Terry,
There have always been historical fiction with a "Rome" setting.
However, since Lindsey Davis published SILVER PIGS in 1989 , there has
been a dramatic increase in Roman historical "mysteries" or Roman
"detective" stories--really an explosion in "historical
mysteries" (Peters's Brother Cadfael really started it in 1977?)--a
reader can find them for any historical period . The advantage is the
reader is both entertained and learns some history. Here is a
sampling of what I have in my library collection. Since I am a high
school library, some may be too advanced for middle schoolers. Also,
the websites below may be helpful.
SILVER PIGS by Lindsey Davis (1989, mystery)--by now must be close to
20 in series
ROMAN BLOOD by Steven Saylor (1991, mystery)--the American counterpart
to the British Davis & must be half a dozen in the series
THIEVES OF OSTIA by Carol Lawrence (2002, mystery)--four or five in
series & for MS--11-14.
MAMMOTH BOOK OF ROMAN WHODUNNITS edited by Ashley (2003)--anthology of
short stories involving all the major writers of the subgenre.
MAMMOTH BOOK OF HISTORICAL DETECTIVES edited by Ashley--anthology of
short stories involving all historical periods.
SPQR by John Maddox Roberts (1990, mystery)--now about 13 in series
better history than most.
POMPEII by Robert Harris (2002, mystery)
IMPERIUM by Robert Harris (2007)--first in trilogy about Cicero.
GERMANICUS MOSAIC by Rosemary Rowe (1990)
MEDICUS by Ruth Downie (2007)--now two in series.
EAGLE OF THE NINTH by Rosemary Sutcliff (1954)--old YA writer of
historical novels)
JULIAN by Gore Vidal (1962)
SPARTICUS by Howard Fast.
SWORD OF ATTILA by Michael Curtis Ford (2005)--one of many historical
novels.
YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN by G. A. Henty (1880)--generations of teenage boys
grew up with this
author.
DEAR AND GLORIOUS PHYSICIAN by Taylor Caldwell (1959)--about St. Luke
HANNIBAL by Harold Lamb (1958)--wrote some exciting biographical novels
UNDER THE EAGLES by Simon Scarrow (2000)--first in the series
ALL ROADS LEAD TO MURDER by Albert A. Bell (2002, mystery)--first in
the series
I, CLAUDIUS by Robert Graves (1934)
I, CLAUDIA by Marilyn Todd (2002, mystery)--first in the series
OVID by David Wishart (1995, mystery)--first in the series
ISLAND OF GHOSTS by Gillian Bradshaw (1998)
IMPERIAL GOVERNOR by George Shipway (1968)--novel about the Queen
Boudicca Revolt
LEGION: A NOVEL OF THE ROMAN ARMY by William Altimari (2003)
Here are a few interesting websites:
FICTIONAL ROME (Richard Stockton College)--searchable database and
reviews/summaries
http://intraweb.stockton.edu/eyos/page.cfm?siteID=78&pageID=1
Historical Novels In The Classroom (same site)
http://intraweb.stockton.edu/eyos/page.cfm?siteID=78&pageID=33
HISTORICAL NOVELS (over 5,000 novels listed by time & place & reviews)
http://www.historicalnovels.info/
HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY
http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org/
DANIEL S. BURT'S RECOMMENDED HISTORICAL NOVELS--listed by time
http://home.comcast.net/~dwtaylor1/burtshistoricalfiction.html
Bob Hicks
Arkansas City High School Library
Arkansas City, KS 67005
bob.hicks@usd470.com
On Nov 4, 2009, at 7:00 AM, Terry Thomas wrote:
> If you have any good websites about ancient Rome for middle
> schoolers, can
> you please send them my way?
>
> In addition, the teacher is going to have the students write some
> historical fiction, in the form of a short story, set in ancient
> Rome, so
> if you know of any good historical fiction set during this time
> period, or
> any websites that provide guidance for writing historical fiction,
> please let me know.
>
> Thanks,
> Terry Thomas
> School Librarian
> Colegio Internacional Puerto la Cruz
> Venezuela
>
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