I have written six novels set in the first and second centuries of the Roman Empire, for which I have done extensive research. My picks are all books that I have found most useful and accessible for the writer who wants to ground her fiction in accurate detail and for the reader who just wants to know the little stuff, which is always more interesting than the big stuff.
I wrote...
The Centurions
By
Amanda Cockrell
What is my book about?
Correus and Flavius are half-brothers, sons of a famous general. One, son of a slave, is a born soldier and commander. The other, a nobleman by birth, struggles to live up to his father’s expectations. When they both join the Centuriate, a position Flavius has always known he will inherit, and one that Correus has long coveted, together they face the brutal reality of war and the realities of their own relationship.
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The Books I Picked & Why
Pagan Holiday: On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists
By
Tony Perrottet
Why this book?
Did you know the ancient Romans had a thriving tourist industry? They did. They made world tours, bought souvenirs and dubious relics (cyclops skulls) and appropriated other cultures’ antiques and took them home to Rome. Full of fascinating information, and funny to boot.
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A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities: Strange Tales and Surprising Facts from the World's Greatest Empire
By
J.C. McKeown
Why this book?
The author is a scholar, a professor of Classics, so he knows his stuff. He is also a wonderful writer. This is a collection of small and fascinating facts about Rome and the ancient world. A sampling of entries includes notes on Hannibal’s reputed use of jars of poisonous snakes as catapult ammunition, Roman fly fishing, window glass, and the mechanics of Nero’s revolving dining room.
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Legions of Rome: The Definitive History of Every Imperial Roman Legion
By
Stephen Dando-Collins
Why this book?
It is exactly what the subtitle says, and a must for any serious Roman military nut. It includes general information on the Roman legions and a detailed account of the origins, postings, battles, commanders when known, and details down to emblems and astrological signs.
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Doctors and Diseases in the Roman Empire
By
Ralph Jackson
Why this book?
A wonderful account of the sometimes counterintuitive world of Roman medicine. They could treat cataracts, for instance, but couldn’t recognize appendicitis because they weren’t allowed to conduct autopsies. The chapters on Roman army medicine are excellent. There is also an excellent chapter on women’s diseases, birth and contraception.
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Roman Woman: Everyday Life in Hadrian's Britain
By
Lindsay Allason-Jones
Why this book?
This follows a British woman who has married a Roman army veteran through a year in Britain during the reign of Hadrian. It is filled with tons of accurate detail about every aspect of daily life. It is written as a novel but because the author is a scholar of Roman British history and archaeology, you can count on her accuracy in a way that I ordinarily don’t rely on with novels.