him in the civil war against Pompey. The title germanic is a reference to its service in the Germanic Wars, rather than the place of origin of its soldiers. After the Revolt of the Batavi, the remaining men of the Germanica were added to Galba's seventh legion, which became VII Gemina. The emblem of Legio I is unknown, but it was probably Taurus, like all the other legions levied by Caesar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legio XIII Gemina</span> Roman legion

Legio XIII Gemina, in English the 13thTwin(s) Legion ; was a legion of the Imperial Roman army. It was one of Julius Caesar's key units in Gaul and in the civil war, and was the legion with which he crossed the Rubicon in January, perhaps on 10 January, in 49 BC. The legion appears to have still been in existence in the 5th century AD. Its symbol was the lion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legio III Gallica</span> Roman legion

Legio III Gallica was a legion of the Imperial Roman army. The cognomen Gallica suggests that its earliest recruits came from veterans of the Gallic legions of Gaius Julius Caesar, a supposition supported by its emblem, a bull, a symbol associated with Caesar. The legion was based for most of its existence at Raphanea, Roman Syria, and was still active in Egypt in the early 4th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legio IX Hispana</span> Roman legion

Legio IX Hispana, also written as Legio VIIII Hispana, was a legion of the Imperial Roman army that existed from the 1st century BC until at least AD 120. The legion fought in various provinces of the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. The nickname "Hispana" was gained when it was stationed in Hispania under Augustus. It was stationed in Britain following the Roman invasion in AD 43. The legion disappears from surviving Roman records after c. AD 120 and there is no extant account of what happened to it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Saylor</span> American author of historical novels (born 1956)

Steven Saylor is an American author of historical novels. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied history and classics.

<i>Asterix Versus Caesar</i> 1985 film by Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi

Asterix Versus Caesar is a 1985 French animated adventure comedy film written by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo and Pierre Tchernia, and directed by Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi, and is the fourth film adaptation of the Asterix comic book series. The story, which combines the plots of Asterix the Gladiator and Asterix the Legionary, sees Asterix and his friend Obelix set off to rescue two lovers from their village that had been kidnapped by the Romans. The film's theme song, Astérix est là, was composed and performed by Plastic Bertrand.

<i>Aquila</i> (Roman) Roman military standard

An aquila was a prominent symbol used in ancient Rome, especially as the standard of a Roman legion. A legionary known as an aquilifer, the "eagle-bearer", carried this standard. Each legion carried one eagle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War of Actium</span> War between Mark Antony and Octavian, 32–30 BC

The War of Actium was the last civil war of the Roman Republic, fought between Mark Antony and Octavian. In 32 BC, Octavian convinced the Roman Senate to declare war on the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Her lover and ally Mark Antony, who was Octavian's rival, gave his support for her cause. Forty percent of the Roman Senate, together with both consuls, left Rome to join the war on Antony's side. After a decisive victory for Octavian at the Battle of Actium, Cleopatra and Antony withdrew to Alexandria, where Octavian besieged the city until both Antony and Cleopatra were forced to commit suicide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legio VI Ferrata</span> Roman legion

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cultural depictions of Julius Caesar</span>

Gaius Julius Caesar, one of the most influential men in world history, has frequently appeared in literary and artistic works since ancient times.

<i>Eagles of the Empire</i> Series of historical novels by Simon Scarrow

Eagles of the Empire is a series of historical military fiction novels written by Simon Scarrow. The series began in July 2000 with the publication of Under the Eagle, and as of June 20, 2024 there have been 22 novels released in the series, with the 23rd novel due in October 24, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon Doherty</span> Scottish novelist

Gordon Doherty is a Scottish historical novelist whose works centre mainly on Classical Antiquity.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 http://www.stevensaylor.com/ Saylor, Steven. "Steven Saylor website". Retrieved May 16, 2007
  2. "Someday Never Comes, an Ebook by M.K. Kayem".
  3. Metacritic Score
  4. Dick, Philip K. (December 2011). The VALIS Trilogy. HarperCollins. ISBN   978-0547867731 . Retrieved 21 July 2015.