Book List Recommendation

[Primus Pilus]

Please do, every little bit of information adds something to the site. The more traffic we get, the more people may show up here and join the conversation.

[Guest thebigcurve]

Please do, every little bit of information adds something to the site. The more traffic we get, the more people may show up here and join the conversation.

Recently finished reading a book published in 2005.

The Night Attila Died Solving the Murder of Attila the Hun by Michael A. Babcock, Ph.D.

He claims that Attila did not die of natural causes but was murdered, most likely at the urging of Eastern Roman Emperor Marcian. I am curious if others have read this and if so, what do they think.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

I sure do procrastinate, but this time I promise that I will certainly have a book review on "The Venus Throw" a Roman mystery fiction book by the end of this week.

I cowardly blame school for my inability to read the book again. Stupid American Lit class, we never stop reading books. Design projects too.

Edited December 12, 2005 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus

[Pantagathus]

I'm partial to the ancient sources...

 

P-P,

 

No Strabo's Geography?

 

I know he could be pretty pompus at times but many of his anecdotes are priceless insights into ancient history that has been lost to us.

[Princeps]

My favourites are the classics, like Tacitus' annals, and Caesar's writing on his various campaigns are very enjoyable. The fact that they are ancient makes them seem more authentic.

 

Of the modern sources I enjoyed Gibbon's views on the decline of the Empire. I've also read a lot of Readers digest books (picked up a whole bunch from oxfam), my favourites were "The Collosseum" and "Ancient Empires". I'd reccomend both of these.

Edited December 13, 2005 by Princeps

[Skarr]

My favourites are the classics, like Tacitus' annals, and Caesar's writing on his various campaigns are very enjoyable. The fact that they are ancient makes them seem more authentic.

 

Of the modern sources I enjoyed Gibbon's views on the decline of the Empire. I've also read a lot of Readers digest books (picked up a whole bunch from oxfam), my favourites were "The Collosseum" and "Ancient Empires". I'd reccomend both of these.

 

I also like Tacitus, Plutarch, Livy, Juvenal and other ancient writers (of course, translations). Gibbon's work is no doubt extensive and even monumental in terms of its scope but I can't say that I agree with all of his romanticized conclusions on the reasons for the decline. I think Dr. Perkins has a better thesis on the reasons for the fall and you may want to check out his book, which I found quite fascinating.

[mad monkey]

First post here.....

 

The SPQR books of John Maddox Roberts.

Hannibal's Children series by the above.

First Man in Rome series by Collen McCullough.

Gordinius the Finder series by Steven Saylor.

The Ancient City by Connolly.

Osprey series on the Roman Military and thier enemies.

Classical Warfare by Warry.

 

Most of the above are fiction, but what the hey, they're good reads.

[Emperor Goblinus]

Some of my favorites are:

Diocletian and the Roman Recovery by S. Williams. An excellent book giving the background of Diocletian's time, his life, his reign, and what happened afterward.

1453 by Roger Crowley. A rather new book about the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks, and the preceding history leading up to it. Very well written and lively.

The Year of the Four Emperors by K. Wellesley. Good book about the civil war in A.D. 69. Fast paced and quite dramatic at times.

Justinian: The Last Roman Emperor by G.P. Baker. As you might have guessed, it's about the reign of Justinian. Again, quite lively and factual.

The Last Pagan by Adrian Murdoch. A rather new book about the emperor Julian. Very engaging.

The History of the Roman Empire by Herodian. The translated text of Herodian, going from Marcus Aurelius to the ascension of Gordian III. There are some factual inaccuracies, but all in all, a very good and gripping read.

Edited March 18, 2006 by Viggen

[Ovidius]

Roman Warfare by Smithsonian Books

[Furius Venator]

The Roman revolution by Syme. Easily the most insightful and eye-opening account of the fall of the Republic and rise of Octavian. Few 'big names' escape with their reputations untarnished. Cato is revealed at the stubborn architect of Caesar's fateful crossing of the Rubicon through his refusal (against the desire of almost the whole senate) to allow a comprimise. Cicero is revealed as spineless and politically niaf, to the point if stupidity, picking feuds with ancient houses and with a ridiculous belief in the integrity of the 'boni'. Marcus Brutus' reputation as a man of principle is dismissed in one crushing sentence (I paraphrase) '...he followed the path of duty, his uncle Cato and his father's murderer'. Caesar is the man with no plan, capable of rising to supremacy but only at the cost of eliminating his rivals. Pompey, nearly as niaf as Cicero, trapped by his own bloated sense of self importance into a war that would have resulted in his destruction whether he won or lost. All in all, fantastic, if a little dated.

[M. Porcius Cato]

I'd second the recommendation for the Roman Revolution, but I'd dispute the characterization of Cato that Furius offers. Syme's characterization of Cato is rather mixed in quality. Some of his claims are nearly laughable. For example, Syme claims that Cato hated Italians from his infancy, based on an anecdote from Plutarch where the Marsic leader asked a child Cato for his support for some cause that is not explained and for which Cato would not answer. Really. I'd also point out that Syme's stemmata of the Porcii Catones is remarkable for what it omits. If you compare Syme's stemmata to mine, you'd see that there are a number of Caesarians in the family.

 

I'm a fan of Syme's book, but more recent works by his students and students' students are much better. My favorite book on the period is Lily Ross Taylor's "Party Politics in the Age of Caesar," followed closely by Erich Gruen's "The Last Generation of the Roman Republic."

[Virgil61]

I'd second the recommendation for the Roman Revolution, ...

 

I add a third recommendation. It is a must read if just for the simple fact it's influenced a generation or two of scholars and is part of that body of literature that every self-respecting student of Rome should eventually read, agree with it's thesis or not.

 

Which reminds me I haven't read it in years, might be time for a re-visit.

[M. Porcius Cato]

Excellent idea, Virgil. Would be nice to have a thread on Syme's book--looking at it from the perspective of more recent work and our own thinking.

[OctoberHorse]

Hello there,

 

I'm new forum member. I'm also long time history enthusiast, but one that has chiefly focused on military history. Having just finished Edith Hamilton's The Roman Way, and then Colleen McCollough's very well researched First Man of Rome series, I've become a neophyte enthusiast of the ancient/classical history in general, and Rome in particular.

 

That is said so that I may say this: Please keep this thread going! Recommended book lists are just what many new or under-read folk (such as myself) need!

 

So, please, those who haven't contributed, just list one or two of the books about Rome which you most treasure. It IS appreciated!

 

I've already learned about Prof Symes The Roman Revolution from this thread, and it is now at the top of my list for new reading.

 

Thanks!

 

Steve

[Emperor Goblinus]

Welcome to the forum, OctoberHorse!

 

I'll add a few more another: First Crusader: Byzantium's Holy Wars by Geoffrey Regan. It's about the various 'crusades' of the Byzantine Empire, starting with Herclius' war with the Persians, up to the Byzantines' conflicts with the western crusaders in the first crusade.

Another is The Emperor Constantine by Hans A. Pohlsander. It's a small book (eighty pages or so) about Constantine, his life, times, and accomplishments.

 

(I'm going to my original post in this thread to give synopses of the other books that I listed).

Edited March 18, 2006 by Viggen