Gordianus the Finder makes his living asking questions that powerful Romans would rather not hear answered. Across Steven Saylor’s Roma Sub Rosa series, he is hired by Cicero, threatened by Crassus, recruited by Pompey, and summoned by Julius Caesar, and his investigations take him from the law courts of Rome to the Nile and back.
The series follows the last forty years of the Roman Republic through the eyes of one clever, stubborn, deeply human investigator. It is also a series that was written out of order, with three prequels added after the main story was finished. This guide covers the complete Roma Sub Rosa reading order in publication and chronological order, with a spoiler-light summary of every book, where to start, and what to read next.
This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Quick Series Facts
| Author | Steven Saylor |
| Number of Books | 16 (11 novels, 2 short story collections, and 3 prequel novels) |
| First Book | Roman Blood (1991) |
| Latest Book | The Throne of Caesar (2018) |
| Status | Complete |
| Setting | Rome, Italy, and the Mediterranean, 92 BC to 44 BC |
| Genre | Historical mystery |
Roma Sub Rosa Books in Publication Order
The Main Series
1. Roman Blood (1991)
Setting: Rome, 80 BC
A young lawyer named Marcus Tullius Cicero is taking on his first major murder trial. His client, Sextus Roscius, is accused of killing his own father, the most horrifying crime a Roman could commit, and Cicero hires Gordianus to find the truth.
The case leads Gordianus into the dangerous world of the dictator Sulla, whose proscription lists have turned murder into a business. It is based on a real trial and Cicero’s real speech in defense of Roscius, and it introduces Gordianus, his household, and his uneasy relationship with Cicero.
2. Arms of Nemesis (1992)
Setting: Baiae on the Bay of Naples, 72 BC
With the slave revolt of Spartacus raging across Italy, Marcus Crassus, the richest man in Rome, summons Gordianus to his seaside villa. A member of Crassus’s household has been murdered, apparently by two runaway slaves, and Crassus intends to execute every slave in the house unless Gordianus can find the real killer within days.
The ticking clock and the looming shadow of Spartacus make this one of the most gripping books in the series. It is also an important book for Gordianus’s family.
3. Catilina’s Riddle (1993)
Setting: Rome and Etruria, 63 BC
Gordianus has retired to a farm in the Etruscan countryside, hoping to leave Roman politics behind. Instead, he finds himself caught between the consul Cicero and the charismatic, dangerous Lucius Sergius Catilina, who is suspected of plotting to overthrow the Republic.
Then headless bodies begin appearing on his land. The novel is longer and more political than the first two, and it gives a sympathetic, complex portrait of one of Roman history’s great villains.
4. The Venus Throw (1995)
Setting: Rome, 56 BC
An Egyptian philosopher, Dio of Alexandria, comes to Gordianus for protection, and is murdered shortly afterward. The trail leads into the world of Clodia, the glamorous and notorious aristocrat immortalized in Catullus’s love poems, and her young lover Marcus Caelius.
The book is based on a real murder and a real trial, in which Cicero defended Caelius. It is one of the most atmospheric books in the series, full of the decadence of late Republican high society.
5. A Murder on the Appian Way (1996)
Setting: Rome and the Via Appia, 52 BC
The populist politician Publius Clodius is killed on the Appian Way in a clash with the men of his rival, Titus Milo. Rome erupts in riots, the Senate house burns, and Pompey is called in to restore order. Gordianus is hired to find out what really happened on the road.
This is political history at its most dramatic. The novel follows the real events and trial closely, including Cicero’s famous defense of Milo.
6. The House of the Vestals (1997)
Setting: Rome and Italy, 80s and 70s BC
A collection of nine short stories set in the early years of Gordianus’s career, between Roman Blood and Arms of Nemesis. The cases range from the title story, involving a Vestal Virgin accused of breaking her vows, to smaller domestic mysteries.
The stories are a lighter, quicker way to spend time with Gordianus and his household, and they fill in some of the gaps between the early novels.
7. Rubicon (1999)
Setting: Rome and Italy, 49 BC
Julius Caesar has crossed the Rubicon, and civil war has begun. As Pompey prepares to flee Rome, one of his relatives is found murdered in Gordianus’s own house. Pompey blames Gordianus and forces him to act as a spy, with his family’s safety as the price of failure.
Rubicon opens the final stretch of the series, which follows the civil war between Caesar and Pompey. The tension of a city on the brink of war runs through every chapter.
8. Last Seen in Massilia (2000)
Setting: Massilia (modern Marseille), 49 BC
The wealthy Greek city of Massilia has sided with Pompey and is under siege by Caesar’s army. Gordianus slips into the city to find news of his son, and witnesses a young woman fall to her death from a cliff known as the Sacrifice Rock.
The siege of Massilia was real, and the novel is one of the few in the series set outside Rome for most of its length. It is also one of the most personal books for Gordianus.
9. A Mist of Prophecies (2002)
Setting: Rome, 48 BC
A mysterious seeress named Cassandra, who has been prophesying in the streets of Rome, dies in Gordianus’s arms. As he looks into her death, he discovers that she had connections to several of the most powerful women in the city.
The book is quieter and more reflective than most, set during the anxious months while Caesar and Pompey fight for the Roman world far from the city.
10. The Judgement of Caesar (2004)
Setting: Alexandria, Egypt, 48 BC
Gordianus travels to Egypt with his wife, Bethesda, who is seriously ill and hopes to find a cure in the waters of the Nile. They arrive just as Pompey’s defeat and Caesar’s pursuit of him bring Roman politics to Alexandria, and Gordianus is drawn into the rivalry between the young Cleopatra and her brother, King Ptolemy.
Caesar and Cleopatra are both vividly drawn, and the book is a treat for readers interested in Ptolemaic Egypt. US editions are titled The Judgment of Caesar.
11. A Gladiator Dies Only Once (2005)
Setting: Rome and Italy, 70s and 60s BC
A second collection of nine short stories, this time set between Arms of Nemesis and Catilina’s Riddle. The cases range from the arena of the title story to domestic puzzles, and several involve figures who also appear in the novels.
Like The House of the Vestals, it can be read at any point, and it is especially enjoyable after the first three novels.
12. The Triumph of Caesar (2008)
Setting: Rome, 46 BC
Caesar has returned to Rome in triumph, and the city is preparing for four days of spectacular celebrations. His wife, Calpurnia, is convinced someone is plotting to kill him, and she hires Gordianus to find out who.
The novel is packed with the spectacle of the real triumphs of 46 BC, and it builds a growing sense of danger around Caesar.
13. The Throne of Caesar (2018)
Setting: Rome, March 44 BC
In the days before the Ides of March, both Cicero and Caesar ask Gordianus to look into rumors of a conspiracy. With the dictator preparing for a great campaign in the East and Rome full of resentment, Gordianus has only days to uncover the truth.
Everyone knows what happens on the Ides of March, but Saylor still manages to make the novel suspenseful. It is the final book in the main series and a fitting conclusion to Gordianus’s long career.
The Young Gordianus Prequels
Between 2012 and 2015, Saylor went back to Gordianus’s youth for three novels about his travels as a young man. They were published after most of the main series but are set before it.
14. The Seven Wonders (2012)
Setting: The Mediterranean, 92 to 90 BC
Eighteen-year-old Gordianus sets out from Rome with his tutor, the poet Antipater of Sidon, on a journey to see the Seven Wonders of the World. At each stop, from the Great Pyramid to the Colossus of Rhodes, he finds a mystery to solve.
The book is structured almost like a linked story collection, and it is a wonderful tour of the Hellenistic world. Antipater of Sidon was a real poet, and his list of the Seven Wonders is one of the earliest to survive.
15. Raiders of the Nile (2014)
Setting: Alexandria and the Nile Delta, 88 BC
Living in Alexandria, young Gordianus is drawn into a scheme involving a gang of bandits in the Nile Delta, and into the political turmoil of Ptolemaic Egypt. It is more of an adventure story than a traditional mystery, with a young hero making his first real mistakes.
16. Wrath of the Furies (2015)
Setting: Ephesus and Asia Minor, 88 BC
King Mithridates of Pontus has declared war on Rome and plans to kill every Roman in Asia. Gordianus travels to Ephesus on a secret mission that puts him at the center of one of the most brutal episodes in ancient history.
The massacre of Romans and Italians in Asia in 88 BC was real, and the novel is a tense, dark end to the young Gordianus trilogy.
Upcoming Books
The Roma Sub Rosa series is considered complete. The Throne of Caesar (2018) concludes the main story at the Ides of March, and Saylor has since focused on other projects, including Dominus (2021), the third book in his Roma sequence. No new Gordianus novels have been announced.
Chronological Order vs Publication Order
The main series was written in chronological order, but the prequels and the two short story collections complicate things.
Chronological order:
- The Seven Wonders (92 to 90 BC)
- Raiders of the Nile (88 BC)
- Wrath of the Furies (88 BC)
- Roman Blood (80 BC)
- The House of the Vestals (stories set mostly between 80 and 72 BC)
- Arms of Nemesis (72 BC)
- A Gladiator Dies Only Once (stories set between 72 and 63 BC)
- Catilina’s Riddle (63 BC)
- The Venus Throw (56 BC)
- A Murder on the Appian Way (52 BC)
- Rubicon (49 BC)
- Last Seen in Massilia (49 BC)
- A Mist of Prophecies (48 BC)
- The Judgement of Caesar (48 BC)
- The Triumph of Caesar (46 BC)
- The Throne of Caesar (44 BC)
Our recommendation: read the main series in publication order, starting with Roman Blood, and save the three prequels until after you have finished. The prequels were written for readers who already know Gordianus, and they are more rewarding when you can recognize the man he will become. The two story collections work well at their chronological points, or whenever you want a break between novels.
Companion Novels and Short Stories
The two short story collections, The House of the Vestals and A Gladiator Dies Only Once, are part of the series and are included in the lists above.
Saylor’s Roma sequence (Roma, 2007; Empire, 2010; Dominus, 2021) is a separate set of sweeping novels following one Roman family across a thousand years of history. It is not part of Roma Sub Rosa, but the two share an author and a deep knowledge of Rome. See our Steven Saylor author page for his complete bibliography.
A note on titles: The Judgement of Caesar is spelled The Judgment of Caesar in US editions. The series is sometimes listed under the name “Gordianus the Finder” rather than Roma Sub Rosa. These are the same books.
About the Roma Sub Rosa Series
“Sub rosa” means “under the rose,” the ancient symbol of secrecy, and the name fits. Each book in the series takes a famous event or scandal from the final years of the Roman Republic and asks what might have been happening beneath the surface of the historical record.
Gordianus is a plebeian, not an aristocrat, and he sees the great men of Rome from the outside. He is intelligent, skeptical, and morally serious, and his home life with his unconventional family gives the series its warmth. Over the course of the books he ages from a young man to a grandfather, and the Republic he knows collapses around him.
What Makes Roma Sub Rosa Special
- Real trials and real scandals. Several novels are built on actual court cases and speeches by Cicero, which survive to this day.
- A detective who ages in real time. Gordianus grows older with each book, and the series becomes a portrait of a whole life.
- The fall of the Republic from the ground up. Sulla, Spartacus, Catiline, Clodius, Pompey, and Caesar all appear, seen through the eyes of an ordinary Roman.
- A memorable family. Gordianus’s household is one of the most engaging supporting casts in historical mystery.
- Deep research. Saylor studied history and classics, and his reconstruction of daily life in Rome is detailed and convincing.
- A strong moral voice. Gordianus is often the only person in the room who cares about the truth rather than the politics.
Real People in the Series
- Cicero. The great orator, Gordianus’s sometime employer, and a figure the series treats with both admiration and suspicion.
- Sulla. The dictator whose proscriptions shadow Roman Blood.
- Crassus. The richest man in Rome, whose ruthlessness drives Arms of Nemesis.
- Catiline. The would-be revolutionary at the center of Catilina’s Riddle.
- Clodia and Clodius. The notorious aristocratic siblings behind the scandals of The Venus Throw and A Murder on the Appian Way.
- Pompey the Great. Caesar’s rival, who forces Gordianus into his service in Rubicon.
- Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. The central figures of the final novels.
Where to Start
New Readers
Start with Roman Blood. It introduces Gordianus, Cicero, and the world of late Republican Rome, and it is based on one of the most fascinating real trials of the era.
Can You Start Elsewhere?
Yes. Each novel is a self-contained mystery, and Saylor fills in the necessary background in each book. If you are most interested in Julius Caesar, Rubicon is a strong entry point, and if you prefer a lighter introduction, The Seven Wonders stands well on its own.
However, Gordianus’s family life develops steadily from book to book, so reading the main series in order is the most rewarding way to experience it.
Tips for Reading Roma Sub Rosa
- Read the author’s notes. Saylor ends each novel with a note on his historical sources, which shows how closely the plots follow real events.
- Keep a map handy. The later books range across the Mediterranean, from Massilia to Alexandria.
- Save the prequels for last. They add depth to Gordianus’s character but work best once you know him.
About the Author
Steven Saylor was born in Texas in 1956 and studied history and classics at the University of Texas at Austin. Roman Blood, his first novel, was published in 1991, and he went on to write the Roma Sub Rosa series over nearly three decades.
Alongside the Gordianus books, Saylor has written the epic Roma sequence and several standalone novels, and he is regarded as one of the leading writers of fiction about ancient Rome. For his full bibliography, see our Steven Saylor author page.
Historical Context
The Roma Sub Rosa series covers the final generation of the Roman Republic, one of the most dramatic periods in ancient history. Rome had become the dominant power in the Mediterranean, but its political system, built for a city-state, was breaking down under the weight of empire, inequality, and ambition.
The period opens with civil war. The dictator Sulla seized power in 82 BC and published proscription lists that allowed his enemies to be killed and their property seized, the background to Roman Blood. The decades that followed saw the Spartacus slave revolt, the Catiline conspiracy, and the rise of powerful individuals such as Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar.
By the 50s BC, political violence had become routine, with street gangs led by men like Clodius and Milo fighting for control of the city. Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon in 49 BC began a new civil war, and his assassination on the Ides of March in 44 BC set the stage for the end of the Republic and the rise of Augustus.
Accuracy note: Saylor is one of the most historically careful writers of Roman fiction. The major events, political figures, and several of the trials in the series follow the surviving sources closely, and he explains his research and any liberties in his author’s notes. Gordianus and his family are fictional.
Timeline of the Late Republic in the Novels
| Year | Real Event | Roma Sub Rosa Book |
|---|---|---|
| 88 BC | Mithridates orders the massacre of Romans in Asia | Wrath of the Furies |
| 80 BC | Cicero defends Sextus Roscius | Roman Blood |
| 72 BC | Spartacus’s revolt at its height | Arms of Nemesis |
| 63 BC | Cicero’s consulship and the Catiline conspiracy | Catilina’s Riddle |
| 56 BC | Trial of Marcus Caelius | The Venus Throw |
| 52 BC | Death of Clodius and trial of Milo | A Murder on the Appian Way |
| 49 BC | Caesar crosses the Rubicon; siege of Massilia | Rubicon, Last Seen in Massilia |
| 48 BC | Pharsalus; Caesar in Alexandria | A Mist of Prophecies, The Judgement of Caesar |
| 46 BC | Caesar’s four triumphs | The Triumph of Caesar |
| 44 BC | The Ides of March | The Throne of Caesar |
For more novels set in this era, see our list of the best ancient Rome historical fiction and our guide to ancient world historical fiction.
Similar Series You’ll Love
Lindsey Davis‘s Falco series. A wisecracking informer in the Rome of Emperor Vespasian, a century after Gordianus. Funnier and lighter, but the closest match in spirit, and Davis’s Flavia Albia series continues the story.
Robert Harris‘s Cicero trilogy. The same years and many of the same people, told through the eyes of Cicero’s secretary, Tiro. It is the perfect companion to Roma Sub Rosa, and it gives Cicero a very different treatment.
Colleen McCullough‘s Masters of Rome. A vast, meticulously researched saga of the late Republic, from Marius and Sulla to Caesar. Ideal for readers who want the full political story.
Conn Iggulden‘s Emperor series. A fast-paced fictional life of Julius Caesar, with more battles and less mystery.
John Maddox Roberts’s SPQR series. Another detective series set in the late Republic, starring the aristocratic Decius Metellus. It covers many of the same events from the other end of the social ladder.
Steven Pressfield. For readers who want to go further back in the ancient world, Pressfield’s novels of Sparta and Alexander share Saylor’s attention to historical detail.
Adaptations
There is no film or television adaptation of the Roma Sub Rosa series. The books are available as unabridged audiobooks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Roma Sub Rosa books are there?
There are 16 books: 11 main novels, 2 short story collections (The House of the Vestals and A Gladiator Dies Only Once), and 3 prequel novels about the young Gordianus (The Seven Wonders, Raiders of the Nile, and Wrath of the Furies).
What order should I read the Roma Sub Rosa books in?
Start with Roman Blood and read the main series in publication order, ending with The Throne of Caesar. Then read the three prequels. The two short story collections can be read at their chronological points or whenever you like.
What is the first Roma Sub Rosa book?
The first book published is Roman Blood (1991), set in 80 BC. The earliest in story order is the prequel The Seven Wonders (2012), set in 92 BC.
Should I read the prequels first?
We recommend reading them after the main series. They were written for readers who already know Gordianus, and much of their pleasure comes from seeing the young man who will become the Finder.
Who is Gordianus the Finder?
Gordianus is the fictional investigator at the heart of the series, a plebeian Roman who solves crimes for powerful clients, including Cicero, Crassus, Pompey, and Caesar, between 80 and 44 BC.
Is Roma Sub Rosa historically accurate?
Yes, it is one of the most carefully researched series of Roman fiction. Several novels are built on real trials and speeches by Cicero, and the political events follow the ancient sources closely. Gordianus and his family are fictional.
Do I need to read the books in order?
Each novel has a self-contained mystery, but Gordianus’s family and circumstances change from book to book, so reading in order is strongly recommended.
What is the last Roma Sub Rosa book?
The last in the main series is The Throne of Caesar (2018), set around the Ides of March in 44 BC. It concludes Gordianus’s story.
Will there be more Gordianus books?
No new Gordianus novels have been announced, and The Throne of Caesar is generally regarded as the conclusion of the series.
How long does it take to read the Roma Sub Rosa series?
Most books run between 300 and 500 pages. A steady reader can finish the series in a few months.
Are the Roma Sub Rosa books suitable for teenagers?
They are best for older teens and adults. The books include murder, violence, slavery, and some sexual content, though rarely in graphic detail.
Is Roma Sub Rosa the same as Saylor’s Roma novels?
No. Roma Sub Rosa is the Gordianus mystery series. Roma, Empire, and Dominus are separate epic novels that follow a single family through many centuries of Roman history.
Are the books available as audiobooks and ebooks?
Yes. The whole series is available in ebook and audiobook editions.
What should I read after Roma Sub Rosa?
Robert Harris’s Cicero trilogy covers the same years from Cicero’s side, and Lindsey Davis’s Falco series is the best choice if you want another Roman detective.
Conclusion
The Roma Sub Rosa series is one of the finest achievements in historical mystery. Through Gordianus the Finder, Steven Saylor turns the famous trials, scandals, and civil wars of the late Republic into gripping detective stories, and he makes the fall of Rome’s Republic feel personal.
Start with Roman Blood, follow Gordianus all the way to the Ides of March, and then go back to meet him as a young man in The Seven Wonders. It is a journey through one of history’s greatest eras with one of fiction’s most human detectives.
Related Content
- Steven Saylor: Complete Guide to Books & Series
- Best Historical Mystery Fiction
- Best Ancient Rome Historical Fiction
- Ancient World Historical Fiction
- Robert Harris: Complete Guide to Books & Series
- Lindsey Davis: Complete Guide to Books & Series
- Colleen McCullough: Complete Guide to Books & Series