Ancient Rome Booklist

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World History > Classical Age > Ancient Rome (800 BCE-600 CE)


Ancient Rome is Roman civilization from the founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, encompassing the Roman Kingdom (753 BC–509 BCE), Roman Republic (509 BC–27 BCE) and Roman Empire (27 BCE–476 CE) until the fall of the western empire. The civilization began as an Italic settlement in the Italian Peninsula, traditionally dated to 753 BCE, that grew into the city of Rome and which subsequently gave its name to the empire over which it ruled and to the widespread civilization the empire developed. The civilization was led and ruled by the Romans, alternately considered an ethnic group or a nationality. The Roman Empire expanded to become one of the largest empires in the ancient world, still ruled from the city, with an estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants (roughly 20% of the world's population at the time) and covering 5 million square kilometers (1.9 million square miles) at its height in 117 CE.

Plagued by internal instability and attacked by various migrating peoples, the western part of the empire broke up into independent barbarian kingdoms in the 5th century. The eastern part of the empire remained a power through the Middle Ages until its fall in 1453 CE.


Book recommendations pertaining to Ancient Rome.

Book TitleAuthorPubDateReading AgeTime PeriodTime FrameGeographic AreaCountryTopicGenreFormat
Evil Roman EmperorsBarlag, Phillip2021AClassical Age616 BCE - 455 CEEuropeItalyRoman EmperorsNFB
CityMacaulay, David1983LE
MG
Classical Age300 BCE - 150 CEEuropeItalyBuildingFPB
Life as a Gladiator: An Interactive History AdventureBurgan, Michael2010MGClassical Age264 BCE - 404 CEEuropeItalyRoman GladiatorsNFCB
Hannibal: Rome's Worst NightmareBrooks, Phillip2015UMG
YA
Classical Age247-183 BCEEuropeItalyRoman LegionNF
Bio
CB
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Roman SoldierStewart, Dave2016LE
MG
Classical Age113 BCE - 596 CEEuropeItalyRoman LegionNFPB
The First Man in RomeMcCullough, Colleen1990AClassical Age110–100 BCEEuropeItalyRoman RepublicFN
Julius Caesar: Dictator For LifeRinaldo, Denise2010UMG
YA
Classical Age100-44 BCEEuropeItalyJulius Caesar
Roman Emperors
NF
Bio
CB
The Grass CrownMcCullough, Colleen1991AClassical Age97–86 BCEEuropeItalyRoman RepublicFN
Fortune's FavoritesMcCullough, Colleen1993AClassical Age83–69 BCEEuropeItalyRoman RepublicFN
The Ancient Ocean BluesMitchell, Jack2008UMGClassical Age80 BCEEuropeItalyJulius Caesar
Roman Emperors
FCB
Caesar's WomenMcCullough, Colleen1997AClassical Age67–59 BCEEuropeItalyRoman RepublicFN
CaesarMcCullough, Colleen1998AClassical Age54–48 BCEEuropeItalyRoman Republic
Roman Emperors
FN
The October HorseMcCullough, Colleen2002AClassical Age48–41 BCEEuropeItalyRoman RepublicFN
Antony and CleopatraMcCullough, Colleen2007AClassical Age41–27 BCEEuropeItaly
Egypt
Roman RepublicFN
You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Roman GladiatorStewart, Dave2016LE
MG
Classical Age1-100EuropeItalyRoman GladiatorsNFPB
Tiger, TigerReid Banks, Lynne1956UMG
YA
Classical Age3EuropeItalyJulius CaesarFCB
The Confessions of Young NeroGeorge, Margaret2002AClassical Age37–54EuropeItalyNero
Roman Emperors
F
Bio
N
Detectives in TogasWinterfeld, Henry1953MG
UMG
Classical Age40EuropeItalyAncient RomeFCB
Mark of the ThiefNielsen, Jennifer A.2015MG
UMG
Classical Age50EuropeItalyPraetor War
Roman Slaves
F
HF
CB
The Splendor Before the Dark: A Novel of the Emperor NeroGeorge, Margaret2018AClassical Age54–68EuropeItalyNeroF
Bio
N
Pompeii... Buried Alive!Kunhardt, Edith1987LEClassical Age79EuropeItalyVolcano
Natural Disasters
NFER
You Wouldn't Want to Live in PompeiiMalam, John2017LE
MG
Classical Age79EuropeItalyVolcano
Natural Disasters
NFPB
The Secrets of VesuviusBisel, Sara1993MG
UMG
Classical Age79EuropeItalyVolcano
Natural Disasters
Archaeology
NFPB
CB
The Thieves of OstiaLawrence, Caroline2001UMGClassical Age79EuropeItalyAncient RomeFCB
Eagle of the NinthSutcliff, Rosemary1954UMG
YA
Classical Age100EuropeItaly
Great Britain
Roman LegionFN
Roman DiaryPlatt, Richard2009MGClassical Age107EuropeItaly
Greece
Roman SlavesFCB
Galen and the Gateway to MedicineBendick, Jeanne2008UMGClassical Age129-216EuropeItalyMedicineNF
Bio
CB
24 Hours in Ancient RomeMatyszak, Philip2017YA
A
Classical Age137EuropeItalyDaily Life
Ancient Rome
NFB

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List of abbreviations:
Reading Age Genre Format
LE = lower elementary
MG = middle grade (8-12 yrs.)
UMG = upper-middle grade (11-14 yrs.)
YA = young adult (14+)
A = adult (18+)
NF - non fiction
F = fiction
Bio = biography
HF = historical fantasy
AH = alternate history
OV - own voices
M = mythology
S = spine book
PB = picture book
GN = graphic novel
ER = early reader
CB = chapter book
B = book (NF)
N = novel
M = memoir