The Annals of Imperial Rome, by historian and Roman senator Cornelius Tacitus, chronicles the period between the reigns of Emperors Tiberius and Nero. Divided into sixteen books, some of which were partially or entirely lost over time, the Annals narrate sequentially the various events and deeds of two rulers of the Roman Empire. Long considered a valuable source, the Annals provide insight into the workings of the Roman Empire and how its Emperors interacted with the democratically elected Senate and other arms of the bureaucracy. Modern scholars of antiquity hold the belief that Tacitus, as a serving Roman Senator, had access to the Acta Senatus - a record of lawmaking procedures - as a source for this work. As such, the reliability of the Annals is generally thought strong compared against other, more corrupted histories of the Roman Empire.

This riveting historical fiction depicts a soldier in Alexander the Great's army, and is inspired by authentic Macedonian letters discussing Alexander's conquests across Asia. We join Charidemus as he competes in a race around Olympia. Athletic and determined by nature, we find the young man ostracized by the Greek establishment owing to his origins in Macedonia - a territory which, in centuries past, was considered an uncivilized and barbaric province north of the Hellenic League. Such stigma, though troublesome, does not dent the courage of our hero, who grows ever-stronger and is recruited into the army of a young general named Alexander. After completing an initial tour, Charidemus is chosen as one of the 40,000 men to embark with Alexander on his epic conquest of Asia's uncharted lands. With vivid battle scenes, exotic descriptions of far-flung ancient cities and landscapes, flowing dialogue, and an attentiveness to historic accuracy, this is an underrated classic of ancient historical fiction.