Sometimes I get in the mood for historical fiction from certain time periods. Sometimes I want World War II historical fiction, other times I’m in the mood for the American Revolution, and other times I want something from ancient times.
Today I am sharing 3 books that take place in the first century. I tend to shy away from reading too much from this time period because it’s just so ancient…. How could I possibly relate to it? But even historical fiction about ancients times can be both gripping and relatable when well done so check out the following titles to see if any sound good to you!
The Medicus by Ruth Downie
When a young slave girl is brought into this first century hospital with a broken arm and nearly dead, no one seems concerned; that is except for Ruso, or the Medicus as he is better known, an army doctor who finds himself down on his luck in an outpost of the Roman Empire, namely Britannia. In a moment of weakness, Ruso purchases this young slave girl from her abusive owner only to find that not only does she refuse to talk to him, but she can’t seem to cook or perform any of the household tasks one would expect of a slave in her position. To Ruso, something does not seem right about this girl and before Ruso knows it he is playing the amateur sleuth, trying to piece together the deaths of the young prostitutes working out of the local bar. Where will all this searching lead him? Will he ever get his slave girl to tell him the truth about herself?
Pontius Pilate by Paul L. Maier
This is a book about the politician Pontius Pilate—yes, The Pontius Pilate—the one who washed his hands of the crowd’s decision to crucify Jesus. It is so easy to demonize this man; the phrase “washing my hands of it,” almost always means standing aside and watching as something we believe to be wrong takes place. However, like a lot of events in history, this pivotal event that Pilate plays a part in was hardly a black or white issue. There were many political tensions running through the area at the time; the Jews had so many laws that made no sense to the Roman ruling class. The event with Jesus was not the first time Pilate had to deal with difficult situations with the Jews. This book is based on as much fact as we have from those times and then gently fleshed out to create a compelling narrative. I found it very engrossing and interesting!
Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
We’ve all heard of Cleopatra but what about her daughter? After Cleopatra commits suicide she leaves behind three children who have to go on living on their own, penniless, and without a country to call their own. Our main character Selene, her twin brother Helios, and their six year old brother, are taken to Rome where they are to be raised in Caesar’s house. While being allowed to live is undeniably a good thing, every move they make is watched closely and could lead to their demise. Young Selene must use all the cunning she possesses to keep her brothers safe in order give them all a shot at a better future. Can Selene makes friends in this foreign country?
While this book is probably more fiction than fact (given that we simply don’t have good records from that time) Lily of the Nile paints a portrait of what life would have looked like, as well as the challenges of three children brought up as royalty having to then conform to the expectations set on them by a different culture. Where is the line between conforming and losing one’s identity?
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