Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome

This is a biography of Cicero, sort of, a bit of historical fiction as it is told by his secretary Tiro. Historical references tell us that Tiro wrote a real biography of his former master, but it was apparently lost in the dark ages following the fall of Rome. Harris tells us that the events in the book are true and he has imagined how they might have happened without telling us anything that is not true.I enjoyed this a fair bit. Harris does bring history to life. Cicero doesn't come across as a likeable fellow. In fact, no one with the exception of our narrator Tiro is very endearing. I am glad that Harris didn't try to paint Cicero pretty and gave us something that feels real. Although I found this interesting, I never felt really pulled into it and engaged. 3 - 3 1/2 stars

Tiro, the confidential secretary of a Roamn seantor opens the door to a terrified stranger he sets in motion a chain of events that will propel his master into one of the most suspensfulcourtroom dramas in history. The stranger is a Sicilian a victim of the island's governor, the Senator is Cicero, an ambitious lawyer and great orator who is determined to obtain Imperium - suprem power in the state.

If you do not enjoy novels of political intrigue, schemes and machinations with very little action, don?t read this book. If you can?t keep Roman names straight and often confuse them, this is not the novel for you. Also, if you don?t have some grasp of Republican Rome, this might not be the place to learn. Harris writes with an assumption that his reader is familiar with the basics (such as what an aedile is) of Republican Roman society, practices, politics and personages. That being said, it?s a pretty decent read, better than Pompeii. I do read a lot of fiction of this kind and the limited scope of this novel took some getting used to. Seeing so many pages devoted to a single trial early on, I had to remind myself that Tiro?s narrative would end with Cicero?s being elected Consul and no further. That the story was his rise to this position and not about what he did when he attained it.Seeing Cicero abandon and compromise many of his principles in his quest for Consul was a very realistic approach. So many historical novelists fall a bit in love with their subjects and it colors their portrayal of them. Cicero was a principled man who had to learn how to be a politician. That meant not sticking to his guns when it could advance his career. Even these days people sometimes forget that politicians are primarily in it for themselves. For millennia this has been the case and it is very much the theme here.Tiro?s perspective was also interesting. He was resigned to his fate. He hoped to be freed one day, but did not consciously dwell on it and did not expect it any time soon. That kind of sanguinity is almost unheard of in this day and age where the concept of happiness rules everything we do and strive for. Tiro is not concerned with being happy, he?s concerned with keeping his head above water. His meager existence is just the way things are and he does not feel like he should even aspire to want the comforts, rights and privileges of Cicero and his ilk. It must have been a difficult task to not imbue Tiro with that trait. Well done.

As Judge Posner said, a "trashy way to learn about Roman constitutional law."

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Somehow, I always have it in my head that Robert Harris is just another thriller writer, turning out readable if conventional books. But Imperium has knocked any such lingering thoughts on the head; not only does it seem a meticulously researched fictional account of Cicero's rise to power, it is grippingly told and sparely written. Written as an account of Cicero's career from the perspective of his slave come secretary, the one aspect I wish had come out more was how it felt to be a slave, while your master appeared committed to furthering the cause of justice. But that is a minor quibble; this is well worth reading.

In "Imperium" Robert Harris has brought out a fictionalized biography of the Roman lawyer and statesman, Cicero. Well, it actually only brings us up through the events which culminate in his election to the consulship in 63BC. (I'm just discovering as I write this that there is already one sequel, and a full trilogy is planned.)This story brings us very effectively to a front-row seat in ancient Rome, as, through a series of ill-advised precedents and sheer brute force, the Republic begins to crumble. All the personalities are on intimate display: besides the immortal Cicero (warts and all), we have Pompey the Great, rich-beyond-measure Crassus, the haughty aristocrats of the Senate, and the already-plotting Julius Caesar.I am attracted to all things ancient Rome; I love to be placed in the city, and feel the world-changing events take place. Harris clearly does not disappoint. This book (mostly) lacks the physical danger that Harris so vividly protrays in "Pompeii" (one of my favorite book-length treatments of ancient Rome), and does not quite capture the immediacy of Rome the way Steven Saylor does. It is, however, quite passable on both counts. Its main strength deals with the very human emotions and thought-processes of Cicero himself. Harris does a very nice job of making us believe what happened, through the minds and hearts of the politicians who brought the epoch-making changes about. For anyone interested in Republican or Imperial Rome, I recommend this as an interesting, entertaining treatment of Cicero's part in it. For anyone interested particularly in Cicero, this is must-read stuff.

A vivid recreation of the early to middle years of Cicero's career as a lawyer and sometime politician at the end of the Roman Republic, with dictatorship on the horizon. Cicero was an impressive and admirable character, and Harris does a fine job of reconstructing what he may have been like as a human being while integrating what's come down to us of his actual words and actions. And the city of Rome in the last years B.C. is really brought to life. I felt that I could see and smell the doorways of the homes with their ornamental plants, the dung in the streets and the cool, sweet-smelling, fountained atriums. The trouble for me ? and your own perspective may be entirely different ? is that I don't really like ancient Rome, with its competition and cruelty, its scheming generals and invisible women. However cultured it could be, in the Roman empire it seems that gentleness is something to be trampled upon when it cannot be ignored, and torture is always around the corner, perhaps in the Colosseum. To his great credit, Harris avoids bringing the excesses of Roman society to the foreground, as so many sensational books and garish movies have done. The struggle of Cicero is not to avoid torture and death, but to transcend his status as a "new man" of no family and compete on equal terms with the patricians of the city. His wealth is modest by the standards of the ruling class, and he has no advantage but for his wits, which he uses with daring and courage. If you know what's about to happen in Roman history, you'll feel some eagerness to see it from Cicero's perspective in the sequels to this book. If you love the power and intrigue found today in places like Moscow and Washington, D.C., you'll be fascinated to trace the similarities and differences in the Rome of two thousand years ago.

Marcus Tullius Cicero is one of those names that you know is historically significant, but can't really think of what he is famous for. Part of the reason is that unlike many of the other historical figures of that era, he did not earn his fame by commanding victorious Roman legions or purchase power by being part of the Roman aristocracy. Instead, Cicero, coming from a wealthy, but not powerful family, made history through the use of his wit and amazing skills as an orator, rising through the Roman Senate and becoming a Consul of Rome. The story is told through the eyes of Cicero's personal secretary and slave, Tiro, another historical figure who created a form of short hand to allow him to record speeches and dictation at speed. Although you would think that the life of an orator would not be that exciting, Cicero was a major player in the politics and intrigue of Rome. Parts of this story were riveting, especially Cicero's role in exposing the corruption of Verres, the brutal governor of Sicily. However, parts of this book also dragged. Although Cicero's accomplishments are impressive, some parts of his life seemed to be included in the book for completeness and could have been left out. I listened to this with my son, who as a Latin student will be reading some of Cicero's speeches as part of the curriculum. It was definitely a good experience for both of us - we both learned quite a bit and hopefully it will motivate him in translating some long passages.

For a novel titled "Imperium," I found it odd that Cicero only manages to HAVE imperium for about the last six pages of the novel. I did enjoy following the story of his rise to power, though I found that I couldn't like him very much. I guess I find it hard to respect a character who is willing to change his stand or his loyalties simply to ensure his power increases. Welcome to politics, I guess. I also give credit to the author for not avoiding those personality flaws to make Cicero seem more heroic or lovable. I suppose there will be another installment, since Cicero's exploits certainly didn't end the day he attained the consulship.

Marvellous stuff, Roman Republican politics and law in the hands of a great thriller writer. What a great aide Tiro was, the creator of shorthand symbols used today over two millenia later.

In 'Imperium', Robert Harris delivers an historically highly authentic and enjoyably readable account of Marcus Tullius Cicero's rise from 'new man' Senator to the consulship. Harris uses the historical character Tiro, Cicero's slave and private secretary, to tell the tale of legal and political intrigue in the late Roman Republic. (Tiro actually wrote memoirs of his life with Cicero, which as with so much of the record of antiquity is unfortunately lost to us.) Tiro chronicles the exciting story of Cicero's risky high stakes prosecution of Gaius Verres, Roman governor of Sicily, for gross corruption and murder. We also follow Cicero's climb from mere Senator through the rungs of the 'cursus honorum' or "succession of magistracies" to aedile, praetor, and finally consul - no easy task for a man without great wealth, military valour, or patrician background. The great power granted to Pompey in order to destroy the pirates attacking the Rome - pirates who turn out to have been an overstated threat - has suggestive echoes for our own time, but no more than echoes. Harris is not trying to make an overt political statement. Along the way we encounter historical figures such as the Cicero's brother and political manager, Quintus, the giant of the law courts Hortensius, Pompey Magnus, a young Julius Caesar, wicked Cataline, the great general Crassus, and his sharp-witted patrician wife Terentia. Indeed, it is unclear whether any character in the book is actually fictional. 'Imperium' presents an interesting excursion inside the power struggles of the Roman Republic that is made the more compelling by being told from Cicero and Tiro's particular viewpoint rather than with an omniscient narrative voice. The book ends just as Cicero becomes consul at age 43 in 63 B.C. and leaves many an interesting tale untold (his role in defeating the Cataline Conspiracy, for one, and his relation with Pompey and Julius Caesar in the Civil War for another). Highest recommendation for readers of historical fiction, anyone with an interest in Roman history, and fans of Robert Harris ('Imperiium' surpasses his 'Pompeii'). Here's hoping for at least one sequel.

Great book, historically heavy, with an interesting storyline underlined with what would seem, without further research, a technically correct setting. Similar in style to Michal Chrichton. Other good books by author include "Pompeii".

We were so pleased with recently listening to the audio version of CONCLAVE that wedecided to follow it up with another by the same author. IMPERIUM did not disappoint.It is the first of what is now known as the Cicero Trilogy and traces Cicero's rise from lawyer, to senator, and then to consul. At nearly 14 hours it makes a long audio book but it is fascinating listening.The rest of the series is2. Lustrum (2009) aka Conspirata3. Dictator (2015) and I can see that we will be following it to the end, and then maybe venturing into some other Harris books.

Interesting story, but not particularly well written. At times, Harris uses words that seem out of place -- such "high falutin" -- in a novel set in Ancient Rome.

This book was fantastic. I felt as though I was reading a modern biography. I was aware that Cicero was an important figure in the Rome of Caesar's day, but I gained new insight into his importance in the development of democracy. Now I am reading through some of his letters and speeches which I found in google books.

if you're into historical fiction, statesman ship, philosophy, witticism, and strategy you'll enjoy this fantastic novel.

The narration was great as well. The characters came alive and sounded exactly as you would expect learned men to speak through the voice actor.

IMPERIUM A NOVEL OF ANCIENT ROME by Robert Harris is an awesome book. The history is reported to be accurate. It is the story of Cicero as told by his slave and private secretary, TIRO. Cicero ambition was relentless. On the way up he had to fight the aristocracy who controlled Rome. It was unheard of that someone of Cicero's background could achieve the consulship as he eventually did. He married an aristocrat as somewhat of a convenience but their love grew and they produced a daughter and finally the much needed son who could be Cicero's political heir. The text reminds you how much of our democratic ideals were already in place in Rome. Fortunately our politicians are not as barbaric as they were in ancient Rome. I suppose some would argue that point. In any event the book is very well written and composed and is a great read. A history lesson at the same time. I haven't studied this period since the sixth grade. I strongly encourage you to save the time to read this impressive book.

Imperium, a kind of historical political thriller, is mainly about the life of Cicero (up to when he becomes a consul) through the eyes of his slave, Tiro. I really enjoyed this book, because a lot of books that take place during the Roman republic and empire tend to be centered around the military men, which Cicero is decidedly not.

I enjoyed the political intrigue quite a bit, and I like that the story was told through the eyes of his slave/freedman/secretary. While the story takes some liberties, as I would assume any historical fiction piece would do, I enjoyed looking up some of the aspects of the book to see how the book compared to known historical facts.

I look forward to the next book in the series, and other works of Harris.

It's very well written. I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the second, I think. There was a little bit in the middle where it seemed to get bogged down just politics and less "intrigue" of what was going on. If you are into politics, I think you'll like this book more than I did. I did enjoy the book though. It also shows a darker side to Julius Caesar...

I have read virtually all this author's books, and he just keeps getting better, both as a writer and as a teller of tales. Until Imperium I thought of Harris as a writer of high-class airport books - nothing wrong in that! - but this transcends that genre altogether. A superb, engrossing novel.

An entertaining book on Cicero and early Rome. Provides good insight into Roman life and politics

A perfectly serviceable fictionalized account of Cicero's life and career up to the consulship, as told by his slave, Tiro. Largely historically accurate, Harris of course takes liberties to fill in the gaps and personalize the story, based largely on histories of the time and Cicero's own writings. A light amusement, this book would probably be most interesting (or perhaps most infuriating) to students of the late Roman Republic.

I enjoyed his book Pompeii more than this one, but this was pretty good, good enough for me to get through in just about 3 weeks -- pretty good for me. Interesting characters, interesting time, I love the trials and reasoned arguments!

It started off OK, but it finished sort of 'meh'. Not bad, just not all that good. Very detailed, and seemed to be historically accurate (ancient Rome is not a well-known era for me), but for much of the book there really didn't seem to be anything happening. Guess political pot boilers aren't my cup of tea. I did enjoy Harris' writing style, so will probably read others of his work at some time.

Utterly superb historical fiction! The book follows the progression of Roman laywer Cicero through to the highest echelons of Roman power, as seen through the eyes of his slave and secretary Tiro (also the inventor of shorthand!). As great as Cicero's true story might be, what makes this book such a great read is the fascinating picture of ancient Roman life painted by Harris, and the rich cast of characters he assembles. Sure, it might not be everyones cup of tea, but I don't think historical fiction gets much better than this. Masterful work from Mr Harris!

The British historical novelist Robert Harris, who so famously has set novels in the World War II/Cold War era, has recently turned to the ancient world for inspiration. After a novel on Pompeii, he turns to the politics of ancient Rome with "Imperium," the story of the rise of Cicero. The first of a series of novels Harris plans to write about Cicero, the book demonstrates his political career as an up-and-coming senator in the Roman republic.Ostensibly narrated by Tiro, who was Cicero's longtime secretary and an inventor of shorthand, the book is an intimate account of Cicero's daring use of his rhetorical abilities in public trials and political deliberations. It also suggests many behind-the-scenes deliberations between ever-changing political factions, offering glimpses of other significant political figures of the time, who have prestige such that Cicero covets their support, or who are likewise fighting for the support of powerful patrons. In particular, the young Julius Caesar looms over the narrative in these years before his military glories.Like Harris' other books, it is a fascinating read, relying on a wealth of historical details to support the intricate plot. It offers Cicero as a generally likeable fellow of great potential and great ambition, relying not only on his gilded tongue but on his political cunning to advance his career. His secretary Tiro is loyal and invaluable; his wife Terentia was from a moneyed family, giving him station, but also the headaches of dealing with marrying someone from a higher class.The first half of the book focuses on a prominent political trial; the second with political intrigues over the creation of a law that allowed the Senate to name a single authoritarian leader during times of crisis (the precedent that eventually allowed Caesar to become emperor). Both are fraught with danger for Cicero -- it is clear that he is dealing with forces that could crush him and his career; these external factors effectively provide much of the narrative tension in the novel.For those poorly versed in ancient history, the book may be difficult to read: in particular it may be almost impossible to keep all of the characters straight. Those more informed will likely be more impressed. Falling in between, I found the story enjoyable, but always had the feeling I was missing out because of my lack of knowledge.

The depiction of Rome is vivid and the characters are drawn clearly. It's a great read.It's disturbing, however, to learn that the same electoral shenanigans that are going on today were going on 2,000 years ago. Then, as now, there were constant attempts to limit the franchise. Then, as now, politicians used illusory crises to grab power and restrict civil liberties. Does nothing ever change?

Imperium by Robert Harris is the fictionalised biography of Marcus Tullius Cicero as written by his slave secretary Tiro with whom he shares a bond of philosophy & intellect.Whilst it's a fictionalised biography the events in the book do follow history as it happened quite closely, just with various blanks filled in and some events spiced up.In terms of the actual work itself, it's a good book that's well written. It draws you into the world of ancient roman politics and intrigue then keeps you there turning page after page as Cicero climbs the latter and occasionally falls down a few rungs.Don't be deterred by the setting - it's an excellent Robert Harris book.

Really solid stuff. Cicero's journey from "hero of the people" to "beholden to aristocratic support" is a thinly veiled stand-in for Tony Blair, but the story and the conflict are fascinating regardless. Recommended.