Best Historical Fiction Books About Roman Empire (2026): 5 Picks

The best historical fiction books about roman empire span a thousand years, from the founding of the city to the reign of Nero. We compared five books by fit for a Roman Empire read, contents, value and series standing.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Roma by Saylor	9.8/10	Buy
2	Imperium by Harris	9.7/10	Buy
3	The Man With Two Names by Davis	9.7/10	Buy
4	Eagles of the Empire 24	9.6/10	Buy
5	The Storm Before the Storm	9.5/10	Buy

1

Roma by Saylor

Steven Saylor·9.8/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the epic reader: a thousand years of Rome through two families, opening a trilogy.

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Pros

• Spans a thousand years, from Romulus and Remus to Caesar
• Book 1 of 3 in the Rome series, a clean series start
• 592 pages, the longest here, March 2008 first edition

Cons

• War, assassination and a mass murderer appear in the saga, per the description
• 592 pages is the longest here
• The thousand-year span means many characters to follow

2

Imperium by Harris

Robert Harris·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the politics fan: Cicero's rise to power, told by his slave Tiro.

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Pros

• Book 1 of 3 in the Ancient Rome Trilogy
• Cicero's struggle for supreme power, August 2007 reprint
• 305 pages from Gallery Books

Cons

• A corrupt governor and a violent death open the plot, per the description
• No reading age or grade level is stated
• Courtroom drama may suit politics fans more than battle fans

3

The Man With Two Names by Davis

Vincent Davis·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the military fan: Sertorius, the Republic's forgotten commander, on the frontier.

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Pros

• Book 1 of 7 in The Sertorius Scrolls
• 394 pages, June 2017
• Political intrigue with battle scenes, per the description

Cons

• Cities burn and friends fall, per the description
• The listing's urgency line about prices is not verifiable
• A lesser-known commander may suit history buffs most

4

Eagles of the Empire 24

Simon Scarrow·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the series follower: Macro and Cato under Nero in AD 62, the latest Eagles novel.

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Pros

• August 2026 from Headline, the newest here
• 416 pages with Macro and Cato in Rome
• Nero-era intrigue, per the description

Cons

• Book 24 of 24; start earlier in the series
• Execution and rioting under Nero, per the description
• The listing's sales claims are not verifiable

5

The Storm Before the Storm

Mike Duncan·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the history reader: the fall of the Roman Republic, 146 to 78 BC, as nonfiction.

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Pros

• Covers 146 to 78 BC in 352 pages
• October 2018 reprint from PublicAffairs
• From the creator of a Rome history podcast, per the description

Cons

• A work of history, not a novel
• Bloody battles and violent clashes, per the description
• No series is stated

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More picks to compare

• Dominus by SaylorRome from Marcus Aurelius to Constantine, Book 3 of 3, 496 pages.Check on Amazon
• Empire by SaylorAugustus to Hadrian through the Pinarius family, Book 2 of 3, 608 pages.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for a Roman Empire read, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or grade where one is given. None of the five picks states a reading age or grade level. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best historical fiction books about roman empire

Pick your century

Roma spans a thousand years from Romulus and Remus to Caesar; Imperium follows Cicero’s rise; The Man With Two Names follows Sertorius on the frontier; Eagles of the Empire 24 is set in AD 62 under Nero. The Storm Before the Storm covers 146 to 78 BC as history, not fiction.

Start at Book 1

Roma, Imperium and The Man With Two Names all open their series. Eagles of the Empire 24 is Book 24 of 24, so start earlier in the series for the full arc. For book club reading, browse every book club list.

Fiction or history

Four picks are novels; The Storm Before the Storm is a work of history from the creator of a Rome podcast, per the description. Choose the format you want before buying.

Before you buy

• Check the series order: start with Book 1 of each series.
• Note the format: four novels and one work of history.
• Eagles of the Empire 24 is Book 24; it is not a series start.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which book covers the most Roman history?

Roma spans a thousand years, from the founding of the city to the assassination of Julius Caesar, in 592 pages.

Which books start a series?

Roma (Book 1 of 3), Imperium (Book 1 of 3) and The Man With Two Names (Book 1 of 7).

Is The Storm Before the Storm a novel?

No; the description presents it as a history of 146 to 78 BC, not fiction.

Still deciding? Our top pickRoma by Saylor

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Related lists

See every fiction list.

More lists: historical fiction about Greece, historical fiction about Italy and historical fiction about the Middle East.