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THE MASTERS OF ROME by Colleen McCullough Hilarious and poignant, McCullough's majestic series of novels about ancient Rome stands as her masterpiece -- much more so than The Thorn Birds . With extraordinary narrative power, New York Times bestselling author Colleen McCullough sweeps the reader into a whirlpool of pageantry and passion, bringing to vivid life the most glorious epoch in human history. When the world cowered before the legions of Rome, two extraordinary men dreamed of personal glory: the military genius and wealthy rural "upstart" Marius, and Sulla, penniless and debauched but of aristocratic birth. Men of exceptional vision, courage, cunning, and ruthless ambition, separately they faced the insurmountable opposition of powerful, vindictive foes. Yet allied they could answer the treachery of rivals, lovers, enemy generals, and senatorial vipers with intricate and merciless machinations of their own—to achieve in the end a bloody and splendid foretold destiny . . . and win the most coveted honor the Republic could bestow. TITLES INCLUDE: The First Man in Rome The Grass Crown Fortune's Favorites Caesar's Women Caesar The October Horse Antony and Cleopatra Masters of Rome is a series of historical novels by Australian author Colleen McCullough , set in ancient Rome during the last days of the old Roman Republic ; it primarily chronicles the lives and careers of Gaius Marius , Lucius Cornelius Sulla , Pompey the Great , Gaius Julius Caesar , and the early career of Caesar Augustus . It spans from January 1, 110 BC through to January 16, 27 BC. Other major historical figures who appear and play prominent parts in the series include Mithridates VI of Pontus , Marcus Aemilius Scaurus , Publius Rutilius Rufus , Quintus Sertorius , Marcus Livius Drusus , Jugurtha of Numidia , Spartacus , Marcus Licinius Crassus , Marcus Tullius Cicero , Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus , Marcus Porcius Cato , Publius Clodius , Titus Annius Milo , Vercingetorix , Marcus Junius Brutus , Gaius Cassius Longinus , Mark Antony , Cleopatra VII of Egypt , Caesarion and Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa . Each book in the series features a detailed glossary, hand-drawn illustrations of the major characters, and notes by McCullough detailing her reasoning for portraying certain events in certain ways. As Rome became more powerful within the Mediterranean world, the old ways of doing things – through the deliberation of various interests, mainly aristocratic and mercantile – became impossibly cumbersome. It became more and more difficult to govern an empire with institutions originally designed to administer a city-state. Certain powerful leaders (especially Marius, Sulla, and Caesar) tried to create a state in which they had autocratic power but also preserved the externals of the old ways. They were opposed by the conservatives (called the optimates by classical historians, though they themselves preferred the title boni or "good men"). The result was the birth of an imperial monarchy , and a radically different organization of power McCullough portrays Caesar as an autocrat, great military man, populist , and controversial reformer. She does not portray the death of the Republic as positive but rather portrays Caesar as a great man and his crossing of the Rubicon as inevitable, given that the alternative was exile, disgrace, and the violation of his dignitas , which was an unthinkable anathema to a Roman Patrician of consular rank. According to McCullough's portrayal, Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon was his last option, his last roll of the dice, as best illustrated by the timeless quote from Caesar: "The die is cast." McCullough points out that the translation of the alternative Greek version of his words is "Let the dice fly high," which characterizes not fatalism (as with the former) but rather risk-taking. THESE BOOKS HAVE ALL BEEN PROFESSIONALLY REBOUND IN QUARTER LEATHER. THEY LOOK GREAT ON THE SHELF NEXT TO EASTON PRESS AND FRANKLIN LIBRARY EDITIONS. THIS IS A ONE-OF-A-KIND set. The books are solid. Questions please email me. USPS media mail shipping with delivery confirmation. US buyers only.