Roma Sub Rosa

Has anybody else read these books? I've read four of them, and they're effortlessly brilliant.

For those of you who don't know, it's a murder mystery series set during the last days of the Republic. The crimes he investigates usually lead to him meeting figures like Cicero, Pompey, Caesar, Crassus, and the like. Every novel is set during an important event in Roman history like Spartacus' slave revolt or Clodius' murder trial.

The author Steven Saylor really did his homework. The history's accurate, for one, and so are all the aspects of daily life. The books describe how the average Roman would go about taking a bath, celebrating Saturnalia, or arranging for lodging on the road.

Originally Posted by IronBrig4

Has anybody else read these books? I've read four of them, and they're effortlessly brilliant.

For those of you who don't know, it's a murder mystery series set during the last days of the Republic. The crimes he investigates usually lead to him meeting figures like Cicero, Pompey, Caesar, Crassus, and the like. Every novel is set during an important event in Roman history like Spartacus' slave revolt or Clodius' murder trial.

The author Steven Saylor really did his homework. The history's accurate, for one, and so are all the aspects of daily life. The books describe how the average Roman would go about taking a bath, celebrating Saturnalia, or arranging for lodging on the road.

I've read all of them. I would suggest that anyone who is interested try to read them in chronological order. My own favourites are Catilina's riddle and Murder on the Appian way.

If you read them in chronological order, start with Roman Blood and follow it with House of the Vestals. The latter is my favorite of the series because it shows how Gordianus' personality subtly changes over the course of 10 years. He still retains that same cleverness and calculating nature, but he gradually eases himself into the role of husband and father.