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Roma Sub Rosa
''Roma Sub Rosa'' is a series of historical mystery novels by Steven Saylor set in ancient Rome and therefore populated by famous historic Roman citizens. The phrase "Roma Sub Rosa" means, in Latin, "Rome under the rose." If a matter was '' sub rosa'', "under the rose," it meant that such matter was confidential. The detective is known as Gordianus the Finder, and he mixes with non-fictional citizens of the Republic including Sulla, Cicero, Marcus Crassus, Catilina, Catullus, Pompey, Julius Caesar, and Mark Antony. Characters The family of Gordianus grows through the series to become "a typically Roman extended family": * Gordianus the Finder, the titular character and narrator. A plebeian hired to investigate on behalf of a wide range of clients. In ''Catilina's Riddle'' he is called the "most honest man in Rome" by Cicero. Thanks to his work, he eventually moves up in the world, even coming to live in an old patrician house on the Palatine. He is 30 years old at the beginn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steven Saylor
Steven Saylor (born March 23, 1956) is an American author of historical novels. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied history and classics. Saylor's best-known work is his '' Roma Sub Rosa'' historical mystery series, set in ancient Rome. The novels' hero is a detective named Gordianus the Finder, active during the time of Sulla, Cicero, Julius Caesar, and Cleopatra. Outside this crime novel series, Saylor has also written three epic-length historical novels about the city of Rome, '' Roma'', ''Empire'', and '' Dominus''. His work has been published in 21 languages. Saylor has also written two novels set in Texas. ''A Twist at the End'', featuring O. Henry, is set in Austin in the 1880s and based on real-life serial murders and trials (the case of the so-called Servant Girl Annihilator). ''Have You Seen Dawn?'' is a contemporary thriller set in a fictional Texas town, Amethyst, based on Saylor's hometown, Goldthwaite, Texas. Saylor contribu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey ( ) or Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and statesman who was prominent in the last decades of the Roman Republic. As a young man, he was a partisan and protégé of the dictator Sulla, after whose death he achieved much military and political success himself. He was an ally and a rival of Julius Caesar, and died in civil war with him. A member of the senatorial nobility, Pompey entered into a military career while still young. He rose to prominence serving Sulla as a commander in the civil war of 83–81 BC. Pompey's success as a general while young enabled him to advance directly to his first consulship without following the traditional '' cursus honorum'' (the required steps to advance in a political career). He was elected as consul on three occasions (70, 55, 52 BC). He celebrated three triumphs, served as a commander in the Sertorian War, t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Last Seen In Massilia
''Last Seen in Massilia'' is a historical novel by American author Steven Saylor, first published by St. Martin's Press in 2000. It is the eighth book in his Roma Sub Rosa series of mystery stories set in the final decades of the Roman Republic. The main character is the Roman sleuth Gordianus the Finder. Plot summary The year is 49 BC. Gordianus and his son-in-law, Davus, are headed to Massilia where his son, Meto, was last seen. Lost in the woods, the pair stumble upon a small temple where they run into two of Caesar's soldiers and an alleged soothsayer who urges Gordianus to turn back instead of seeking his son. Following the soldiers to Caesar's camp, Gordianus meets Gauis Trebonius, the officer in charge of the siege of Massilia. Gordianus reveals that he received an anonymous message about Meto's death. While sympathizing, Trebonius orders Gordianus to leave for Rome in the morning. Sleepless, Gordianus goes outside only to run into Vitruvius, Caesar's engineer, who expe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rubicon (Roma Sub Rosa)
''Rubicon'' is a historical novel by American author Steven Saylor, first published by St. Martin's Press in 1999. It is the seventh book in his Roma Sub Rosa series of mystery stories set in the final decades of the Roman Republic. The main character is the Roman sleuth Gordianus the Finder. Plot summary The year is 49 BC. Gordianus and his son-in-law, Davus, find Pompey’s cousin, Numerius Pompeius, dead in the garden. Before reporting to the Great One, the two inspect the body and find a secret message. With Diana’s help, the two discover a coded message containing a dossier on Gordianus. Soon after, Pompey himself comes to visit. Upon seeing his dead kinsman, Pompey orders Gordianus to solve the murder and takes Davus as collateral. Soon after, Gordianus pays Cicero, the person Numerius went to see prior to seeing Gordianus, a visit. On his way back, Gordianus encounters traffic thanks to Caesar’s impending arrival since crossing the Rubicon. After a sleepless nig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marcus Licinius Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus (; 115–53 BC) was a ancient Rome, Roman general and statesman who played a key role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. He is often called "the richest man in Rome".Wallechinsky, David & Irving Wallace, Wallace, Irving.Richest People in History Ancient Roman Crassus. Trivia-Library. ''The People's Almanac''. 1975–1981. Web. 23 December 2009."Often named as the richest man ever, a more accurate conversion of sesterce would put his modern figure between $200 million and $20 billion." Peter L. BernsteinThe 20 Richest People Of All Time/ref> Crassus began his public career as a military commander under Sulla, Lucius Cornelius Sulla during his Sulla's civil war, civil war. Following Sulla's assumption of the Roman dictator, dictatorship, Crassus amassed an enormous fortune through property speculation. Crassus rose to political prominence following his victory over the Third Servile War, slave revolt led by Sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Judgment Of Caesar
''The Judgment of Caesar'' is a historical novel by American author Steven Saylor, first published by St. Martin's Press in 2004. It is the tenth book in his Roma Sub Rosa series of mystery stories set in the final decades of the Roman Republic. The main character is the Roman sleuth Gordianus the Finder. Plot summary The year is 48 BC, and there is civil war in the Roman Empire. Caesar has defeated his rival Pompey at Pharsalos and is pursuing him towards Egypt, where king Ptolemy XIII and his sister and wife Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ... are struggling for power. At the same time Gordianus the Finder is traveling to Egypt with his ailing Egyptian wife, Bethesda. References Roma Sub Rosa Fictional depictions of Julius Caesar in literature Fic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Mist Of Prophecies
''A Mist of Prophecies'' is a historical novel by American author Steven Saylor, first published by St. Martin's Press in 2002. It is the ninth book in his ''Roma Sub Rosa'' series of mystery stories set in the final decades of the Roman Republic. The main character is the Roman sleuth Gordianus the Finder. Plot summary The year is 48 BC. Caesar and Pompey clash across the sea in Greece while Milo and Caelius stir up trouble in Italy. Meanwhile, in Rome, the beautiful and mysterious seeress called Cassandra is poisoned, and dies in the arms of Gordianus in the market. With no one to claim the body, Gordianus makes her funeral arrangements which is surprisingly attended by the seven most powerful women in Rome—Terentia, Antonia, Cytheris, Fulvia, Fausta, Calpurnia, and Clodia. Without a word to him or to each other, the women leave the pyre soon after. The next day, Gordianus calls on the first of these women, Terentia. Home with her sister, the Vestal Fabia, the pair reca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dio Of Alexandria
Dio of Alexandria (; ) was an Academic skepticism, Academic Skeptic philosopher and a friend of Antiochus of Ascalon who lived in the first century BC. Along with being an Academic Skeptic, Dio was an avid believer in the Greek gods and Titans, specifically worshipping the personification of time, Chronos. He was sent by his fellow citizens as ambassador to Rome, leading a delegation of a hundred citizens, to complain about the conduct of their king, Ptolemy XII Auletes. In Rome in 57 BC he was poisoned by the king's secret agents, and the strongest suspicion of the murder fell upon Marcus Caelius Rufus, Marcus Caelius. The defence of Caelius in April 56 BC, the ''Pro Caelio'', is considered one of Cicero's and indeed Rome's greatest orations. His brother was the wrestler Topsius (). References Hellenistic-era philosophers from Africa 1st-century BC Greek philosophers Ambassadors to ancient Rome Academic skeptics Assassinated Greek people Ancient assassinated people Ancien ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Venus Throw
''The Venus Throw'' is a historical novel by American author Steven Saylor, first published by St. Martin's Press in 1995. It is the fourth book in his Roma Sub Rosa series of mystery novels set in the final decades of the Roman Republic. The main character is the Roman sleuth Gordianus the Finder. Plot summary The year is 56 BC. Gordianus is visited in disguise by his old friend and teacher Dio, a diplomat who led an Egyptian delegation to Rome. Dissatisfied with their king, Ptolemy XII, the contingent planned to appeal to Rome’s Senate. However, Dio reveals that he is the last member of the delegation and implores Gordianus to keep him alive. His companion, a eunuch by the name of Trygonion, also appeals to Gordianus despite his clear dislike for the philosopher. Hesitating due to the potential danger, Gordianus asks Bethesda and his daughter, Diana, to serve dinner to his late night guests while he deliberates. Gordianus ultimately rejects the philosopher’s plea, citing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexandria
Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile Delta, Nile River delta. Founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, Alexandria grew rapidly and became a major centre of Hellenic civilisation, eventually replacing Memphis, Egypt, Memphis, in present-day Greater Cairo, as Egypt's capital. Called the "Bride of the Mediterranean" and "Pearl of the Mediterranean Coast" internationally, Alexandria is a popular tourist destination and an important industrial centre due to its natural gas and petroleum, oil pipeline transport, pipelines from Suez. The city extends about along the northern coast of Egypt and is the largest city on the Mediterranean, the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second-largest in Egypt (after Cairo), the List of largest cities in the Arab world, fourth- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roman Blood
''Roman Blood'' is a historical novel by American author Steven Saylor, first published by St. Martin's Press in 1991. It is the first book in his Roma Sub Rosa series of mystery novels set in the final decades of the Roman Republic. It is based on the writings of Cicero. The main character is the Roman sleuth Gordianus the Finder. Plot summary The year is 80 BC, and the dictator Sulla rules Rome. The young lawyer Cicero is defending Sextus Roscius, a man accused of murdering his own father who now faces the gruesome punishment for patricide. After famed advocate, Hortensius passes on the case, young Cicero hires Gordianus the Finder to discover the truth of the matter. We are introduced to Gordianus' slave, Bethesda, the mute boy Eco, and historical persons such as the plutocrat Marcus Licinius Crassus, the powerful freedman Lucius Cornelius Chrysogonus and Cicero's scribe Marcus Tullius Tiro Marcus Tullius Tiro (died 4 BC) was first a Roman slave, slave, then a freedman, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patrician (ancient Rome)
The patricians (from ) were originally a group of ruling class families in ancient Rome. The distinction was highly significant in the Roman Kingdom and the early Roman Republic, Republic, but its relevance waned after the Conflict of the Orders (494 BC to 287 BC). By the time of the late Republic and Roman Empire, Empire, membership in the patriciate was of only nominal significance. The social structure of ancient Rome revolved around the distinction between the patricians and the plebeians. The status of patricians gave them more political power than the plebeians, but the relationship between the groups eventually caused the Conflict of the Orders. This time period resulted in changing of the social structure of ancient Rome. After the Western Roman Empire, Western Empire fell, the term "patrician" continued as a high Byzantine aristocracy and bureaucracy, honorary title in the Eastern Empire. In many Italian city-states, medieval Italian republics, especially in Republic of V ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
