Dominus, Steven Saylor
Dominus, Steven Saylor
2 Rating(s)
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Dominus
A Novel of the Roman Empire

Author: Steven Saylor

Narrator: John Curless

Unabridged: 20 hr 11 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 06/29/2021


Synopsis

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.

About Steven Saylor

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

Goodreads review by Annette on May 10, 2021

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 th......more

Goodreads review by Clemens on April 25, 2022

**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 t......more

Goodreads review by Kathy on September 06, 2021

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 w......more

Goodreads review by Read By Kyle on June 20, 2021

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 s......more

Goodreads review by Liviu on April 21, 2021

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, Elagabal......more