Welcome to the Web Site of

“A modern master of historical fiction.”
(USA Today)

“Saylor evokes the ancient world more convincingly than any other writer of his generation.” (Sunday Times, London)
Directory: scroll to bottom or click here


US

“No contemporary novelist approaches Saylor’s continued ability to bring ancient Rome to life.”Kirkus

“Stellar...compelling...a triumph!”
Publishers Weekly (starred review)

UK
The new Roma Sub Rosa novel:
Gordianus returns in
THE TRIUMPH OF CAESAR
“Gordianus plunges into the scary, fascinating world of Roman plots and betrayals...Fast-paced action, a deeply realized main characer, and accessible history make this series first-rate on all fronts.” —Booklist

“It is 46 BC, and Julius Caesar has vanquished his rivals and conquered the world for Rome. But will he survive his triumphant return to a city where public pageantry masks private grievance, where banquet guests chew on broken promises, and where shrewd men and women angle for power, knowledge, stature, riches, sex — the spoils of peace? From its opening sentence, The Triumph of Caesar is rich with intrigue and the aura of Roman history. Steven Saylor’s clear-eyed detective-narrator, Gordanius the Finder, is the perfect guide to the city, bringing its mysteries to light and bringing its monumental characters — Antony, Cicero, Brutus, Calpurnia, Cleopatra — to life, even as he cuts them down to size.” —Evan Carton, author of Patriotic Treason: John Brown and the Soul of America

“As Caesar’s four great triumphal celebrations follow one after the next in the greatest celebration Rome has ever witnessed, Gordianus crisscrosses the city’s streets and byways, from the estates of the exalted, to grim back alleys, to the dungeons of condemned foreign captives, looking to decode his murdered friend’s final journal entries and prevent Caesar’s triumphal jubilee from ending in a State funeral--and a possible civil war....Every book showcases Saylor’s impeccable research and his talent for painting vivid narrative portraits of life as the Romans lived it, all while telling cleverly constructed tales of mystery and murder.” —Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

“Just ten pages into The Triumph of Caesar, I had learned more Roman history from Steven Saylor than from all my high school and college professors combined...Saylor whips up more than enough plot, character, and suspense to carry the mystery to a satisfying conclusion—but it’s the historical backdrop and detail that set The Triumph of Caesar apart.” —Mike Shea, Texas Monthly

Read Steven’s essay Gordianus Lives! (from the Spring issue of Mystery Readers Journal).

The ‘Triumph’ Tour events in May
(Click here to see June and July events in Austin and San Francisco)
San Mateo, CA: On Tuesday, May 13, at 7 pm, Steven will launch The Triumph of Caesar with a signing at M Is For Mystery, 86 East Third Ave., 94401; 650-401-8077.
Scottsdale, AZ: On Wednesday, May 14, at 7 pm, Steven will talk and sign books at The Poisoned Pen, 4014 N Goldwater Blvd., 85251; 480-947-2974
Kansas City, MO: On Saturday, May 17, Steven will appear at 4:30 p.m. on the Main Stage at the Kansas City Literary Festival at Country Club Plaza. Please check the official schedule for any changes.
Portland, OR: On Thursday, May 22, Steven will talk to Friends of Mystery at the auditorium of Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, 1040 NW 22nd Avenue (corner of NW 22nd and Marshall). Reception & annual book sale at 7:00 pm; meeting begins at 7:30 pm.
Portland, OR: On Friday, May 23, at 7:30 pm, Steven will talk and sign books at Powell’s Books, 1005 W. Burnside, 97209; 800-878-7323
San Francisco, CA: On Wednesday, May 28, at 6:30 pm, Steven will speak in the Latino B room at the SF Main Library (Civic Center). Copies of The Triumph of Caesar will be available for purchase.
Berkeley, CA: On Friday, May 30, at 7 pm, Steven will talk and sign books at Cody’s Books at the new downtown store location at 2201 Shattuck Ave. (at Allston Way), 94704; 510-559-9500

Books by Steven Saylor
Click links to see the entire Roma Sub Rosa series
Steven’s Shops
DVDs GamesBooks about the Ancient World

USA

UK

France

Canada

USA

UK

France

Canada
Check here for new movies set in the Ancient World, and watch Steven’s online film festival.
Read Steven’s first published work (at age 14), the short story “Season of Guilt.”

Saylor & Pressfield at the Getty Villa: Watch it Online!
In March, Steven appeared with fellow ancient world novelist Steven Pressfield (Gates of Fire) at the Getty Villa in Malibu, California, one of the world’s great museums of the ancient world. You can watch their 84-minute videotaped conversation here at the Getty site.

In February Steven went to Spain, where publisher La Esfera de los Libros hosted a book launch party for ROMA at the massive SPQR Roman art exhibit in Madrid. Click here to see a short video of the event.

Now available in trade paperback!

ROMA
The Novel of Ancient Rome

Spanning a thousand years, and following the shifting fortunes of two families though the ages, this is the epic saga of Rome, the city and its people.

Drawing on history, legend, and recent archaeological discoveries, Roma gives new life to the drama of the city’s first thousand years — from the founding of the city by the ill-fated twins Romulus and Remus, through Rome’s astonishing ascent to become the capital of the most powerful empire in history. Roma recounts the tragedy of the hero-traitor Coriolanus, the capture of the city by the Gauls, the invasion of Hannibal, the class struggle between patricians and plebeians, and the death of Rome’s republic with the triumph, and assassination, of Julius Caesar.

Witnessing this history, and playing key roles, are descendents of two of Rome’s first families, the Potitius and Pinarius clans. One is the confidant of Romulus. One is born a slave and tempts a Vestal virgin to break her vows. One becomes a mass murderer. And one becomes the heir of Julius Caesar. Linking the generations is a mysterious talisman more ancient than the city itself.


“Saylor puts his finger on the very essence of Roman history,”
says the Times Literary Supplement.
Read Reviews & Interviews from around the world.
Curious about Steven’s sources?
Visit the Roma Bookshop and the Roma Image Gallery.

New York Times Bestseller
Selected by Book of the Month Club, History Book Club, & Insight Out.
Recent & forthcoming translations: Hungarian, Dutch, Russian, Norwegian,
Swedish, Portuguese, Brazilian, Spanish, Polish, Indonesian, Korean

download
unabridged audio from audible.com, Amazon, or iTunes

UK hardback paperback

RÓMA . . . a bestseller in Budapest!

A budapesti látogatásom június elején hihetetlen élmény volt. Köszönöm Gordianus barátainak, akik eljöttek a Könyvhétre és a Libribe, amiért olyan szívesen fogadtak.... Tovább a cikkhez »

Steven’s 2007 book tour to Budapest was an extraordinary experience. English version here.

§ Directory §

About Steven Saylor Bio & photos
Contact Send e-mail to Steven
Calendar Steven’s public appearances
Will there ever be a movie?

Interviews (beware of spoilers!)
English: eternallycool.netitalian-mysteries.com JanuaryMagazineAustin ChronicleEdge/BostonHistoricalBoys
Magyar:
ekulturaMagyar Narancs
Múlt-Korkonyves.blog.hu
Italian: thrillermagazine.itinfinitestorie.it
Spanish: PeriodistaDigitalElMundoActualidadLaVanguardiaElImparcialDiariosSigloXXI

Reviews & Misc.
The Prosecution of Steven Saylor
Ancient Plots: The Mystery in History
•Roman Blood first edition: very rare!
Art installation inspired by Roman Blood
•The Ancient World is IN, says USA Today
Ruth Rendell in the Sunday Times:
“Saylor’s scholarship is breathtaking”


Rome Around the
World...
The new edition of O Abraço de Némesis (Arms of Nemesis) in Portugal features cover art from the 18th century. For a guide to Steven’s books in 20 languages, visit his Bibliography.

By Steven Saylor
What Made the Matrons Murder? A Poison Plot in Ancient Rome” (in Mystery Readers Journal)
• HBO’s “Rome” mangles Cleopatra
• Steven’s commencement speech at UC Berkeley
•Steven’s travel article about Austin
•A vintage review of Gore Vidal’s Creation
•Steven in The Guardian: “Know Thy Subject”
•Steven bibliofiles for the Sunday Times

Links:
ClassicalMysteryTexana

Publisher sites: Steven’s books in CzechDanishDutchGermanItalian Magyar PolishSwedish