Best Historical Fiction for Impetus players.

Having just finished and really enjoyed book 2 of Ben Kane's 'Hannibal' series I was wondering if anyone could recommend any other good historical fiction set in Ancient times.
I would also recommend any book by Christian Cameron, his accounts of battles and his characters part in them is just brilliant.

Felix Dahn - A Struggle for Rome (alternatively A Fight for Rome - original Ein Kampf um Rom) - is an epic tale about the fall of the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy. It features noble heroes, dark villains and many battlescenes.
Dahn was a professor for history and tried to write as historical accurate as he could his main source beeing the writings of procopius.
He tries to leave the nationalism of his area out from his book (for example the Roman Cethegus is not  an evil villain but a charismatic opponent for the Gothic heroes and is more clever and farsighted than them)
Still it's full of "Germanic romanticism" typical for his time and many things (like the diferences between Goths and Romans) are seen quite different today.
Still it's an epic book and the oldfashioned historical views provide quite some fun and are a good contrast to the often dark and epic political scheming and clashes of arms
MAny of his readers thought his Kingdom of the Goths was inspired by the German Empire in it's complacency and blindness to what was going on elsewhere and after the 1st World War ended in a similar catastrophe as did the War against Byzanz for the Goths it was even seen as a prophetic work

It's been ages, but I very much enjoyed Colleen McCullough's series about ancient Rome. She covered the war with Jugurtha, Caesar's actions against Gaul and Britannia, Sulla and Marius's adventures in the East . . . just about everything. In one of her late books detailing the tragic affair of Anthony and you know who, she considered the effect of slingers against cataphract cavalry.
An embarrassment of historical fiction for the interested gamer.

SVBEEV

Chris

I've been enjoying the "Warrior of Rome" series by Harry Sidebottom. Set in the mid 3rd century AD it depicts the adventures of Marcus Clodius Ballista and his familia as he defends the Imperium against the Sassanids and itself. Sidebottom is a classical scholar and has a good feel for the period, great stuff.

There are some good suggestions there, thanks. I have read some of the ballista books and yes they are good. Of the other suggestions I think I will try to find some of Colleen McCullough's books.
Any more idea's...?

The Bruce Trilogy by Nigel Tranter. An older book probably out of print but possibly find it on Amazon. I have a copy myself if anyone interested.

I believe the book, although fiction, is a historically more accurate presentation of Robert the Bruce than the movie brave heart.

OldScruffy wrote:The Bruce Trilogy by Nigel Tranter.  An older book probably out of print but possibly find it on Amazon.  I have a copy myself if anyone interested.

I believe the book, although fiction, is a historically more accurate presentation of Robert the Bruce than the movie brave heart.

It wouldn't be difficult to be more accurate than Braveheart. But yes, I'd recommend the Bruce Trilogy as well.

I'd also recommend pretty well anything by Alfred Duggan.

Ah, Alfred Duggan, I read some of his books quite a few years ago, excellent stuff and in the same line as Henry Treece. Nigel Tranter is also good and I am reading 'Blood Crows', the latest book by Simon Scarrow at the moment. He is making me want to paint romans but I must stick with my celts/gauls.