The Roman Republic and Roman Empire

509 B.C. – A.D. 476

The Roman Republic and Empire saw leaders like Julius Caesar and Augustus shape politics and expand control across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Archaeological finds like Pompeii reveal daily life, and Roman laws, engineering, and military strategies set patterns still seen in the Western world. You can find books about life in Ancient Rome here.

Picture books

Brave Cloelia

Engaging retelling of an early Roman legend

Galen: My Life in Imperial Rome

Fictional diary of a Roman slave boy

Roman Fort

Lively introduction to life in a Roman fort, for young readers

Chapter books and novels

The Young Carthaginian

Novel of a young man fighting in the Punic Wars

Roman Diary: The Journal of Iliona, A Young Slave

Fictional diary of a Roman slave girl

The Aeneid: A Graphic Novel

Graphic novel adaptation of the Aeneid

A Triumph for Flavius

Story of a Roman boy’s friendship with a Greek slave

Ancient Rome (You Choose: Historical Eras)

Choose-your-own-adventure book set in ancient Rome

Empire’s End: A Roman Story

Story of a North African girl traveling with the emperor’s court to Roman Britain

The Thieves of Ostia

Story of a group of Roman children solving a mystery- the first in a series

The Eagle of the Ninth

Military novel set in Roman Britain

Caesar’s Gallic War

Novelized retelling of Caesar’s war in Gaul

Non-fiction books

Augustus Caesar’s World

Exploration of the the arts, sciences, and religion of Augustus Caesar’s time

What Was Pompeii?

Detailed, comprehensive intro to the destruction of Pompeii

Where Is the Colosseum?

Detailed, comprehensive intro to the Colosseum and its uses

Julius Caesar in Gaul and Britain

Children’s version of Julius Caesar’s account of his time in Gaul and Britain

The Roman Colosseum

Excellent exploration of the Colosseum’s engineering and uses

You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Roman Soldier!

Humorous guide to life as a Roman soldier

Bodies from the Ash: Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii

Brief summary of what archaeologists have discovered in Pompeii, with great details and photos

What Life Was Like: When Rome Ruled the World

Explanation of the Roman empire for older readers, with excellent photos

Biographies

Who Was Julius Caesar?

Great introduction to Julius Caesar and his impact

Hannibal: Rome’s Worst Nightmare

Exciting biography of Hannibal

Galen and the Gateway to Medicine

Introduction to the Roman physician and his impact

Julius Caesar (A Wicked History)

Biography focused on Julius Caesar’s dark side

Of Numbers and Stars

Lovely introduction to a mathematician and philosopher

Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C.

Fictional Royal Diary from the perspective of Cleopatra

Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt for Kids: Her Life and World, with 21 Activities

Biography of Cleopatra with activities

You Wouldn’t Want to Be Cleopatra!

Humorous guide to Cleopatra and her world

Activities

Make This Roman Fort

Cut-out model of a Roman fort

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