Just Finished reading: Imperium by Robert Harris

In Republican Rome circa 79BC a young ‘New Man’ without family history or fortune to call on has a burning ambition to rise to power in the greatest civilisation the world has ever seen. To do so he uses the only talents he has – his intellect and his voice. That man is Marcus Cicero who, through political manoeuvring and pivotal court cases, became the most famous orator of the ancient world. But such a political journey is not without its dangers – especially when your contemporaries are some of the most ruthless and dangerous men who have ever lived. Men who crave power like a normal man craves air and water. Men like Pompey, Crassus and the young upstart Julius Caesar. If Cicero puts one foot wrong he signs his own death warrant. But if he can navigate through the alliances he needs to make he could become the most powerful man in Rome.

Told through the reminiscences of his household slave and personal secretary this is often a gripping tale of political intrigue and courtroom drama played against the background of Republican Rome as it slides towards Empire. Both an accomplished historical account and an often powerful political drama I learnt more about the Roman legal system that I ever thought possible or ever wanted too. It would be easy to make such a drama drag – especially when the time and place is so far away but Harris manages to bring to life the real day to day events of people in that far away place. There were times when I did think enough was enough but Harris managed to always keep on the right side of an interesting and often funny subject. His characters were very well drawn indeed as were his places and often threatening situations. It takes real talent to present the different in a familiar way and Harris manages to mix both very well indeed. I was certainly impressed enough to read his other Rome based books in the future. This is a very good read for anyone with even a passing interest in Roman history.