Dominus

Rome #3

by Steven Saylor

Following his international bestsellers Roma and Empire , Steven Saylor's Dominus continues his saga of the greatest, most storied empire in history from the eternal city at the very center of it all.

A.D. 165: The empire of Rome has reached its pinnacle. Universal peace―the Pax Roma―reigns from Britannia to Egypt, from Gaul to Greece. Marcus Aurelius, as much a philosopher as he is an emperor, oversees a golden age in the city of Rome. The ancient Pinarius family and their workshop of artisans embellish the richest and greatest city on earth with gilded statues and towering marble monuments. Art and reason flourish. But history does not stand still.

The years to come bring wars, plagues, fires, and famines. The best emperors in history are succeeded by some of the worst. Barbarians descend in endless waves, eventually appearing before the gates of Rome itself. The military seizes power and sells the throne to the highest bidder. Chaos engulfs the empire.

Through it all, the Pinarius family endures, thanks in no small part to the protective powers of the fascinum, a talisman older than Rome itself, a mystical heirloom handed down through countless generations.

But an even greater upheaval is yet to come. On the fringes of society, troublesome cultists disseminate dangerous and seditious ideas. They insist that everyone in the world should worship only one god, their god. They call themselves Christians. Some emperors deal with the Christians with toleration, others with bloody persecution. Then one emperor does the unthinkable. He becomes a Christian himself. His name is Constantine, and the revolution he sets in motion will change the world forever.

Spanning 160 years and seven generations, teeming with some of ancient Rome’s most vivid figures, Saylor's epic brings to vivid life some of the most tumultuous and consequential chapters of human history, events which reverberate still.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Roman, Italy, Audiobook, Literary Fiction

496 pages, Hardcover

First published June 9, 2021

About the author

Steven Saylor is the author of the long running Roma Sub Rosa series featuring Gordianus the Finder, as well as the New York Times bestselling novel, Roma and its follow-up, Empire. He has appeared as an on-air expert on Roman history and life on The History Channel.

Saylor was born in Texas and graduated with high honors from The University of Texas at Austin, where he studied history and classics. He divides his time between Berkeley, California, and Austin, Texas.

Reviews

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

AD 165. Rome has two emperors, Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher, who rules the city, while his brother Lucius marches off to wars, ruling the vast lands of the empire.

Rome has reached its pinnacle, with lands stretching far and a prosperous city. But now the ravages of the plague weigh heavily on the city and it seems as there are two plaques going on, one that kills and the other that brings charlatans and false prophets who take advantage of the situation. Among them are those who call themselves Christians, and one of them is named Justin. He refuses to worship gods and he aggressively recruits young Romans into his cult. When Lucius Pinarius, senator, confronts the man, he unnerves him. Justin comes across as being right about everything, which would make others, including the emperors and him, wrong. When Lucius tries to reason with Justin, it is to no avail. There is no way you can reason with someone who knows he is right and the rest are wrong. Lucius cannot save Justin from his punishing sentence. “The law must follow its course.”

Commodus becomes Marcus’s successor and is given the title Augustus. He is not interested in wars. He wants to enjoy the fruits of peace. After the great fire, Commodus who has a great passion for gladiators and chariots has even more reason now to build an amphitheater. Commodus makes himself unpopular with high-born people, but popular with low-born ones. The Roman Games will offer an entertainment to the poor as never before seen in Rome.

As the story spans 160 years, it brings in many emperors briefly, some of them hoping for a return to the sound government of the past, and others bringing chaos from the start. Some are bold claiming only one god, something that doesn’t sit well with the others. Some of them are hardly old enough to rule an empire.

The novel encompasses many changes within the empire, including religious believes. It brings a vivid portrayal of Christianity which is viewed as something to fear and needs to be eradicated by some emperors and tolerated by others. At the end, being embraced by one emperor who changes the world forever. It also depicts where the passion for gladiators and chariots comes from. It gives a detail depiction of everyday lives and customs. The thread that connects all those changes involves generations of Lucius Pinarius family.

The story brings interesting aspects from one emperor to another, however it feels fragmented, not only going from one emperor to another but also within one emperor - how it goes from one subject to another that gives the story the feel of fragmentation. I wish the story was concentrated on the emperors that made the biggest impact and putting more depth to the chosen ones.

Nevertheless, the constant changes in the empire give rich texture to the story and with great details the ancient Rome comes alive.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Should Read as 4.5 Stars!**

After having read the tremendous books called, Roma and Empire, I've thoroughly also enjoyed this 3rd episode called "Dominus", featuring the Pinarii Family, situated now in late 2nd until early 4th century AD.

At the beginning of the book you'll find a wonderful map of the Roman World, starting with the reign of Marcus Aurelius circa AD 165, and this map is followed by the Pinarii Family Tree in the Imperial Period, and some quotes and a Latin explanation of the word "Dominus".

At the end of the book you'll notice an extensive but also a very well documented Author's Note, where the historical details concerning this period of history are superbly explained, and last but not least a list of Roman Emperors, starting from AD 161-180 with Marcus Aurelius, jointly with Lucius Verus until his death in AD 169, until the sole ruler of Emperor Constantine, AD 324-337.

Storytelling is of a superb quality, the chapters are wonderfully linked with each other historically, all characters come splendidly to life in this tale about Imperial power, family feuds, plague-ridden deaths and religious-seeking elements, and all that happening in a monumental and sometimes devastated Rome, and the ever changing atmosphere that comes with these changes comes beautifully off the pages, in good and bad times.

This 3rd volume continues the history of the artistic Pinarii Family, whether they are sculptors or writers, in an Imperial Rome under various Emperors.

From Philosipher-Emperor Marcus Aurelius to the ruthless "Christian" Emperor Constantine, and quite a few others in between, with the likes of the formidable Emperors Septimius Severus and Gallienus as two clear examples.

What is to follow is a wonderful retelling of Rome with all its beauty and ugliness, whether politically or domestically, it will come all the forefront in this marvellous book of Roman History, with the Pinarii family always in the centre place of this amazing story.

Highly recommended, for this is an excellent addition to this, so far, three-part series, I hope there will be more, but what this book is concerned I like to call this latest episode: "A Masterly Roman Empire Novel"!

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cast of 1000's with Emperors in the dozens. 150 years of Roman artistic family ending in the time of Constantine. Gird your loins for this read. 3.5 stars rounded up for the tone reality. As in most epic family fare the ancestors are nearly all more interesting. With each generation in that last 50 year span- they become less. Less vibrant, less contexted, less individual. It was worth the time it took. Not for the faint of heart.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This makes 13 books I have read by this author. This one covers a lot of territory over a 160-year span, and there were segments that I found hard going and/or unpleasant reading. I have reliably enjoyed most of the 13 books at a solid 4 star level but had to step back on this one. Maybe I did not want to say goodbye to main characters...but, of course, that was not possible covering the sizable time span. As always, excellent research that yields lively historical events in a palatable manner that educates the reader as well as entertains.

Library Loan

[Read By Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dominus is essentially a series of short stories that are loosely connected through the lives of one family across time. They take place from the reign of Marcus Aurelius until Constantine. The first half of this book was very engaging, but about the 45% mark, I lost most of my interest.

The short story format of following generations of family has been done well before, but it is done to middling effect here. Saylor uses this format to dip in and out of various interesting parts of Roman history but does absolutely nothing to deepen any of his characters or provide them with characteristics or personality that differentiates them from one another. He also doesn't really do anything to examine how their lifestyles have changed over the centuries. They are always well off and they are always sculptors (by the way, over many generations, this powerful family of Romans never has to enter the military? I think I counted two of them that ever had to join the legions, which strikes me as woefully unrealistic. Of course, we don't get enough about any of them to know one way or another if they served). Every single patriarch of this family was utterly indistinguishable from the other. Which makes reading a chore, and the interest in the story only as good as whatever Roman Emperor they're discussing.

The first half-ish of this book followed a single character and his son, along with their friendship with the famous physician Galen, and their friendship and tenuous partnership with Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, respectively. This had enough of an arc that I was completely invested. Once Commodus leaves the stage though, all life leaves this book. What follows is a series of clips from the highlights of each of the most well-known emperors in this time period, then a time jump of a few years, some exposition about what happened in those years, 1-3 conversations with somebody being insane, then another time jump. After every time jump or two, you get introduced to the next generation, the same as the old generation.

If you want to just have a nice series of short stories that give you more context and information about Ancient Roman Emperors, then this will be pretty enjoyable. But overall it just felt like a giant montage. I admire how much history Saylor is trying to cover here, but maybe he was trying to do too much.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent ending to Saylor's Roma Trilogy. Dominus covers a century of Roman history.

I loved Saylor's previous Roma and Empire novels. Was thrilled when the final volume was published this year.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pinarius family from Marcus Aurelius to Constantine with some surprises on the way; while lacking the deeper novella like stories during Nero and Domitian from the previous volume, so more fragmentary - though still going generation to generation - and covering also Commodus, Caracalla, Elagabalus and his cousin young Severus, the millennial celebration under Phillip the Arab, Aurelian, Zenobia and of course Constantine and Christianity, the book was a pleasure to read and offers a superb conclusion to the Rome series of the author; who knows maybe we see a Constantinople one as clearly the torch passes there at the end of this one with Rome starting to become a backwater in some ways.

If you loved the previous two as I did, you will love this one for sure

[Assaph Mehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Saylor's previous Roma and Empire novels (as well as his Gordianus series), so was naturally keen to read this latest installment.

What to Expect

A continuation of the Pinarii's observation of Roman history, covering the period from Marcus Aurelius to Constantine the Great. Saylor has chosen an old patrician family, and has placed them to observe various scenes throughout Rome's history. This isn't a history book, but rather a plausible representation of how events might have unfolded and what the mindset of people at the time was.

What I liked

I liked the gentle tone of the writing, the humanising of historical people and events (so often taken to sensationalist levels), and the meticulous research behind the writing. Saylor provides us with some of the best Roman-era fiction, and he's purposefully chosen not to go down the well-trodden path of the 'usual suspects / usual scenarios'. Saylor is choosing to portray events in plausible way, and then shows us how over time they would have evolved into myths. It's a very engaging way to look at how history evolves and changes over time, and encourages us to read and learn more about it.

What to be aware of

Do not expect any action or high-drama, nor necessarily the 'big' historical events. Read this book for the human touch, for the point of view of the 'typical' observer at the time.

Felix's Review

Felix, with his deeply-rooted Republican views, was at one both (morbidly) fascinated with the decline of the empire and entirely unsurprised at how each generation is lesser than the last. He did feel far more connected to the 'common' people who form the core of the story.

Summary

Highly recommended for anyone who'll enjoy a bit of 'alternative' Roman fiction, the kind that is extremely well-research and yet
--
Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He's the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.

Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engrossing family history of seven generations of a Roman family from Marcus Aurelius through
Constantine. This senatorial family runs a workshop of artisans involved in building monuments, sculpture, architecture of all kinds. I lived Roman history through their eyes. Sometimes there were "info-dumps", perhaps interesting to those not knowing much about that history. We met the emperors and their personalities. Constantine came across as a cruel person. I got insight into some of the lesser-known emperors, such as Philip the Arab or the Gordians, for example.

Very highly recommended.

[Ana Lopes · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a two and a half stars for me.

Here's why:
- I didn't love the majority of the dialog - I found them too shallow and undeveloped;
- Some repetitions in the recounting of events are very unnecessary and even boring;
- All the Pinarii men are the same, there's no real evolution in character (with the - slight- exception of the last Kaeso they are all a bit too naive and subservient);
- Women have no real presence in the story and I feel that's a huge missed opportunity - there were some great female characters, but they just mysteriously disappear among men;
- The time lapses between emperors and events bother me and they leave so many loose ends that you could write another book just to explain what happened;

That being said, it was a good History lesson, even if my favourite part was the Epilogue...
:)

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this via Audible.

What I love about Saylor's books is that I get to learn a lot about Roman history, not by reading a history book, but by the history being told from one family's point of view. The history in this book covers over 150 years...and generations of families and emperors.

The period covered is from Marcus Aurelius to Constantine the Great. I know Constantine was the one that introduced the Christian religion, but what I didn't know was how hated the Christians and Jews were for soooo long. I mean, I knew, but when listening to this story, I heard so many horrible things about how people felt about Christians and the barbarity of their treatment.

And I think there was only one emperor during this time that wasn't assassinated!!! Which goes to show you how unstable that government was. Each emperor created new rules, killed whoever they thought was treasonous, and made up rules as they saw fit. CRAZY world to live in during those times.

I still find all of it fascinating. Each chapter started with a date in history, and I took that time to google the history, and all of what Saylor wrote coincided with exact events in history.

I love this author and would recommend to anyone who loves history.

[Penny Cipolone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my favorite of the three books in this series, but wonderfully written and meticulously researched. The entire concept of the series tracing on Roman family through the entire history of Rome (all centered around a family amulet) was a true pleasure to read.

[caffeinated reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last of the trilogy, I read it as slowly as I could. It may be a while before Steven Saylor writes another book (or maybe this is it, he will retire!). I was heartened, however, to read this article:
(https://mysteryreaders.org/journal-in...)

Quo Vadis, Mr. Saylor?
by Steven Saylor
In 2018, I wrote “the end” not just to the novel The Throne of Caesar, but to the whole “Roma Sub Rosa” series featuring Gordianus the Finder, sleuth of ancient Rome. Roman Blood kicked off the series in 1991; another thirteen novels and two collections of short stories followed (with countless murders, conspiracies, kidnappings, robberies, and other crimes along the way). The series took place over the final four decades of the Roman Republic, from Cicero’s first murder trial to the assassination of Julius Caesar, and spanned 27 years of my writing career.

Along the way, I produced a couple of stand-alone novels set in my native Texas, A Twist at the End (serial murders in 1885 Austin) and Have You Seen Dawn? (contemporary suspense in a small Texas town uncannily like the one where I grew up).

Right now I’m in the final editing stages of Dominus, a third novel to complete the trilogy that began with Roma and Empire. It’s a family saga that follows the fortunes of the aristocratic Pinarius clan from the earliest beginnings of Rome, as a small trading post on the Tiber River, to the reign of Constantine the Great, first Christian emperor—who moved the imperial capital away from Rome to his own new city, Constantinople (modern Istanbul). Dominus will be published in June 2021.

So where do I go next? Or as Gordianus might have asked, “Quo vadis?”

For the first time since 1991, I’m not locked into a publishing contract, which means I have no deadline looming. Having that deadline year after year always represented security—I send in the book, they send me a check. But not having a deadline gives me a sensation of freedom and relaxation I haven’t felt in many years.

Also, I’m rapidly approaching age 65, looking forward to Medicare and all those senior discounts.

So, what’s next? I’m going to retire, of course!

Only problem: everyone tells me that writers never retire. My husband insists that writers can’t retire—it’s categorically impossible, like walking on the ceiling.

I feel awfully lucky to have finished, to my own satisfaction and at my own pace, not one but two series. No plot-threads left hanging. No nagging sense of something left unsaid, some corner of history unexplored, some crime unsolved. I’ve said what I wanted to say. And I think that the quality of my writing, whatever its intrinsic worth, has been pretty consistent from start to finish. I don’t want to be one of those writers who keeps turning out reams of prose longer than he or she should. (I’ll name no names, but I suspect most readers could cite a favorite author or two whose work “went off” toward the end.)

In 2013, I saw the late Ursula K. Le Guin speak to a packed auditorium on the UC Berkeley campus. (Famed for her fantasy and science fiction, Le Guin also visited ancient Rome in her novel Lavinia.) She talked about getting older, which she characterized as a progressive diminishment of every aspect of life. In her eighties, Le Guin wasn’t exactly retired, but she had left novel-writing behind; she attended a local writing circle and wrote poetry. She said she simply no longer had the physical or mental stamina to produce a novel.

I’m nowhere near 80 yet, and I suspect I could write more novels. But should I?

If life has taught me one thing, it’s to never say never. I learned that early in my career, when I initially thought Roman Blood was strictly a stand-alone, then, when my publisher wanted a sequel, I told interviewers that my Roman mystery series would comprise three or four books, at most. I’m glad I was wrong.

"Dominus" ends with the reign of Constantine and with the Pinariis moving to Constantinople, the new Rome. There's still almost two centuries before the barbarian general Odoacer deposes the last Western emperor. I really hope that Steven Saylor carries on with the magic of weaving the Pinarii saga into Rome's history.

[Riq Hoelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novel of particulars. Particular emperors, philosophers, characters, places, works of art and other objects, but not too much one of general cultural or historical trends, apart from huge, obvious ones like Constantine opting for Christianity. So there are limitations on my enjoyment of it, even if what it does provide tends to be interesting.

For example, the Antonine Plague that occurs near the beginning of this book wrought huge changes in the Roman economy. In particular, throughout the provinces smallhold farmers were unable to keep their properties, which were then acquired by wealthy landowners, who then farmed them via slaves. As a consequence, the army which had drawn its soldiers from this smallholding class, was never the same again. But there's nothing about this process in this book.

After reading I had strong doubts about the book's raison d'etre. It's just a very minimal gloss on actual history. What's added are the author's personal takes on the emperors -- which anyone can do -- and the made-up characters, who are just uninteresting ciphers. They aren't fully developed or three dimensional. They don't make meaningful character decisions except for the one case relating to Zenobia. I would much prefer to just read actual nonfiction history. A good one is called The Chronicle of the Roman Emperors.

Notes as I go:
Map: I have some issues. The area around the Crimea was a Roman client in this period. Not indicated. The indications for India and China (Serica) are up in the northeast heading for Parthia. Where they should really be is Egypt, heading for the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. That's how Romans got to those places.

Family tree: By this period in Roman history, many of the Romans, especially the aristocracy, had much more complicated names, which was the inevitable outgrowth of the way that the Romans recorded adoptions in their names, as well as adding honorifics. For example, the real name of Emperor Antoninus Pius was Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius. It would have been educational to show that in the names for this period. I hope the writer's ideas aren't stuck in the Republican era. It's also rather unlikely in these times that a family would produce a male heir who would survive to produce a male heir and so on, even into ten generations! There were so many problems such as infertility, early death, only birthing girls, and so on. This family tree is very improbable.

The idea that every time a Senator enters the chamber they must stop and honor the victory deity statue. So even if I go out to the toilet and come back in again,I once again have to stop and honor the deity. No, not buying it.

Good to see Galen, a real doctor and writer of ancient times, but the case he comes to solve is so boring and unbelievable. The family, particularly the mother, could not figure out the problem on their own?

Another anachronism. The Pinarius patriarch wears his toga to an event. By this time, even long before, most had abandoned their togas, except for official duties.

The main character is a working and in-demand sculptor. It would have been exceedingly unusual for a Senator from a very old family to do any real work, especially in an artistic way. How would they even get trained to do such things? It would have been far more realistic that his clients perform such activities, to his material benefit.

We meet the future emperor known as Commodus, as a child. He would not have been called Commodus at this age. His full name was Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus and would have been called Lucius.

The goings on related to the outbreak of the plague. Given the above doubts, now unsure how much to trust this version of it. What has really been reported and what is being made up. Very difficult to know for sure. The trust in the author has been broken. May be time to go back to nonfiction.

A character hides his head among the leaves of a fig tree. The author has maybe never picked figs. The leaves of that tree are extremely irratiating to the skin. The main symptoms are burning sensation and pain, itchy erythema, and edema. I don't believe anyone would ever do this willingly.

Finally the story becomes interesting as we explore the views of a Cynical philosopher, set side by side with a Christian, Justin Martyr.

Another of the emperor's sons has died and a character pronounces the last remaining one "priceless, invaluable". But that makes no sense. The last five emperors had all been adopted and the empire had never been better, proving that a genetic heir was in no way necessary.

I had hoped to read more about the Cynic and have a more in-depth discussion of Cynical philosophy, but it appears the character is gone for good.

It's tiring to constantly read about a gold bulla that is supposed to have magical properties. More time should be spent creating three-dimensional characters instead. Although the emperors are developed, the main characters, the ones telling the story, are blanks really.

Arriving at the rule of Commodus begets a fond wish that he will die as soon as possible.

Nice to see mention of Pertinax, one of my favorite little known emperors.

Alas the rule of Pertinax got about a paragraph and then he was gone. There should have been an entire chapter/story about him. This book probably bites off too much history. As a consequence of going from Aurelius all the way to Constantine, it has to leave an awful lot on the cutting room floor.

Just as with Commodus, the future emperor as a child would have been called Publius rather than Geta.

I have to admit I hadn't anticipated how wise a choice it was to posit the protagonists in the sculpting business. This provides a good excuse to constantly discuss how the various emperors want to depict themselves - what their propaganda messages are - which of course throws light on their characters.

The comparison of Philostratus instructing a future emperor compares them to Plato and Alexander the Great, but it should be to Aristotle to Alexander. Aristotle was his teacher, not Plato.

On p. 335 a character named Gnaeus is suddenly called Gaius. This is a simple slip, but there is a problem with the given names. In ancient Rome there were for the most part only seven possible given names and each family tended to give the same given name generation after generation. But here they choose a different one of the seven names in each generation. A missed opportunity to teach readers something about Roman culture.

The period of this book is when the Christian religion was developing in Rome, but we hear almost nothing about it. Nothing about them hanging out in catacombs, the early popes or anything like that. Really seems another missed opportunity.

Aurelian describes his walls as complete, but in reality he died before this occurred.

The fate assigned to Zenobia is dubious, having been written by a chronicler only hundreds of years later. It would be far more likely that she would have been eliminated as was the custom for Rome's enemies in those times. Even more surprisingly, we get page after page about her, even though some Roman emperors barely got a full paragraph.

It's good to see the philosopher Porphyry, however briefly, as his is a mostly forgotten name now.

After Aurelian, the book does not even bother to name all the emperors who preceded Diocletian.

Someone has written that in the second book of this series, Empire, "at the novel’s heart are the choices and temptations faced by each generation of the Pinarii." I would have to say that in this book the Pinarii make very few choices. About the only one of significance is the pursuit of Zenobia.

Toward the end the frequent regurgitation of the story of the Rain Miracle really starts to pay off as we see how the story gathers "enhancements" and gets reappropriated for current needs. Thus do histories turn into legends.

The author's bibliographical note at the end is so very excellent. So many good sources that it would be interesting to follow up with!

By the way, here is a video of the author introducing the book: https://youtu.be/gT31KkbqGIw

Disappointed that there's no mention of the Kushan embassy that reached Rome, or of the Roman embassy that reached China.

[Ben Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book finally brings the titanic Roma trilogy to an end. Unfortunately, this third book is where the characters of the Pinarii family start to lose their individuality, and the exposition required by the characters to narrate what is happening in the Empire becomes fully improbably and began to impact my enjoyment of the book. There could have been some great stories here, but the scope was simply too large. In this final installment, I felt that Saylor loved the history, but not the individual stories. Whereas Empire interwove the individual and the political, Dominus uses the personal as merely a vehicle for the wider story. The ludicrousness of this was when our current Pinarii character met Emperor Aurelian, who seemed to have no personality at all but instead just described what he had done and gave historical tidbits. There were some good moments in this book, but was difficult compared to the quality of Roma and Empire.

Despite the character difficulties and constant narration of exposition, this book was still enjoyable for two reasons: the investment in the Pinarii clan and the great, bittersweet ending. Let's face it: if you're reading this book, it's because you've already read 1000 pages worth of Potitii/Pinarii family lineage, and you want to know how they fare in the waning centuries of the Empire. The allusions to past ancestors, the changing stories and rumors in Rome that provide irony for the reader, and sheer momentum to know what happens keeps you reading.

And if you do keep reading, you're rewarded with a great ending. As Rome becomes Christian, as its borders are threatened, as the emperors vie for power, Rome changes. It frays at the edges-- not just under attack from Germans, Parthians, or other barbarians, but in its spirit. The Pinarii can feel it happening too, and when Constantine takes power, nothing will ever be the same. The final 3 pages of the book that show this melancholy shift in the Pinarii were worth the other issues, and I feel satisfied with this ending, much to Saylor's credit, as it would have been very easy to botch the landing. Overall, I recommend finishing the series if you enjoyed the first one or two books.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The long-awaited 3rd installment of the story Saylor began in Roma and continued in Empire, following a bloodline and their unique talisman (the very first fascinum), this time from the reign of Marcus Aurelius down to the reign of Constantine the Great. All I can say is that I highly recommend the whole series, but also highly recommend reading the whole series in order (I think this book would lose much of its magic without the context of the first two volumes).

[Domenica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very satisfying and appropriate conclusion the the trilogy.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another spectacular book by Steven Saylor. I have read so many of his books, and enjoyed every one. His research is so thorough and he includes so much historical detail in his books. This book felt so relevant to our current times, from the ongoing plague crisis that they dealt with to the dysfunction of the ever changing leadership. I learned so much about the final emperors, especially Constantine, and was surprised how many there were and how quickly they were replaced (well usually murdered). All of his books can be appreciated both for the historical accuracy as well as the engaging story and the way that he weaves them together. I am so grateful to St. Martin's Press for allowing me access to the ARC of this amazing book.

[Ruth Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, a fantastic book! I loved the previous two books about Rome, somewhere hidden packed in a box after I decided to use a bookcase for my ornaments... I'm now thinking, as it's probably been ten years since I read the previous two, that I should dig them out and read them again. I know they'd be of interest to anyone who reads this, so to review those as well would be an honour.
The Author brings to mind in the pages the sights, smells and tastes of a Roman City, the largest Roman city, over the ages of it's history. This book covers what many Historians saw as the long-term fall of the Roman Empire. Of course, we know there was a Roman Empire for another thousand years after this time, based from the new capital of Constantinople. If you're not aware, this is now called Istanbul after the Muslim takeover in the fifteenth century. The East, now a predominantly Muslim area, used to be a solidly Christian empire that has now crumbled to dust in the same way as it's western equivalent.
This is an incredible story, the lines of the tale spinning throughout, meticulously researched and portrayed in an unassuming way: life is life, wherever you live and whatever era, the only difference being the values of the elite that dissipate from the top down. Christianity was adopted, refined and changed by those in charge to become something it never was before, and the Churches and strict rules we saw during the middle ages have very little resemblance to what the first century Christians began with. Even the bible is deceptive: there are many more stories written about the prophet called Jesus (as a point of interest, only one of hundreds of 'prophets' in the Roman world, especially Judea/Israel at the time), and many of them, thrown on the scrapheap for not conforming to what the powers that be wanted to portray, probably told a very different philosophy of what the Church should look like, and thus are now hidden and archived for this reason.
This story is not predominantly about religion, however. This book is about the development and crumbling of the Empire, attempting to do what many previous authors have done and explain the inexplicable fall of Empire. With tribes flowing down, pushed from their homes by other tribes similarly displaced, with the weakness of constant assassination and changing of Emperor, with the plagues and wars decimating the Roman population, all such things contributed to the fall of this empire of a thousand years. The sad end came later, but this book shows just how these factors affected morale and strength, and tells the story of this family through time, hoping to make sense of the senseless.
A fantastic book!

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could this be the final Steven Saylor novel? Saylor has hinted that since he’s turned 65, he’s ready for retirement.

Saylor is known for his impeccable research and his unique ability in reconstructing history. This compelling capstone of the trilogy recounts the fortunes of the Pinarius family from the reign on Marcus Aurelius to Constantine. Spanning 160 years and covering 7 generations, Dominus begins at the height of Rome’s empire. It has reached its pinnacle and expanded boundaries while dealing with wars, plagues, fires and famines. Where book one featured the founding of Rome and book two featured the emperors, this book features the rise of Christianity and the manner in which the emperors accepted it. Some tolerated Christianity and some induced persecution. The novel concludes with Constantine, the emperor known for altering history by making Christianity the state religion of Rome. His vision included one empire, one people and one god. He hoped that everyone would pull together toward a single purpose, decided by their emperor and inspired by the Christian god. If you have been following the trilogy, the Pinarius family continues to endure due to the fascinum and for the first time this protective talisman gets into the hands of those other than family. The epilogue highlights the intriguing final days for the fascinum.

Reading this book during the pandemic, I was most interested in the arrival and spread of the plague. There was a ban put on gladiator games and other forms of group entertainment in an effort to cut down on transmission. Just as our economy was affected, the quarries came to a standstill and marble became as scarce as gold. Saylor recounts how usually the lowly slaves in the quarries were easily replaced, but when they died by the hundreds and thousands, even the quarries were depopulated. He pointed out that when the plague got out of control, there was an increased loss of manpower. We might be griping and complaining about services only open to curbside or take out, but in ancient Rome there were no slaves to harvest crops, so they rotted in the fields and the cargo sat on piers because there were no slaves to load the ships. Saylor explains that when trade trickled and there were no crops, it gave rise to famine.

This book cover features the beautiful painting, The Martyrdom of Saint Agnes, by Joseph Desire Court.

I was gifted this advance copy by Steven Saylor, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Publishes June 29, 2021.

[Audrey Approved · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steven Saylor’s Roma was really influential for me when I read it over a decade ago, as it was the first time I saw generational ties between characters being used as a structural format. This format, which continues to work really well for me, has gotten a lot more popular in recent years (think the wild success of Homegoing, for example). I found the characters varied and interesting, and learned a ton about the history of Rome in the process. Since Roma has remained one of my most nostalgic historical fiction books, I was quick to request Saylor’s most recent piece in the Rome series when I saw it offered on Netgalley.

Unfortunately, Dominus is pretty weak in comparison to Roma (Empire, second in the trilogy, was also not as strong). Like before, we follow descendants of the Pinarii family that hold their family talisman, but focus on only ~150 years of Roman history during the shift from the older polytheistic Roman gods to Christianity, and the thirty or so emperors that came/went during this time.

My biggest problem is that all the characters (descendants) feel and think like the exact same person, probably because so many of the chapter viewpoints come from Pinarii men aged 30s-40s, working as sculptors. This might be historically true, but is much less interesting to read than the characters in Roma, which switched between Pinarii ranging from young/old, poor/rich and male/female, with a large variety of occupations. Frankly, this makes this book a 500 page story with the same character voice, and a ton of emperor switch-ups. I applaud Saylor for his research (the Afterward, where he talks about his sources, was pretty interesting) but I can’t say I was ever excited to pick this book up as I was reading, nor will I remember it a few weeks from now.

2.5 stars, rounded up

I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Di immortales, it’s been a while since I read any Steven Saylor! For those who don’t know the name, Saylor is an author of Roman historical fiction; I found him in college, and devoured a long series starring “Gordianus the Finder”. These were essentially detective stories, the plots of which introduced readers to various characters in the late Republic, and coincided with the rise of one Gaius Julius Caesar. Saylor has also written a couple of short story collections that tell the tale of Rome from its ancient beginnings through to the Empire: Roma and Imperium were both fun. Dominus continues the latter trilogy, staying rooted in the same family we’ve followed for centuries. This time, though, a new lord is in town: Jesus Christ is slowly replacing Julius Caesar as the JC of choice.

We open in the reign of Marcus Aurelius, who we saw a teenager in the last collection. Here the thoughtful young man has been saddled with the responsibilities of empire, and the first story sees our first antagonist Lucius Pindarii approaching his old friend with a hot tip about a new physician in town, some chap named Galen. Unfortunately, for the Emperor and posterity, Galen is too late to save the life of the Emperor’s son Titus, so we’ll get saddled with Commodus instead. Saylor continues using a family heirloom, a necklace with an ancient fascinus totem, to keep track of our heir — though in one story, it assumes an active role. Marcus Aurelius, noting that the Pindarii appear exempt from the plague, asks his friend Lucius if young Commodus can wear it for protection until the Pindarii heir comes of age. Commodus, being Commodus, insists on retaining it. Because the Pindarii have a friendship with the royal family and in fact produce statuary for it, readers bear witness through them to Rome’s tumultuous opening centuries in the Christian millennium — from the high watermark of Marcus Aurelius, to the absolute chaos that followed Commodus. Historical events take on personal importance, as we experience through the characters the almost supernatural dread after seeing a temple’s holiest of holies exposed to the public by fire, or experience the total loss of familial posessions after enduring one of Rome’s many fires. The bizarre turns that Roman politics take are also in full view of us: how strange to witness the devolution of Rome from inspiring warrior-kings like Tiberius and Marcus Aurelius to mental cases like the “False Antonius“, a vain teenage boy with serious theological and sexual issues.

Being in a Roman mood, I enjoyed this well enough: it was nice to return to Saylor after so long a departure, and I notice he’s written a few other things in the interim — including a new Gordianus the Finder novel! As a fan of Marcus Aurelius, I enjoyed his prominent place in the beginning of the novel, though I didn’t quite buy his rendering as the philosopher-king. He was a complex personality, though, so I won’t dwell on that….and he’s far better than any other emperor we see! Much of the book is marked with decadence, depravity, and chaos, both political and moral. As gross as I found False Antonius, for instance, his death scene was even worse. This is not a book for people who want to avoid sex or violence, I will say. It’s not explicitly shown, but it’s often talked about. Not surprisingly, Saylor has also penned a series of “erotic fiction” titles. Vae!

I enjoyed Dominus well enough, but its structure as a series of stories in which Roman history is being observed restrains it a bit. The Pinarii are largely spectators to what’s happening, only twice being pulled directly into stories themselves. There’s not a plot, just the passage of time, and the only unifying thread is the slow increase of Christianity. At the beginning, it’s regarded as anathema to the Romans — unpious atheism — but by the end, one Pinarii is a practicing Christian, and the Emperor Constantine removes all previous restrictions, penalties, etc for practicing it. If you’re a fan of Rome, though, the lack of a driving plot may pose no obstacle to enjoying it. I especially liked experiencing trends that require more of a long view, like Rome’s slow decline as a city within the Empire, or the theological debate continually drifting in a way that made Roman Christianity possible. Sometimes characters’ political and theological observations are worth reading in themselves: I especially liked the view of history as a palimpsest, a slate continually rewritten but always bearing lingering marks of that which was inscribed before. Town names often carry multiple heritages, for instance, and the western weekly and annual calendars are a riot of influences — all the way back to the Babylonians and their seven-day calendar! Though not a tight ‘novel’, Dominus is an immersive return to Rome, rewarding for readers who love living history vicariously. I’ll be looking for Saylor’s other two Gordianus books to see how the old detective is bearing up after the triumph of Caesar; this was an enjoyable return to Saylor’s Rome.

[Gulshan Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical Accuracy and Attention to Detail

Steven Saylor's 'Dominus' is praised for its historical accuracy, showcasing the author's meticulous research into ancient Rome. Saylor's portrayal of political maneuvering and daily life in Rome adds depth and authenticity to the narrative. For example, Saylor incorporates real historical events such as Julius Caesar's rise to power, seamlessly blending them with fictional narratives. This attention to detail not only educates readers about ancient Rome but also immerses them in the rich tapestry of the time period.

Saylor's ability to bring historical figures and events to life through his vivid prose and descriptive language is a testament to his dedication to accuracy. By painting a realistic picture of ancient Rome, Saylor allows readers to experience the sights, sounds, and emotions of the era. This level of detail not only enhances the reading experience but also educates readers about the complexities of Roman society and politics.

Furthermore, Saylor's meticulous research extends beyond major historical events to encompass the nuances of daily life in ancient Rome. From the opulent palaces of the elite to the bustling markets of the common folk, Saylor's descriptive language creates a vivid and immersive world that readers can easily envision. This attention to detail sets 'Dominus' apart as a historical fiction novel that not only entertains but also educates.

Compelling Characters and Multi-Dimensional Portrayals

One of the strengths of 'Dominus' lies in its compelling characters, each with their own motivations and flaws. Saylor's characters, whether they are cunning politicians, ambitious generals, or determined slaves, are multi-dimensional and engaging. For instance, the character development of Julius Caesar as he navigates the treacherous political landscape of ancient Rome is both captivating and thought-provoking.

By imbuing his characters with depth and complexity, Saylor creates a rich tapestry of personalities that drive the narrative forward. Each character's actions and decisions are rooted in their individual motivations, adding layers of intrigue and suspense to the story. This multi-dimensional portrayal of characters not only makes 'Dominus' a compelling read but also allows readers to empathize with and understand the complexities of human nature.

While the abundance of characters in the novel may initially overwhelm readers, Saylor's skillful characterization ensures that each individual is distinct and memorable. From the conniving senator to the loyal servant, each character plays a crucial role in the unfolding drama of ancient Rome. This diverse cast of characters adds depth and richness to the narrative, making 'Dominus' a truly immersive reading experience.

[Kevin Furr · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Latest instalment in a series of historical novels set in ancient Rome ***

The 3rd in a historical novel series set in ancient Rome -- the Roma Series. And something like Saylor's 19th historical novel set in ancient Rome, if I haven't missed anything. This Roma series illustrates the progression of Roman history through succeeding generations of the Pinarius family, and through the McGuffin of the fascinum, a sacred necklace amulet handed down in the family, father to son, for a thousand years at this point.

The Pinarii were there before Rome was founded, and so are an ancient aristocratic patrician family. Each generation manages to be friends or confidants of Roman leaders and emperors, such that we see Rome's key historical events close up.

The previous (2nd) book ended about 100 AD or so, and I was disappointed because at the time there was no news of further novels, and I was expecting to see the fall of Rome. But, now a few years later here we go picking up the thread.

This one starts with the mid 100's reign of Marcus Aurelius, introducing his contemporary Pinarius friend, and proceeds from one generation to the next.

Really this novel is not as interesting as Saylor's other series about Gordianus the Finder, Roman private detective. This novel is almost entirely a series of conversations between the current Pinarius and the current emperor, or some court insider, or family member. No action. Almost no travel. In the Gordianus books we see a good bit of life in Rome and elsewhere, and see life and events around Italy and outside it in places like Marsala (Marseilles) and Egypt. And plenty of action. And Even in the earlier Roma books, historical events were lived out as narrative action.

Here though, just one conversation after another -- just talk about the stuff that's been happening. It's like Saylor got stuck in a rut with that device.

This one ends in the time of Constantine, so we still don't get to a fall of Rome. And not clear we ever will, as this ends with a shift to Constantinople.

As mentioned this novel doesn't portray events, it just has a lot of dialog. Seemed kind of cheap and was pretty boring, like Saylor couldn't be bothered to build an actual narrative. Diocletian and his reforms are only recounted in hindsight in a catchup passage. The one cohesive thread is the gradual shift from paganism to Christianity in the empire.

In sum, this was a disappointment. The first two books in this series were well worth reading; this one, not so much.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more bookish posts please visit https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Dominus: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Steven Saylor is the third book in the Rome series. Mr. Saylor is a bestselling author and an expert on Roman history.

Rome has found itself with two emperors – Marcus Aurelius and Lucius, his brother. Marcus, a philosopher, rules the city while Lucius does the fighting and ruling the vast empire.

Ruling such a big country is difficult, certainly when a plague kills many in the city. Many charlatans and false prophets try to take advantage of the situation altogether, including ones from a new sect called Christians.

As Marcus Aurelius passes away, his successor Commodus is given the title of Augustus. Not interested in wars, Commodus wants to enjoy the peace, chariot races as well as gladiator fights. Additionally, Commodus builds an amphitheater, making himself popular with low-born Romans.

The scope of Dominus: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Steven Saylor is undoubtedly huge, spanning 160 very busy years. The novel includes many emperors, as well as other important personas during that time, the author wisely chose to concentrate on just a few.

I certainly enjoyed the historical aspect of the novel, changes to the empire in attitude, philosophy, and religion. The Romans viewed Christianity with an especially fearful eye at first, and being tolerable afterwards. As we all know, the religion was embraced by the emperor and the world has changed since then.

The narrative was a bit disjointed. Jumping from one subject to another, from one leader to another. There abrupt transitions brought me out of the story and I sometimes has to read back to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

By all means, spanning this much time is an ambitious project. I read and seen many history books which are twice the size, however only addressing a fraction of that timeline.

As with other novels I read by Mr. Saylor, the depictions of daily life are vivid and interesting. There is obviously a lot of research involved, and the author certainly knows enough to make conjunctures if needed. For me, this was the highlight of the book.

Getting a feel to what the Roman Empire was like, with great details is the strength of Mr. Saylor’s books. Brining historical figures, and others, to life as humans and not caricatures is a wonderful trait of historical fiction novels, and this one is no exception.

[J. Else · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following his novels Roma and Empire comes Steven Saylor’s latest about the Pinarii family, Dominus. Spanning seven generations between 165 to 326 AD, Dominus introduces us to emperors and senators during the rise of Christianity and the tumultuous final years of Rome as the center of the ancient world.

Saylor’s series starts in prehistory and ends with Emperor Constantine’s reign in Dominus. While not as prevalent as in Roma, the best moments arise from humble, mortal manifestations and subsequently evolve into myths, affecting later Roman society in their telling and retelling. The author doesn’t adjust the facts to fit his narrative (thank you for this incredible accuracy to detail!), and the historical setting is enchantingly immersive. Little-known historical figures are brought to life, like the rebellious Zenobia, whose fate and legacy become similar to Cleopatra’s after she defies Rome.

My one major gripe surrounds the Christian characters, who only ever talk about their longing to die as martyrs, and the more painful, the better. This is ascribed to almost every single Christian. Saylor does a great job presenting the Roman viewpoint (from their confusion about monotheism to their revulsion), but the Christians are presented with great disdain, which sometimes feels more authorial than character-based.

Like a literary master class, Saylor’s novels possess a rich, masterfully woven historical setting and characters (though in his author’s note, he lists three books he labels “wretched whitewashes” and “lousy fiction,” putdowns I find distasteful and hope other authors don’t emulate). Dominus is an epic, poignant look at one family stepping through the pages of Roman history, each generation writing their stories atop the last. As facts blur, Saylor presents a compelling narrative of what’s left behind in history’s wake.

Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...

[Viktor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starting in 165 AD, multiple generations of the legendary Pinarius family of sculptors lead us through 160 years of otherwise rather obscure Roman history. We follow the often very brief reigns of some thirty emperors – often called Dominus. We learn of their military exploits, family rivalries and sexual perversions. But we also become aware of a growing religious tension.

Dominus is a lengthy, scholarly work, obviously the result of extensive research. Although the Pinarii are largely fictional, the history is probably accurate. However, by covering such a long period of time, in some places the book drops into a laborious, step-by-step list of events. It comes to life toward the end with the controversial rise of Constantine in 312 AD and the surprising changes he introduces.

Guided by mysterious visions and his subsequent victory over the previous emperor Maxentius, Constantine promotes Christianity as the national religion. Much to the dismay of the mass of the population, he commissions Zenobius Pinarius to replace old temples and alter statues in honour of himself as emperor.

A recurring element throughout the book is the Pinarius family’s fascinum. This is an ancient talisman in the form of a winged phallus, which is passed from father to son and supposedly protects them from harm. Zenobius is proud to adhere to the Old Religion, derisively called ‘pagan’. He mocks the new Christian faith, which rejects its many deities and emphasises a single God. Its arcane theological disputes about divine ‘substances’, the glorification of suffering, and what happens after death baffle him.

At the end of the book, the family is commissioned to aid in designing a new capital city on the site of the razed Byzantium. Zenobius’ son Kaeso then makes a momentous decision; he conceals the fascinum in a secret vault and decides to become a Christian.

For all its erudition, both as a historical chronicle and as an exposition of conflicting religious perspectives, this book comes over as rather superficial.

[Richard West · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third - and presumably concluding volume in what I believe is Steven Saylor's rather epic series on the Roman Empire, beginning with before the founding of Rome and concluding with the reign of Constantine who, for all practical purposes was the final emperor of Rome as we think of the Roman Empire. However, it is possible, he could do a fourth volume, but the question would be why? This series is perfect as a trilogy.

It is so refreshing to read a - in this case, series - novel on Rome and not have the obligatory (or so it seems) battle scenes. You know: "Marcus moved into the shield wall, drew his spatha and began yelling at the invaders. The yelling was picked up by others around him and soon the entire area resounded with the cries of Roman legionaries yelling for death to the invaders. And on and on." There isn't a single battle scene of that ilk in this book! Thank you Steven Saylor! While there is a reference to a battle or two, we don't get the blood, guts and gore that are associated with them.
This gem instead focuses on the human aspect of Roman life through one family that can trace their lineage back to the beginnings of Rome. There are a lot of people dying, but they aren't dying in those battle scenes which get tiresome after a while.

For those who are interested in a top-notch series on Ancient Rome, go out and get the other two volumes and this one, sit down and start reading! Each book is in the 500-page range so it will take you a few days, but you'll be glad you took the time to read them. This is an outstanding series and Dominus is the perfect conclusion. Highly recommended.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received Dominus as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

Spanning 150 years from the reign of Marcus Aurelius to that of Constantine, Dominus centers on seven generations of the ancient Pinarii family as they experience the political and religious turmoil that shook the Roman Empire in the wake of some of its greatest triumphs. As the Empire distances itself from its former dominance and traditions toward its unification (or "unification") under Christianity, the Pinarii must reckon with their place in a changing, tumultuous world.

I enjoyed Dominus while acknowledging that it's not the deepest or most subtle piece of historical fiction. It's a fascinating time in history, full of transition and violence, and one that doesn't get examined in fiction often. At times, I feel like it reads a bit like a standard political history but given a fictional bent--it's male-focused, driven by political and often military action, and not a whole lot beyond that. That said, I feel like the fairly light treatment of the era is a nice introduction to what was going on--and if a reader's interest is piqued, they can pursue other works that give more context. It reads very smoothly, and the narrative moves along at a decent place and doesn't get bogged down in minutae. If you like the format of books by Edward Rutherfurd or James Michener, which explores the life of a place over several generations, Dominus is probably a good choice for you.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhh I was so excited to see that after 11 years Saylor wrote a final installment of this series. While the original Roma will always be my favorite, I found this one fascinating and well researched. Tackling the period from the end of Marcus Aurelius to the rule of Constantine, Saylor takes a first hand look at many of the forgotten emperors of Rome. Much attention is always paid to Marcus Aurelius, Constantine, Septimius Severus, but here we also get Antoninus/Elagabulus, Philip the Arab, Aurelian, and Maxentius. I loved the look at the women of the Severi dynasty who take so much control of the ruling of the Empire. Throughout the whole book we see the effects of many plagues (which feels eerily real given our pandemic ridden world) and the rise of Christianity. Through all of this the Pinarii manuever in and out of favor with the emperors. They weather great fires and loss, they struggle to keep on the right side of the ever changing rulers, and they trust in the power of their fascinum. I appreciate that Saylor chooses to end not with the fall of the west and the conquering of Rome, but with the rise of Constantinople as that in many ways marks the end of Rome in all but name. I would still enjoy a follow-up dedicated to the Pinarii in the Byzantine empire, but we can't get everything. Thank you to Saylor for showing Rome through the ages in all its good and bad.