SPQR Series 1-13 - John Maddox Roberts

Written by John Maddox Roberts
Format: MP3
Unabridged

The SPQR series is a collection of historical mystery stories by John Maddox Roberts, published between 1990 and 2010, and set in the time of the Roman Republic. SPQR (the original title of the first book, until the sequels came out) is a Latin initialism for Senatus Populusque Romanus (”The Roman Senate and People”), the official name of the Republic.

The stories are told in first-person form by Senator Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger (born c 91-95 BC), nephew of Metellus Pius and member of the powerful Caecilius Metellus family of the Roman Senate. The stories are told in flashback-form by the old Decius, writing during the reign of Augustus Caesar. The stories range from 70 BC (The King’s Gambit) to 20 BC (”The King of Sacrifices”).

1. The King’s Gambit: In 70 BC, Decius uncovers a plot to subvert Lucullus’ army in the war against Mithridates.
2. The Catiline Conspiracy (63–62 BC): Decius uncovers Catiline’s plot to overthrow the Republic.
3. The Sacrilege (62–61 BC): Decius investigates Clodius’s desecration of the Bona Dea rites.
4. The Temple of the Muses (60 BC): While visiting Alexandria, Decius investigates the murder of a philosopher at its famous library.
5. Saturnalia (59 BC): Decius investigates the murder of his kinsman Metellus Celer.
6. Nobody Loves a Centurion (58 BC): Decius investigates the murder of a centurion of the 10th Legion at the start of the Gallic Wars.
7. The Tribune’s Curse (55 BC): Decius investigates the murder of a tribune who curses Crassus on his way to Parthia.
8. The River God’s Vengeance (53 BC): Decius investigates a collapsed insula, uncovering systematic fraud in the construction trade.
9. The Princess and the Pirates (51 BC): Decius investigates the murder of his host, the Roman governor of Cyprus, while on the island to deal with an upsurge in piracy. The eponymous princess is the young Cleopatra VII of Egypt.
10. A Point of Law (51–50 BC): While running for election to the office of praetor, Decius must deal with accusations that he murdered a man who had threatened to denounce him for actions he took while on Cyprus the previous year.
11. Under Vesuvius: In 50 BC, while touring Campania as praetor peregrinus, Decius investigates a murder near Mount Vesuvius.
12. Oracle of the Dead (50 BC). As praetor peregrinus, Decius investigates the murders of a group of priests of Apollo during the period just before Caesar crosses the Rubicon.
13. The Year of Confusion (46–45 BC): During Caesar’s dictatorship, Decius is commissioned to oversee the adoption of Caesar’s new calendar, and investigates the murders of several astronomers who developed it.

(Source: Wikipedia)