Ancient Empires

It’s been forty years since the Roman conquest of southern Britannia. The hostile western regions are at last subdued and twenty years have passed since the cataclysmic Iceni Rebellion in the east. With tribal kingdoms assimilating into Roman culture and the province at relative peace, Imperial Governor Gnaeus Julius Agricola turns his attention north. The once-allied, now hostile Kingdom of Brigantes is divided between factions loyal to Rome and those of the usurper king, Venutius.

According to history books, the Roman Empire ended in 476 CE with the fall of Rome. But if you asked most people alive at that time, they would have pointed you to what they considered the continuation of the Roman Empire - the civilization we now call the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines, however, were more than just a remnant of Roman glory. At its geographical peak, the Byzantine Empire stretched out across the Mediterranean world.

It is difficult to know the Sea People intimately because the records on them aren’t very comprehensive. But we set out to explore the many questions people have about this mysterious civilization. Who were they? Where did they come from? Did they do more than simply pillage, and what impact did they have on society and commerce? Would you be shocked to learn that these mysterious people were more than a band of pirates?

The conclusion of the three-book series that began with Delicatus and continued with Imperatrix. Captured by pirates as a boy and trafficked to the slave markets of Rome, Sporus rose from a poet's plaything to one of the most powerful figures in the Roman Empire. The historian Suetonius tells us that the Emperor Nero emasculated and married his slave Sporus, the spitting image of murdered Empress Poppaea. But history has more tidbits about Sporus, who went from "puer delicatus" to Empress to one Emperor and concubine to another, and ended up being sentenced to play the Earth-Goddess in the ...

A new civil war has begun: with the emperor Pertinax's murder Marcus and his protector Scaurus have escaped Rome, seeking sanctuary for their familia in the East. But they are soon pressed back into service by Septimius Severus, the ruthless commander who has seized the imperial capital and who holds the military balance of power over his two rivals. Niger, the would-be emperor in the East is on the march with six legions, and Scaurus's legion is ordered to Thrace as a sacrificial advance guard, tasked with delaying them. Whatever the cost.

Beginning with the reign of Diocletian in A.D. 284 and ending at the death of Justinian in 565, the Roman Empire completes a transition from paganism to Christianity which is one of the most remarkable events in history. How was it possible to alter an ancient civilization which had existed for millennia, and yet to maintain social and political order? As events unfolded, one part of the empire managed the process successfully, while the other part spiraled out of control.

The New York Times best-selling series reaches an epic climax! James Dashner returns to the series he began - just in time for Dak, Sera, and Riq to make their final stand in ancient Greece alongside a young Alexander the Great. Fix the past. Save the future. It's now or never!

This third volume of Gibbon's masterpiece covers the years A.D. 1185 to A.D. 1453 and explores the rise of Islam, the Crusades, the invention of gunpowder, Genghis Khan and the Mongol invasions, the Turkish conquests, and the beginning of the Renaissance.

A recovered manuscript from 400 AD describes several years in the lives of two aristocratic Roman pagans in their twenties, the siblings Aeneas and Honoria, as they defend their traditional values against a hostile, militant Christianity bent on obliterating every trace of paganism. The brother and sister both find lovers but face overwhelming difficulties as the empire is drawn into a maelstrom of intrigues, religious and political rivalries, warfare, mayhem, and murder. Aeneas, who loves boxing and the philosophy of Aristotle, is a soldier, adventurer, and scholar. Honoria is a Vestal ...

Alexander of Macedon was only 33 years old when he died, leaving behind him a sprawling empire of impressive size, which encompassed dozens of different people groups, religions, cultures, customs, and - of course - problems. Naturally, Alexander is well-known as a figure, but how well do we really know him? How much of his fascinating story is true, and how much is mere legend?

Dive into the heart of the ancient Inca Empire with “Warriors of the Sun: The Inca Legacy of Cusco.” This captivating historical narrative brings to life the legendary Inca warriors who defended and expanded the empire from their capital in Cusco. Explore the rich tapestry of Inca culture, military strategy, and the indomitable spirit of the warriors who stood at the forefront of one of history’s most fascinating civilizations. From the rise of the Inca Empire to its dramatic encounters with Spanish conquistadors, this book offers a detailed and immersive journey through time.

The House of Life & Death by Vann Chow is an epic narrative that spans generations, weaving together love, betrayal, history, and the supernatural. Elise’s world turns upside down when she stumbles upon her grandmother’s ancient diary, leading her into a web of dark family secrets and haunting supernatural forces. The diary reveals a deep connection to the House of Life, a mystical realm where the souls of the dead linger, shaped by Chinese folklore and ancient rituals. As Elise uncovers her family’s legacy, she learns that the House of Life is tied to a centuries-old curse rooted in ...

Into this fevered forum, a child is born. His mother is Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus. But their imperial blood is no protection. The closer you are to the heart of the empire, the closer you are to power, intrigue, and danger. She faces soldiers, senators, rivals, silver-tongued pretenders, each vying for position. One mistake risks exile, incarceration, execution. Or, worst of all, the loss of her infant son.

When young Telemachus gets the chance to join the crew of the merchant ship Selene, he's delighted to escape the rough streets of Piraeus. He knows little of the dangers of life at sea. And even past hardship has not prepared him for the terror on board when a pirate ship appears on the horizon. The fight is bloody, but the result is never in doubt. Then the victorious pirate chief, Bulla, offers the beaten men a cruel choice: join us, or die.

Glory Favors the Bold. Martius dreams of one day joining the legendary legions of the Belgadan Empire. He seeks to enlist as only a simple foot soldier, but the twists of war have another path for him. As he's thrown into the army's air cavalry and becomes a member of the famous gryphon riders, the empire's fearsome enemies mass on its borders. Martius's one chance at glory is here. With the help of veteran generals and his bond with a war gryphon, can Martius find his place in the legion and claim greatness? Or will the barbarians charging towards the gates of the empire overrun and ...

Throughout the Roman Empire cities held public speeches and lectures, had libraries, and teachers and professors in the sciences and the humanities, some subsidized by the state. There even existed something equivalent to universities, and medical and engineering schools. What were they like? What did they teach? Who got to attend them? In the first treatment of this subject ever published, Dr. Richard Carrier answers all these questions and more.

If your only experience of Roman history has been dry lectures and even drier textbooks, it’s time to take a hose to it. This isn't your typical Roman history book. Our tour guide isn't a tweed-wearing scholar with chalk-dusted fingers regurgitating the timeline of Ancient Rome, but a witty historian with a knack for turning complex topics into an entertaining romp through the past. The Fall of the Roman Empire takes you on a joyride through the grandeur and demise of one of history's most formidable empires. From gloriously gutsy Roman gladiators in the colosseum to the extraordinarily ...

In all of Roman history there was never a more turbulent year than A.D. 69, the ill-omened "Year of the Three Emperors". By some miracle, the greatest historian of the age, Tacitus, was able to chronicle those momentous events in a work he called The History. In its pages are some of the most memorable events of Roman history described in some of the most intensely passionate prose ever devised.

The Crusades shook the world. But why did they happen? Their origins are revealed in a new light. As part of a medieval world war that stretched from Asia to Europe. At its center was an ancient empire Byzantium. Told for the first time as a single, linked narrative are three great events that changed history: The fall of Byzantium in the 11th century, the epic campaign of the First Crusade and the origins of modern Turkey. Nick Holmes not only presents the First Crusade in a wider global context but he also puts forwards new interpretations of the original sources.

Peter Frankopan, number one best-selling author and historian, explores the connections made by people, trade, disease, war, religion, adventure, science and technology in this extraordinary book about how the East married the West with a remarkable voyage at its heart - the journey along the Silk Roads.