Simon Scarrow’s Eagles of the Empire series is one of the longest-running and most beloved Roman military fiction series in print. With 24 novels and counting, it follows two Roman soldiers, Centurion Macro and his young subordinate Cato, across the breadth of the Empire, from the rain-soaked hills of Britannia to the sun-scorched deserts of Judaea. Gritty, fast-paced, and rich with historical detail, it has earned comparisons to Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series for the way it delivers authentic military adventure through two unforgettable characters.
The series began in 2000 and has never stopped. New books still arrive regularly, and the fan base remains fiercely loyal. If you’re just discovering it, this guide gives you everything you need: the complete reading order, summaries of every book, and advice on where to start.
Quick Series Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Author | Simon Scarrow |
| Number of Books | 24 books (ongoing) |
| First Book | Under the Eagle (2000) |
| Most Recent Book | Tyrant of Rome (2025) |
| Setting | Roman Empire, AD 42 onwards |
| Genre | Historical Military Fiction |
| Main Characters | Centurion Macro and Tribune Cato |
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Eagles of the Empire Books in Publication Order
Publication order is the recommended reading order for Eagles of the Empire. The series follows a continuous story arc spanning decades of Roman history, with Cato and Macro’s ranks, relationships, and circumstances evolving from one book to the next. Starting anywhere other than Book 1 means missing the character introductions and early plot threads that give the later books their emotional weight.
1. Under the Eagle (2000)
Setting: Germania and Britannia, AD 42
It is AD 42, and Quintus Licinius Cato has just arrived in Germany as a raw recruit to the Second Augustan Legion. Bookish, young, and fresh from a life of imperial slavery, Cato is placed as second-in-command to Centurion Macro, a battle-scarred veteran who has little patience for privileged newcomers. In the chaos of their first campaign, an unlikely bond begins to form. A special mission then thrusts the pair into a conspiracy that threatens the Emperor himself. This is the book that introduces the friendship at the heart of the entire series.
2. The Eagle’s Conquest (2001)
Setting: Britannia, AD 43
Emperor Claudius has ordered the invasion of Britain, and Macro and Cato are among the soldiers fighting their way ashore into a land of fierce resistance and treachery. As the legions push inland, someone within the Roman ranks is supplying weapons to the enemy. Cato’s instincts tell him the conspiracy runs deeper than it appears, and with the Emperor himself due to arrive on British soil, the stakes could not be higher.
3. When the Eagle Hunts (2002)
Setting: Britannia, AD 44
In the bitter winter of AD 44, the Roman legions are waiting for spring. Then the Druids of the Dark Moon capture the wife and children of General Plautius, and Macro and Cato are sent on a desperate rescue mission deep into hostile Druid territory. Moving beyond the relative order of the legion, the two soldiers must survive by their wits in a land where every shadow may conceal an enemy.
4. The Eagle and the Wolves (2003)
Setting: Britannia, AD 44
Vespasian and the Second Legion are pushing further into the southwest. Cato is newly promoted to Centurion and assigned alongside Macro to train the tribal levies of the allied Atrebates into a fighting force. The job is complicated from the start: many of the tribesmen distrust the Romans, open revolt is brewing, and a deadly plot is targeting both soldiers directly. A tense novel that broadens the world of the series beyond pure Roman perspectives.
5. The Eagle’s Prey (2004)
Setting: Britannia, AD 44
Late summer, and General Plautius is under pressure from Rome to crush the British tribes once and for all. Macro and Cato are holding a critical ford across the River Tamesis when a catastrophic tactical failure allows a large band of enemy warriors to escape. The blame falls on Cato, and the consequences threaten to end his military career if the British swords don’t end his life first. A high-stakes instalment that tests both the friendship and the military bond between the two protagonists.
6. The Eagle’s Prophecy (2005)
Setting: The Adriatic Sea and Rome, AD 45
The first book takes Macro and Cato away from Britain entirely. On leave in Rome, the two soldiers are pulled into an urgent mission: retrieve an imperial agent captured by pirates operating in the Adriatic. The scrolls the agent was carrying contain secrets that could shake the Empire. This instalment introduces the wider Mediterranean world and the complex machinery of Roman imperial politics.
7. The Eagle in the Sand (2006)
Setting: Judaea, AD 46
Also published as The Zealot in some markets.
The action moves east for the first time. A beleaguered Roman cohort in Judaea is struggling to contain tribal revolts that threaten the Empire’s grip on a volatile province. Macro and Cato are sent to restore order, but they find themselves in a land where religious fervour, political intrigue, and military threat are impossible to separate. A significant tonal shift, darker and more morally complex than earlier instalments.
8. Centurion (2007)
Setting: Palmyra (modern Syria), AD 46
Cato and Macro march into treacherous territory as Parthia masses its forces on Rome’s eastern frontier. The mission is to support the city of Palmyra against overwhelming odds in a desperate siege. This is one of the most highly praised books in the series for its depiction of large-scale military conflict and the political manoeuvring of Rome’s eastern provinces. Cato is promoted to acting prefect during the events of this novel.
9. The Gladiator (2009)
Setting: Crete, AD 47
Returning from Palmyra, Macro and Cato are shipwrecked on the island of Crete, where they find themselves caught in the middle of a slave rebellion. The rebel leader, a gladiator named Ajax, is brilliant, ruthless, and consumed by hatred for Rome. While managing the immediate military crisis, Cato is also dealing with a personal loss that will shape his character for books to come. A tightly plotted instalment with one of the series’ best villains.
10. The Legion (2010)
Setting: Egypt, AD 49
A rebel gladiator is stirring up trouble in Egypt, threatening the grain supply that Rome depends on. Cato and Macro are sent south into the desert to pursue him before his uprising can grow into something the Empire cannot contain. Egypt is rendered with vivid detail, and the moral stakes, with slavery and rebellion as central themes, give the adventure genuine weight. Cato is temporarily promoted to Senior Tribune.
11. Praetorian (2011)
Setting: Rome, AD 51
For the first time, the action is set in the heart of the Empire: Rome itself. Cato and Macro go undercover among the notoriously dangerous Praetorian Guard to root out a treacherous conspiracy before it plunges the Empire into civil war. Working without their legionary backup in the bloody streets of the capital, they face odds even worse than a battle. A superb thriller within historical fiction that demonstrates how well Scarrow handles urban intrigue.
12. The Blood Crows (2013)
Setting: Britannia, AD 51
Macro and Cato return to Britain, where Roman rule is under renewed and increasingly dangerous challenge. A ruthless native warrior is uniting the tribes against the occupiers, and the legions are struggling to hold territory they have spent years winning. This begins a three-book arc set back in Britain, giving the series a chance to revisit its roots with the perspective and experience gained over ten previous novels.
13. Brothers in Blood (2014)
Setting: Britannia, AD 51-52
The British tribes are growing bolder and more coordinated. Macro and Cato find themselves caught between an ambitious Roman governor pursuing his own agenda and a Celtic resistance that refuses to be broken. The title refers to both the brotherhood between the two protagonists and the bonds of loyalty tested throughout the book. Character development is at its strongest here.
14. Britannia (2015)
Setting: Britannia, AD 52
The western tribes of Britain prepare to make their stand. Macro and Cato are back in familiar, rain-drenched territory, but the nature of the conflict has evolved. A personal revelation about someone close to Cato arrives in this book, adding emotional turbulence to the relentless military action. The conclusion of the Britain trilogy is a significant moment in the series’s ongoing character arcs.
15. Invictus (2016)
Setting: Across the Empire, AD 54
A Sunday Times bestseller. The Roman army patrols a growing Empire, from the Mediterranean to the far frontier, and Macro and Cato are once again caught up in events larger than themselves. This book expands the series’ geographical scope while deepening the personal stakes for both protagonists. Cato learns something about his past that forces him to reassess events from earlier in the series.
16. Day of the Caesars (2017)
Setting: Rome and the Empire, AD 54
Emperor Claudius is dead. Nero rules. His half-brother, Britannicus, has also claimed the throne, and a bloody civil war threatens to tear Rome apart. Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro are drawn into the succession crisis at the highest levels, tasked with a mission that could save the Empire or cost them their lives. One of the series’s most politically rich instalments.
17. The Blood of Rome (2018)
Setting: Eastern frontier, AD 55
Tribune Cato and Centurion Macro are back on the eastern fringes of the Empire. Trouble is brewing in Armenia, a kingdom caught between Rome and Parthia in a proxy conflict that neither power wants to escalate into open war. A new kind of enemy, a more complex political landscape, and continued growth in both protagonists make this one of the stronger mid-series entries.
18. Traitors of Rome (2019)
Setting: Eastern frontier, AD 56
A Sunday Times bestseller. Battle-hardened and world-weary, Cato and Macro are stationed at the eastern border, aware that the peace with Parthia is fragile. When a mission goes wrong, and trust within the Roman ranks is shattered, they must identify traitors while managing an enemy that is watching every move. Consistently cited by fans as one of the best books in the later run of the series.
19. The Emperor’s Exile (2020)
Setting: Sardinia and beyond, AD 57
The Empire sends Macro and Cato to the island of Sardinia, where political exiles and imperial intrigue mix in a setting far removed from the battlefields of Britannia or the deserts of the east. A more intimate thriller-style instalment that gives the series room to breathe and develops both characters in unexpected ways.
20. The Honour of Rome (2021)
Setting: Britannia, AD 58
Tension is simmering again in Britain. Danger lies around every corner in a province that has never truly submitted to Roman rule. Macro and Cato return to the island where their careers began, older and more experienced but still walking into situations where survival is not guaranteed. Long-term fans of the series will appreciate the echoes of the early books.
21. Death to the Emperor (2022)
Setting: Britannia and Rome, AD 59
A threat against the Emperor draws Cato and Macro into a dangerous game of loyalties and betrayal. As Nero’s rule grows increasingly erratic, those who serve Rome must decide where their true allegiances lie. Scarrow uses the backdrop of Nero’s increasingly unstable court to raise genuine questions about the nature of duty, obedience, and conscience.
22. Rebellion (2023)
Setting: Britannia, AD 60
The most significant historical event of Roman Britain is the arrival: the rebellion of Boudica, Queen of the Iceni. With the province on the brink of catastrophe and Roman settlements burning, Macro and Cato face their most desperate fight yet. Scarrow had been building toward this moment for several books, and the payoff is a visceral, high-stakes novel that stands among the best in the series.
23. Revenge of Rome (2024)
Setting: Britannia, AD 60-61
The Boudican revolt is not yet over. Queen Boudica, having destroyed Camulodunum and Londinium, leads her warriors toward a final confrontation with the outnumbered Roman forces. Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro are at the centre of the desperate Roman response in a novel that brings decades of series history to a thundering climax.
24. Tyrant of Rome (2025)
Setting: Rome, AD 61
Fresh from the blood and chaos of the Boudican battlefield, Macro and Cato find themselves thrust into the very different dangers of Rome’s political world. Emperor Nero is growing more volatile and more unpredictable by the day, and those closest to power must learn to survive not just enemies on the battlefield but the capricious violence of an Emperor who trusts no one. The most recent instalment continues the series’ evolution into a broader examination of Roman power and its costs.
Is There a Chronological Order?
Good news: the Eagles of the Empire series is written in chronological order. The events of each novel follow directly from the last, advancing along a historical timeline from AD 42 through to the 60s. Publication order and chronological order are the same thing, so there is no need to choose between them. Simply start at Book 1 and read forward.
About the Eagles of the Empire Series
The Eagles of the Empire series follows Quintus Licinius Cato and Lucius Cornelius Macro, two Roman soldiers whose careers intertwine almost from the moment they meet. Cato arrives as an inexperienced young recruit, a former imperial slave with more education than muscle, assigned as Macro’s second-in-command. Macro is everything Cato is not: battle-hardened, direct, and dismissive of anything that doesn’t involve fighting. The friction between them in the early books gives the series much of its energy.
Over the course of 24 novels, both men grow considerably. Cato rises through the ranks to the rank of Prefect, developing from an awkward, bookish youth into a capable and morally thoughtful military leader. Macro remains the loyal, no-nonsense centurion, but gains depth as his friendship with Cato deepens and the cost of a soldier’s life becomes clear. Their relationship is the emotional core of everything that surrounds it.
The series is notable for its sheer range of settings. Scarrow takes Macro and Cato from the grey skies of Roman Britain to the pirate-infested Adriatic, from the besieged city of Palmyra to the pyramid-shadowed deserts of Egypt, from Cretan slave revolts to the treacherous politics of imperial Rome. Each book is rooted in a specific historical event or period, and Scarrow’s research is thorough enough to give each setting its own texture and atmosphere.
What makes Eagles of the Empire stand apart from comparable series is the balance between military action and character development. Scarrow writes battle scenes with clarity and pace that keep readers from losing track of what is happening or why it matters, but he is equally interested in the psychological and moral toll of a soldier’s life. Both protagonists are changed by what they experience, and not always for the better.
What Makes Eagles of the Empire Special
Consistent quality over a long run: Unlike many long-running series, Eagles of the Empire maintains a high standard across 24 books. Scarrow shows no signs of running out of story.
Historical breadth: The series covers the reigns of Claudius, Nero, and the political turbulence between them, using real events as the scaffolding for fictional adventure.
The Macro-Cato dynamic: The contrast between the practical soldier and the cerebral officer never grows stale because both characters continue to develop.
Military authenticity: Scarrow draws on his time in the Officer Training Corps and extensive research into Roman military organisation, giving the legionary life a texture that readers find convincing.
Binge-worthiness: Each novel ends in a way that resolves its immediate plot while leaving the larger story arc open, making it extremely easy to keep reading.
Where to Start with Eagles of the Empire
New to the series: Begin with Under the Eagle (Book 1). There is no valid alternative starting point for this series; the character introductions and early plot foundations are essential for understanding everything that follows.
Looking for a particular mood:
- Fast-paced military action: The Eagle’s Conquest (Book 2) or Centurion (Book 8)
- Political intrigue: Praetorian (Book 11) or Day of the Caesars (Book 16)
- Epic historical event: Rebellion (Book 22) for the Boudican revolt
- Desert/Eastern settings: The Eagle in the Sand (Book 7) or The Blood of Rome (Book 17)
Can you start partway through? The books are designed to be read in order. Each novel builds on what came before in terms of character relationships, plot consequences, and earned emotional moments. Starting at Book 10 or 15 would leave you confused about character motivations and without the context that makes key scenes land. Start at the beginning.
About the Author: Simon Scarrow
Simon Scarrow is a Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling British author born in Nigeria and raised in the UK. Before turning to fiction full-time, he worked as a lecturer at City College Norwich, and his time in the Officer Training Corps gave him both a fascination with military history and a practical understanding of how soldiers think and behave.
He launched the Eagles of the Empire series in 2000 with Under the Eagle and has published a new instalment nearly every year since. Beyond the Macro and Cato series, Scarrow has written the Revolution Quartet following Napoleon and Wellington from youth to the battlefield of Waterloo, the Criminal Inspector Schenke series set in wartime Berlin, and several standalone novels, including The Sword and the Scimitar about the 1565 Siege of Malta.
Scarrow has stated that the series is planned to reach approximately 25 books, with the story heading toward the tumultuous Year of the Four Emperors in AD 69, a period that could see Macro and Cato on opposite sides of the same conflict. As of 2026, two novels remain before that planned conclusion.
More by Simon Scarrow:
Historical Context: The Julio-Claudian Empire
The Eagles of the Empire series is set during one of Rome’s most dramatic and turbulent dynasties. The Julio-Claudian emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero ruled from 27 BC to AD 68, and their reigns combined military expansion with court intrigue, political violence, and extraordinary personalities.
The series begins under Claudius (AD 41-54), who is often underestimated in popular history but was in fact a capable administrator who presided over significant Roman expansion, including the conquest of Britain. Scarrow’s portrayal of Claudius as a shrewd, if physically frail, ruler is historically grounded and refreshingly nuanced.
The conquest of Britain itself, the backdrop for the first fourteen or so books, was one of the defining military projects of the early Empire. Four legions crossed the Channel in AD 43, and the campaign to subdue the island took decades, with the Boudican revolt of AD 60-61 representing perhaps the most dangerous challenge the occupation ever faced.
As the series moves into the reign of Nero (AD 54-68), the tone darkens. Nero’s erratic behavior, his persecution of perceived enemies, and the court’s growing instability create a more threatening environment for characters who have built their careers on loyal service to the Emperor. Scarrow uses this historical pressure to ask increasingly serious questions about what loyalty to Rome actually demands.
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Similar Series You’ll Love
If you’re enjoying Eagles of the Empire, these series offer comparable appeal:
1. Sharpe Series by Bernard Cornwell
The closest comparison in all of historical fiction. Sharpe follows a British soldier through the Napoleonic Wars in the same way Eagles of the Empire follows Macro and Cato through the Roman world, a working-class hero rising through the ranks, surrounded by grand historical events, driven by a friendship with a loyal companion. Essential reading for any Eagles fan.
2. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
Set in Dark Ages England during the Viking invasions, this series has the same combination of military adventure, authentic period detail, and long character arcs that make Eagles so addictive. Another series that rewards commitment to reading in order.
3. Raven Series by Giles Kristian
Viking military fiction that shares Eagles’ focus on the bonds forged between warriors and the moral weight of a soldier’s life. More visceral in its violence than Scarrow, but similarly committed to authentic period detail and character depth.
4. Emperor Series by Conn Iggulden
Iggulden’s account of Julius Caesar’s rise from boy to conqueror is set in an earlier period of Roman history than Eagles of the Empire, but the two series complement each other well. Iggulden takes more dramatic liberties, but the sweep and energy of the books are very similar.
5. Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell
Cornwell’s Arthurian trilogy applies the same gritty military authenticity to Dark Ages Britain. Shorter than Eagles of the Empire, but equally uncompromising in its portrayal of loyalty, leadership, and the cost of war.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many books are in Eagles of the Empire?
There are currently 24 books in the Eagles of the Empire series, with Tyrant of Rome (2025) being the most recent. Simon Scarrow has indicated he plans to write approximately 25 books in total, suggesting the series is approaching its conclusion.
Do I need to read Eagles of the Empire in order?
Yes. Unlike some long-running series in which individual books can stand alone, Eagles of the Empire follows a continuous timeline with ongoing character development, evolving ranks, personal relationships, and plotlines that carry across multiple books. Starting anywhere other than Book 1 will leave you without important context. Publication order is the only recommended reading order.
What is Eagles of the Empire about?
Eagles of the Empire follows two Roman soldiers, Centurion Macro and his subordinate Cato, through their careers in the Imperial Roman army from AD 42 onwards. The series blends authentic military history with adventure, political intrigue, and character study, following the two men from the Roman invasion of Britain through the reigns of Claudius and Nero and across the length of the Roman world.
Is Eagles of the Empire historically accurate?
Scarrow is generally regarded as one of the more historically careful authors in the Roman military fiction genre. The historical backdrop events, campaigns, emperors, and political crises are well-researched and reliable. Macro and Cato themselves are fictional, but they move through real historical events and encounter real historical figures, including Vespasian, who appears as a supporting character in the early books and is portrayed with historical plausibility. Readers should expect that some events are dramatised and timelines occasionally compressed for narrative purposes.
How long does it take to read the Eagles of the Empire series?
Individual books in the series run from 350 to 450 pages, which most readers will complete in 4 to 7 hours. Reading all 24 books takes roughly 100 to 120 hours, depending on pace. The good news is that the series is extremely readable, and many fans report reading multiple books in rapid succession.
Is Eagles of the Empire appropriate for younger readers?
The series is generally suitable for adult and older teenage readers. It contains battlefield violence, sometimes graphically described, as well as Roman-era social elements, including slavery and political executions. There is some romance, but it is not explicit. Parents of younger teenagers (under 15) may wish to assess the first book before recommending the series.
Has Eagles of the Empire been adapted for TV or film?
As of 2026, Eagles of the Empire has not been adapted for television or film. Given the scale of the series and the proven appetite for Roman-era historical drama following shows like Rome and Domina, it remains one of the most obvious candidates for a major historical fiction adaptation.
Can I read Eagles of the Empire on Kindle or as an audiobook?
Yes. All 24 books are available as ebooks and in paperback. Audiobooks are available from Book 11 (Praetorian) onwards, released alongside the hardcovers from 2011. Earlier books in the series (Books 1-10) have also been made available as audiobooks in subsequent editions. Box set editions covering the first five and first ten books are available in both print and ebook formats.
What happened to the ‘Eagle’ in the titles?
The first seven books all contain the word “Eagle” in their titles (Under the Eagle, The Eagle’s Conquest, and so on). From Book 8 (Centurion) onwards, Scarrow moved away from this naming convention. The reason has never been officially confirmed, but the change appears to have been a deliberate decision to broaden the series’ accessibility to readers who might not have been drawn to an overtly military-themed title.
Where does Eagles of the Empire end?
Scarrow has indicated that the series is heading toward the Year of the Four Emperors (AD 69), when Rome was torn apart by civil war after Nero’s death. He has hinted at two possible endings, one of which would see Macro and Cato on opposite sides of the same conflict, an enormously dramatic conclusion for a friendship that has defined the series. As of 2026, the story has not yet reached that point.
Conclusion: Your Eagles of the Empire Reading Journey
Eagles of the Empire is one of the great sustained achievements of historical fiction. Twenty-four books in, it has never lost its momentum, and the Macro-Cato friendship at its core remains as compelling as it was in Book 1. Scarrow has the rare ability to write military action that is both viscerally exciting and historically grounded, resulting in a series that satisfies both the adventure reader and the history enthusiast.
If you’re new to it, you have a considerable treat ahead of you. The early Britain books are perfect entry-level Roman military fiction, fast, clear, and driven by two extremely likable protagonists. By the time you reach the later books, where the political world of Nero’s Rome and the looming Boudican crisis give the series its darkest and most ambitious material, you will have invested enough in Macro and Cato to feel the stakes personally.
Ready to begin? Start with Under the Eagle and meet two of historical fiction’s most enduring double acts. With 24 books already published and the conclusion still to come, there has never been a better time to join the Eagles.
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