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Best novels on civilian life - richsc - 05-09-2003
These are few and far between, as military and political novels dominate. I have a few (below) but would like to add recommendations:<br>
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"Roman Woman" by Lindsay Allason Jones<br>
<br>
the Flavia Gemina series by Carolyn Lawrence; children's books but very well done<br>
<br>
"Household Gods" ; a quasi science fiction novel, but a good description of a year in the life of a Roman woman on the frontier. <p></p><i></i>
Re: Best novels on civilian life - Anonymous - 08-11-2003
Lindsay Davis (I haven't checked the spelling) writes a series of entertaining books about a hard-boiled Vespasian-era gumshoe, ("informer" in the stories) named Marcus Didius Falco. The details about Roman life ca. 70 or so AD (CE be damned: whose Common Era do they pretend to be talking about) are fascinating, and I can hardly believe she's made them up out of whole cloth. Some titles: The Iron Hand of Mars, The Silver Pigs, Two for The Lions. Your library should have at least some of them.<br>
I'll mention Ben Hur, which is nonsense, but interesting from a lit. history perspective. Gen. Lew Wallace, the author, served in the Civil War, became territorial governor of New Mexico, and was one of the members of the military court that tried Lincoln's assassins. He also sketched the defendants (Lincoln's Assassins, Swanson <p></p><i></i>
Re: Best novels on civilian life - richsc - 08-11-2003
I have all the Falco series, including the new one, "The Accusers" which goes in to depth on the Roman legal system and inheritances.<br>
<br>
I should add Steven Saylor to the list of novels on private citizens, and I have all the Sub Rosa series too.<br>
<p></p><i></i>
How about Colleen McCullough? - Anonymous - 08-12-2003
Her books on the late Republic-spanning from Marius and Sulla to Caesar and Octavian-was not only fun to read, but very informative in that certain features of Roman life-both private and public-were rendered more understandable...<br>
<br>
Vandevere <p></p><i></i>