Emperor (novel series)


Emperor is an internationally acclaimed historical five-novel series by British author Conn Iggulden about the life of Roman statesman and general Gaius Julius Caesar.

Publication history

The five novels were published between 2003 and 2013:
The series was well received by many critics, but also drew comment that Iggulden sometimes changed historical facts either through ignorance or in order to create a more thrilling narrative. This is partly acknowledged by Iggulden, and noted at the end of every novel. The most notable change in the main plot features Caesar and Brutus growing up as childhood friends. This gives the series some complexities similar to the movie 1900, in which two boys who grow up together are shaped by their differences, culminating in diverging destinies on the Ides of March.
Apart from Caesar and Brutus, historical characters include: Gaius Marius, Cornelius Sulla, Mithridates VI of Pontus, Cinna, Cornelia, Pompey, Crassus, Cato the Younger, Spartacus, Crixus, Brutus' mother Servilia, Octavian and his mother Atia, Titus Annius Milo, Publius Clodius Pulcher, Vercingetorix, Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus, Lucius Sergius Catilina, Mark Antony, and Cleopatra VII of Egypt, who gives Caesar a son.

Plot overview

The book series is being adapted into a movie trilogy to be directed by Burr Steers. The first movie of the trilogy, Emperor: Young Caesar will be based upon the first two books.