Historical Fiction Review: I Am Rome | Santiago Posteguillo

Not for those looking for a light or quick read, I Am Rome is an epic historical thriller centered around a young Julius Caesar. At over 600 pages in text, this book is lengthy but rewarding.

About the Book | I Am Rome

Every legend has a beginning.

Rome, 77 B.C. Senator Dolabella, known for using violence against anyone who opposes him, is going on trial for corruption and has already hired the best lawyers and even bought the jury. No man dares accept the role of prosecutor–until, against all odds, an unknown twenty-three-year-old steps out to lead the case, defend the people of Rome, and defy the power of the elite class. This lawyer’s name is Caius Julius Caesar.

Masterfully combining exhaustive historical rigor with extraordinary narrative skills, Santiago Posteguillo shows us the man behind the myth of Caesar as never before, taking us to the dangerous streets of Rome where the Senate’s henchmen lurk on every corner, submerging us in the thick of battle, and letting us live the great love story of Julius Caesar and his wife, Cornelia. 

After Julius Caesar, the world was never the same. I Am Rome tells the tale of the early events that shaped this extraordinary man’s fate–and changed the course of history itself. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

Review | I Am Rome

I was intimidated by the length but intrigued enough by the premise that I wanted to give I Am Rome a try. The book was originally published in Spain but was later translated to English (among other languages. The translation is great—you won’t know that this was written in a different language. The audiobook was the way to go for me because it allowed me to adjust the speed as it suited me and because the narrator, Dan Bittner, is very engaging and brought the story to life. I highly recommend doing the audiobook!

Part historical fiction, part legal thriller, I Am Rome begins in 77 B.C and moves back and forth through different time periods throughout the life of Julius Caesar, with emphasis on his younger years. Even before his birth, Rome was heading towards a time of war and political unrest. Many powerful senators have built fortunes in Rome that lead them to believe they are superior to others and favored by the Gods. As a young infant, Julius is told by his mother Aurelia before he can even understand it that he will be the chosen one whose destiny it is to win the war that is simmering in Rome demanding more equality in wealth and power.

While the select few aristocratic senators continue to get richer and gain more territory, the majority of people in Rome are plagued by poverty. A former dictator decreed that senators can only be tried by other senators, making their power in Rome even greater. At the age of only twenty-three, young Senator Julius Caesar is selected to prosecute Senator Dolabella—a particularly corrupt politician known for violence. A rather naïve Caesar believes that through a trial—no matter how corrupted by Dolabella—he can try to secure justice for the people who have been wronged by the Senator. Julius Caesar is not the first to petition for reform in Rome, but he is the one brave enough to prosecute the Senator.

At this time it was not uncommon for someone to be assassinated for opposing political views, putting Julius at great risk to his own life by proceeding with the trial and opposing the ruling faction of the Roman Empire. Through flashbacks, we learn more and Julius Caesar’s life leading to this point, and what prompted him to take on this battle of injustice at his own personal risk. In the present timeline (in 77 B.C.) the trial is chronicled.

Julius Caesar is thought to be too young to make much difference—a mistaken view that he leverages to his advantage. Throughout the recent timeline we see the way those in his life are affected. His closest friend tells him that taking the case is a suicide mission. Sulla—the former dictator of Rome—orders Julius to divorce his wife Cornelia. Julius refused, and the two have a daughter.

The Julius Caesar portrayed in I Am Rome is shown to greatly respect the women in his life—his wife and mother in particular. This is a contradiction to what would have been common at the time, so I was curious when reading this if that portrayal was the author’s decision or if it was historically accurate.

The story is complex and long—not easily digested in a short time. I broke the audiobook up and listened to only a small portion each day for several weeks, which allowed me to take in the incredible amount of research and history woven into the book, as well as understand the complexities of the political landscape. I often felt that the current state of the United States is really not so far from some of the aspects presented in the Roman Empire.

The characterizations are light on development. I didn’t connect to any characters, nor did it seem I was encouraged to. The book reads more like someone is narrating a story to the reader, rather than the reader feeling like an active participant in it. Similarly, the dialogue often didn’t feel like real dialogue, but it did sort of remind me of dialogue from ancient texts (such as the bible) where the words used were not what is important, the points being made are.

I can’t speak to the historical accuracy of this book, but some other reviews go into much greater detail on it. If you’re interested, I encourage you to check those out! I would be doing a disservice if I tried to capture what different historians have shared. Given my lack of deep knowledge on Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire, I happily read this like a fabled version of events, with plenty of creative liberties taken to bring the story to life.

The length was intimidating—I might have preferred if there was a way to break this into two books. That being said, many readers love an epic novel and this certainly delivers that. I was interested in the story and the narration by Dan Bittner kept me engaged through the duller or drawn out moments.

My only advice to readers (other than doing the audiobook and checking out some of the historians take on the accuracy of this portrayal) is to give the beginning section a slower read to orient yourself to what is happening. If you are relatively shallow in your knowledge, it can take a bit to get the hang of the names, places, and time periods being discussed.

An impressive work of historical fiction.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.