Ancient World

3 primary works

The Seven Wonders

by Steven Saylor

Published 22 May 2012

An enthralling prequel to his bestselling Roma Sub Rosa series of mysteries set in the Ancient World, Steven Saylor takes readers back to the younger days of Gordianus the Finder.

The year is 92BC and Gordianus has just turned eighteen and is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime: a far-flung journey to see the Seven Wonders of the World.

Gordianus is not yet called 'The Finder' - that title belongs to his father, who we meet in these pages. But at each of the Seven Wonders, the wide-eyed Roman encounters a mystery to challenge his powers of deduction. Here is a portrait of a master sleuth in the making, the earliest exploits of the man who will become the most sought-after investigator in Rome.

Accompanying Gordianus on this travels is his tutor, Antipater of Sidon, the world's most celebrated poet. Together, teacher and pupil journey to the fabled cities of Greece and Asia Minor, and then on to Babylon and Egypt. They attend the Olympic Games, take part in exotic festivals, and marvel at the most spectacular constructions ever devised by mankind.

Praise for Steven Saylor:

'Saylor expertly weaves the true history of Rome with the lives and loves of its fictional citizens.' Daily Express

'Saylor's scholarship is breathtaking and his writing enthrals' Ruth Rendell

'With the scalpel-like deftness of a Hollywood director, Saylor puts his finger on the very essence of Roman history.' Times Literary Supplement

'Readers will find his work wonderfully (and gracefully) researched... this is entertainment of the first order.' Washington Post

Raiders of the Nile

by Steven Saylor

Published 25 February 2014

"In 88 B.C. it seems as if all the world is at war. From Rome to Greece and to Egypt itself, most of civilization is on the verge of war. The young Gordianus--a born-and-raised Roman citizen--is living in Alexandria, making ends meet by plying his trade of solving puzzles and finding things out for pay. He whiles away his time with his slave Bethesda, waiting for the world to regain its sanity. But on the day Gordianus turns twenty-two, Bethesda is kidnapped by brigands who mistake her for a rich man's mistress. If Gordianus is to find and save Bethesda, who has come to mean more to him than even he suspected, he must find the kidnappers before they realize their mistake and cut their losses. Using all the skills he learned from his father, Gordianus must track them down and convince them that he can offer something of enough value in exchange for Bethesda's release. As the streets of Alexandria slowly descend into chaos, and the citizenry begin to riot with rumors of an impending invasion by Ptolmey's brother, Gordianus finds himself in the midst of a very bold and dangerous plot--the raiding and pillaging of the golden sarcophagus of Alexander the Great himself." --

Wrath of the Furies

by Steven Saylor

Published 13 October 2015

"The young Gordianus has been waiting out the chaos in Alexandria, with Bethesda, when he gets a cryptic message from his former tutor and friend, Antipater. Now in Ephesus, as part of Mithridates' entourage, Antipater seems to think that his life is in imminent danger. To rescue him, Gordianus concocts a daring, even foolhardy, scheme to go behind enemy lines and bring Antipater to safety. But there are powerful, and deadly forces, at work here, which have their own plans for Gordianus. Not entirely sure whether he's a player or a pawn, Gordianus must unravel the mystery behind the message if he's to save himself and the people he holds most dear"--