The First Man in Rome
by Colleen McCullough · first published 1990
3mentions
3recommended by
3HN commenters
2016–2026first – last mentioned
100% recommend
This historical fiction takes prominent Roman names of the time, and tells their tale in an astonishingly descriptive way. It follows the life of Gaius Marius, and his fellow Roman, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, and their struggles for power through war, politics, and blood.
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Colleen McCullough's The First Man in Rome. It's historical fiction, set in Rome a few years before Julius Caesar was born. I began reading it to see what I could learn about how war was waged by the romans and was absolutely dazed by the political…
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗I have to shout out the “Masters of Rome” series by Colleen Mccullough. It starts with “The First Man in Rome” covering Gaius Marius’ rise to power, and proceeds through the fall of the Republic and the establishing of the Empire. These books are incredibly well researched and informative, but also have SUCH…
on “How to Roman Republic 101, Part IIIa: Starting Down the Path of Honors” ↗Another amazing series is the Master of Rome series starting with the First Man of Rome book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Man_in_Rome
on “High Density Living, 2000 Years Ago: Inside the Roman Apartment Building” ↗