Synopsis:
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.
Drawing on history, legend, and recent archaeological discoveries, Roma 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 capital 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 class struggle between patricians and plebeians, and the death of Rome's republic with the triumph, and assassination, of Julius Caesar.
Witnessing this history, and playing key roles, are descendents of two of Rome's first families, the Potitius and Pinarius clans. One is the confidant of Romulus. One is born a slave and tempts a Vestal virgin to break her vows. One becomes a mass murderer. And one becomes the heir of Julius Caesar. Linking the generations is a mysterious talisman more ancient than the city itself.
“Saylor puts his finger on the very essence of Roman history,” - Times Literary Supplement .
“Saylor frames his compelling, fast-moving narrative in elegant prose . Readers...will find themselves in awe of Saylor's command of his sprawling storyline, his penchant for detail, as well as his evident passion for what is truly his book's only central character — Rome herself, a city whose complex grandeur and enigmatic allure continue to entice our collective imaginations.” -Historical Novels Review
Steven Saylor is the author of the Roma Sub Rosa series of historical mysteries featuring Gordianus the Finder and set in the ancient Rome of Cicero and Caesar: ROMAN BLOOD (1991), ARMS OF NEMESIS (1992), CATILINA'S RIDDLE (1994), THE VENUS THROW (1995), A MURDER ON THE APPIAN WAY (1996), THE HOUSE OF THE VESTALS (1997), RUBICON (1999), LAST SEEN IN MASSILIA (2000), A MIST OF PROPHECIES (2002), THE JUDGMENT OF CAESAR (2004), and THE TRIUMPH OF CAESAR (2008). |
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