Fiction books set in Roman Empire - suitable for 15 year old

[Bartg]

I am not a bit reader myself but my ds is. So trying to do research in his behalf

Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff.

I think a 15 year old could really enjoy Pompeii by Robert Harris - fantastic book, not too adult and short. Really exciting

Lynsey Davis Falco and Flavia Albia.

S2 enjoyed Simon Scarrow's Gladiator series - Fight for Freedom is the first one.

Lindsey Davis's Falco novels - essentially a private detective. First one is The Silver Pigs.

I thought I read somewhere that Pompeii was based in a brothel? Or does the details not give anything untoward?

A 15 year old could probably cope with I, Claudius and Claudius the God.

Steven Saylor's Roma sub Rosa books are about a private detective, set, as I recall, a bit earlier than Lindsay Davis's Falco series, and weave a lot of historical characters into the narrative.

Colleen McCullough's late Roman republic books starting with The First Man In Rome are a galloping read with lots of historical detail, but they're quite explicitly gory.

I Claudius and Claudius the God by Robert Graves are classics for a reason and really set the standard for fiction set in this Era, a great telling about the political machinations of August and his extended Family covering the first four emperors.

The first man of Rome series by Coleen McCullough is fantastic - It runs from Marius and Sulla (the generation before Julius Caesar) up to the start of Augustus, great storytelling of actual history.

I second the Falco books by Lindsey Davies

Corvinius Series by David Wishart. The first 3 especially - Ovid, Germanicus and Sejanus, work as a trilogy and then the rest are fun mysteries with the same PI character, similar to the Falco approach.

The Roma sub rosa series by Steven Saylor - again, a detective working in the thick of real historical events of Republican Rome.

None of them are particularly adult in the sense of sexy, although they are about events that include all human behaviour, which occasionally includes sex. No Jackie Collinsstyle graphic descriptions, though.🙂

DS enjoyed I Claudius several years ago and he is 17 now (and not a massive reader on the whole).

Thanks for the suggestions. I will put some orders in at the library

I second the suggestion of the Falco series. They start in Britain, which may help appeal, and they're charming, relationship-wise.

If you are reading Robert Harris - the Cicero trilogy, starting with Imperium.

I ❤️ Falco

Another vote for I Claudius and Claudius the God. Best ever!

Another vote for David Wishart's Marcus Corvinus detective series, very easy to read.

Robert Harris's Pompeii is a good read, it isn't set in brothel, you are probably thinking of the Wolf Den trilogy by Elodie Harper.

I, Claudius and Claudius the God are definitely fine for a 15yo - I chose them for my extended essay for my GCSE coursework 75 years ago. They are excellent. The Ross Leckie books Hannibal, Scipio and Carthage are also good, and Alan Massie's Caesar and Tiberius - all firmly not children's or YA fiction but I don't think a 15yo needs to be kept in a youngsters silo for reading material.

i think that is the Wolf Den by Elodie Harper.

Definitely I Claudius and Claudius the God. There is quite a bit of violence and sex but fine for a 15 year old.

I’d also recommend the Julius Caesar series by Conn Iggulden which are a fun read

I came on to say Eagle of the Ninth but the very first poster beat me to it! It’s amazing.

An intelligent 15-year-old could probably read Robert Graves’ I Claudius. Also, he should watch the BBC adaptation with Brian Blessed. It’s a masterpiece. (Might spark a lifelong interest.)

I’d avoid The Wolf Den trilogy for a 15 year old because of the setting and fruity language 😊

Lindsey Davis also wrote a couple of standalone novels if pure history is more appealing: The Course of Honour about Vespasian and his mistress, and Master and God set in Domitian’s reign.

I loved the first two, but could never read the third one. I thought that it might contain a graphic description of his death, which I just didn't I could deal with at the time. Although, I should give Robert Harris enough credit as a skilled storyteller that he wouldn't allow this to happen. I'm fine with all his other books, so I suppose I'm just being a bit precious.

I Clavdivs & Clavdivs the God (sorry, I know that's stupid, but can't help myself) are wonderful. Really gossipy and quite funny. The TV series is superb: great cast, even Patrick Stewart with hair!

Might get him interested in reading primary sources like Suetonius and Tacitus, which are pretty easy going.

Natalie Haynes books are good.

As is her radio 4 series.

Valerio Massimo Manfredi is another good classical fiction author. Plenty of war in them. Spartan was the one I started with at a similar age, but worked my way through everything he wrote.

FIL and Dh liked Simon Scarrow - think they are easy to read, and there's a lot of them.

Anthony Riches' Empire series starts out on Hadrian's Wall, with a refuge from Commodus(I think) seeking anonymity there. Very interesting.

Later books move around the empire.

Apt username Julia!