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Recent additions and one of my favorites:
Miriam’s Rosemary Whole Wheat Bread: Includes instructions for bread machines at low and high altitude
Roman Coins: A short overview with links to detailed articles on inscriptions and on counterfeiting ancient coins.
Historical notes from Carol’s novels that add to major articles
Counterfeiting the Denarius and the Aureus: Capital Crimes in the Roman Empire Historical background note from Truth and Honor by Carol Ashby
Roman Carthage (Carthago) A brief history of the Roman city built on the ruins of Carthage and maps for the adventure in Truth and Honor
Senators and Equestrians in the Early Roman Empire Historical background note from What Matters Most by Carol Ashby
Being a Consul in the Republic and Empire and the historical people of What Matters Most. Historical background note from What Matters Most by Carol Ashby
Law Enforcement in the City of Rome Historical background note from More Than Honor by Carol Ashby.
Roman Marriage, Divorce, and Dowry During the Early Empire
Historical background note from Hope’s Reward by Carol Ashby.
Christians as Criminals Under Roman Law
Historical background note from Honor Bound by Carol Ashby.
The Role of War in the Slave Economy of the Roman Empire
Historical background note from Hope Unchained by Carol Ashby.
Slavery in Roman Times: Hoping for Freedom While Legally Classified as a Thing
Historical background note for True Freedom by Carol Ashby.
The Roman Family: Power of the Father, Rights of the Mother, Fate of the Children Historical background note from Second Chances by Carol Ashby. A full article on many aspects of Roman family life and the laws affecting Roman citizens will appear shortly.
The Daily Life of Gladiators: Celebrities Yet Social Outcasts in the Roman World Historical background note from Faithful by Carol Ashby. Full article on the daily lives of gladiators will appear shortly.
Paterfamilias: The Absolute Power of the Roman Patriarch Historical background for The Legacy, a novel by Carol Ashby set in the Roman province of Thracia in AD 114.
Roman Provincial Government in AD 114: How to Deal with Christians for Historical background for Blind Ambition, a novel by Carol Ashby set in the Roman province of Germania Superior in AD 114.
Conflict between Romans and Jews in Galilee of Judaea historical background for Forgiven, a novel by Carol Ashby set in Roman Judaea in AD 122.
Next Major Article Coming Soon: The Roman Family
An article on the Roman family that will discuss the structure, customs, and Roman law related to the family should be here by late November, if not before. The power of the paterfamilias, the oldest male in the family, to control the details of the lives of his grown children is alien to most cultures today. It explains a great deal about the operation of Roman daily life and politics in both Republic and Empire. One of my novels, The Legacy, deals with the fallout when this goes wrong. Another of my novels, Second Chances, picks up many of the same characters and their problems eight years later. The historical note from the back of The Legacy presents a short discussion of the extraordinary power of the Roman patriarch. The historical note from Second Chances discusses Roman family law: the power of the father, the rights of the mother, and the fate of the children. The historical note from Hope’s Reward deals with another aspect of Roman family law: how Roman marriage, divorce, and dowry arrangements worked.
The Light in the Empire mosaic of novels: travel the empire of Trajan and Hadrian in these stand-alone stories of danger, friendship, faith, and love.
Especially for the non-US visitors or anyone who likes epub books, I’ve put most of my novels for sale at Kobo world wide.
Now available Forgiven, Blind Ambition, The Legacy, Faithful, Second Chances, True Freedom, Hope Unchained, Honor Bound, Hope’s Reward, More Than Honor, What Matters Most, and Truth and Honor. (Second Chances is currently in Kindle Unlimited and not available through Kobo.)
Ever wonder how a Roman-era book cover that looks like a photograph gets made? My cover designer walks you through the steps she took to make the cover of my first novel, Forgiven.
Below is her latest work: the cover for number 12 in the Light in the Empire series, Truth and Honor.
How the Novels are Related
The Light in the Empire series follows the interconnected lives of six Roman families during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian when the Empire was at its zenith. Each can be read stand-alone. The novels that have already been published will take you around the Empire, from Germania to Thracia, Dacia, and Judaea and, of course, to Rome itself.
You can start the series with any of the novels because they truly can be read independently, but enough readers have asked me how they are related that I’ve made some charts to describe the relationships. Since they share some characters, you might find it a richer experience if you’ve spent time with the characters in more than one story. Here are some lists that will let you see some of the relationships between the novels.
A novel set in Africa Proconsularis
Volume 12 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com.au, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
Volume 11 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com.au, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
Volume 10 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com.au, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
A novel set in Dalmatia and Macedonia
Volume 9 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com.au, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
A novel set in Roma, Italia, Alpes Graiae et Poeninae, Germania Superior, and Narbonensis.
Honor had forced him to protect her. Time would tell if he’d regret it.
Volume 8 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats at Amazon, international Amazon sites, and Barnes & Noble. Available as epub at Kobo.
A novel set in Dacia, Moesia, Pannonia, and Dalmatia.
Can the deepest loss bring the greatest gain?
Volume 7 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com.au, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
A novel set in Italia and Roma.
The chains we cannot see can be the hardest ones to break.
Volume 6 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com.au, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
A novel ranging from Roma to Thracia.
Must the shadows of the past destroy the hope of the future?
Volume 5 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com.au, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
Historical Background for Second Chances
A quest novel ranging from Germania Superior to Roma and back.
Is the price of true friendship ever too high?
Volume 4 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com.au, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
Historical Background for Faithful
A novel set in Thracia and Roma
When Rome has taken everything, what’s left for a man to give?
Volume 3 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
Historical Background for The Legacy
A novel set in Germania Superior and Roma
Sometimes you have to almost die to discover how you want to live.
Volume 2 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and international Amazon sites. Available at Kobo world wide and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub).
Historical background for Blind Ambition
Are some wounds too deep to forgive?
Volume 1 of the Light in the Empire Series
Now available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com.au, international Amazon sites, Kobo, and at Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, and Nook (epub) formats.
Historical background for Forgiven
Want to win a free e-copy of Forgiven, Blind Ambition, The Legacy, or Faithful? Check out the review of Rosemary Sutcliff’s The Silver Branch to discover how.
Article Update:
Roman Medicine: new resource for ancient Egyptian medicine, Celsus on roman attitudes toward studying anatomy.
The Roman Navy: Construction of the Roman fleet during the First Punic War.
Coming Sometime:
Roman Taxation. I researched and mostly wrote this during US tax season, but then I had to stop and file my taxes and get my novel, Blind Ambition, ready for publication. I plan to return to finish this “sometime.” There’s nothing quite like reading about the Roman approach to taxation to make you appreciate the humane practices of the US Internal Revenue Service!
Roman Medicine: Articles on many aspects of Roman medical practice, such as nutrition for good health and treating diseases, infection control for wounds, and cataract surgery. Thanks to the research I did to write “Honor Bound,” I now know how to set and immobilize a broken femur the way the Romans did without using hard casts of plaster of Paris or fiberglass. That’s knowledge I hope I NEVER have to use!!
To receive notice about the publication of these articles and other additions to this website, please enter your email address above or subscribe to updates on the left sidebar.
Cook Like a Roman:
Miriam’s Rosemary Whole Wheat Bread: Includes instructions for bread machines at low and high altitude
Preserving meat the Roman way with salt or honey
Sauces for Boiled Meat (Jus in Elixam) Salted meat was boiled to remove the salt before serving. These sauces by Apicius are intended for use with the boiled meat.
Bulbs (Bulbos): Roman recipes for bulbs such as tulips, but don’t try to eat these because they might poison you.
Ostrich (Struthocamelus): Recipes for ostrich stew that are suitable for other red meats.
Snails (Cochleas): A Roman favorite since the time of Julius Caesar. How to fatten them and some recipes.
Treating Roman Indigestion: Salts for Many Ills (Sales conditos ad multa) Spiced salts that Apicius claimed could be used againt “all illness” and could even prevent colds.
Nonalcoholic substitutions to make in recipes that call for wine if you don’t have any on hand.
Garum: An article on the fermented fish sauce that was a vital ingredient in much of Roman cooking.
Fungi Farnei vel Boleti: Roman methods of mushroom cultivation and some recipes.
Perna: An article about the pig in Roman cuisine and two recipes: Trojan pig and roast pork shoulder or ham.
Caulis: Two recipes for cabbage.
Pastinacae: Two recipes for parsnips.
Betas: Beets as a vermifuge and a recipe for beets and leeks in a red wine sauce.
Cucurbitas: Seasoned cooked pumpkin or squash
Roman Squash Recipe by Regina Fujitani: A tried and proven modern version of Cucurbitas
Some puzzle links:
Latin wordsearch puzzles about slavery and chariot racing.
Crossword puzzle about slavery in the early Empire.
Some updated posts:
Bibliography and Other Sources
A comprehensive work about the history of every imperial Roman legion.
A book on women in Britannia written by the director of the main museum for the World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall. While focused on Roman Britain, this book is filled with information relevant to many other parts of the Empire.
Four books about Greek and Roman medicine, including a translation of an 8-volume compendium by Celsus written during the reign of Tiberius.
Online/DVD courses on Roman life taught by professors recognized for teaching excellence.
How to make a crossword puzzle
Enjoy!
Carol