Books like Rubicon by Steven Saylor

In the cannily plotted streets of Renaissance Italy, a Vatican courtesan, Damiata, is tasked by Pope Alexander with uncovering the mystery of his beloved illegitimate son’s murder, whilst avoiding betrayal from the Borgia pope’s son.

When the young Cicero enlists Gordianus the Finder, the seasoned detective must unravel a patricide case that pits ambition against justice in ancient Rome.

Private investigator Marcus Didius Falco is sent to Britain to recover stolen imperial gold, where he encounters senator Helena Justina—his love interest whose ties complicate his mission.

Gordianus the Finder travels to war-torn Egypt seeking a cure for his ailing wife Bethesda, but her sudden disappearance propels him into a perilous quest amid ancient power struggles.

Steven Saylor’s historical mystery takes readers through Rome’s rise, tracing the city’s legendary growth and pivotal events via the intertwined lives of two ancient families.

In the days leading up to the Roman Civil War, Gordianus the Finder investigates the mysterious death of a prophetic seeress whose revelations threatened Rome’s power structures.

Prince Claudius, through wit and survival, recounts his reluctant reign over Rome, his efforts to restore stability after Caligula, alliances with Herod Agrippa, the conquest of Britain, and the political intrigues with his wife Messalina.

Maisie Dobbs, a former housemaid turned Cambridge student, serves as a war‑zone nurse during World War I. After the conflict, she begins a career as a private investigator, and her first case unravels a darker secret that forces her to confront the war’s lingering trauma.

Eugène François Vidocq, France’s first detective, teams with a medical student to unravel the mystery of the vanished dauphin in 1818 Paris, where intrigue, memory, and justice collide in a thrilling historical mystery.

A 313 AD mystery set in Rome where Emperor Constantine, his mother Helena, and elite agent Claudia race to solve murders linked to theological conflict and the theft of a holy relic, while gladiator Murranus faces a deadly street gang.

A gripping historical mystery set during Rome’s civil war, following Gordianus the Finder as he tracks a vanished person in the streets of Massilia.

In nine crime tales set in ancient Rome, Gordianus the Finder solves murders while exploring social life from Sulla’s reign to the Spartacus revolt.

In 52 B.C., Rome erupts into riots after the murder of politician Publius Clodius on the Appian Way. Gordianus the Finder is hired by Pompey the Great to uncover the truth amid political intrigue and looming civil war.

The Triumph of Caesar follows the political aftermath of Julius Caesar’s victory, detailing Roman leadership, key figures like Vercingetorix, Cleopatra, and the involvement of Gordianus the Finder.

In 1145, Brother Cadfael seeks to rescue a missing knight, Olivier de Bretagne, after a key castle’s castellan is murdered and his father and uncle fall into political turmoil.

Jack of the past, Holland’s narrative history examines the Roman Republic at the height of its power, capturing the conditions and turmoil that led to its fall.

From the beautiful Spanish Steps to the heights of Palatine Hill, Rome experts Sari Gilbert and Michael Brouse guide you through this historic and vibrant city. Illustrated with more than 120 vivid photographs and more than 20 detailed, full-color maps, the 4th edition of National Geographic Traveler: Rome gives you every tool you need to plan a trip to this fascinating city. Starting with an introduction to Rome's storied history and culture, the book then explores each of the city's regions, covering every corner of town in detail. Sites covered include the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Arch of Constantine, the Roman and Imperial Forums, the Trevi Fountain, and the sublime ceiling of the Vatican Museums' Sistine Chapel. These, the many amazing museums that dot the city, and more are covered in lively detail.