If you liked Robert Harris’ Lustrum...

Robert Grabes: I Claudius
I Claudius stands as one of the most celebrated, gripping historical novels of all time. Written in the style of an autobiography, the intrigues, madness and debauchery of ancient Rome are all observed in gory detail and with cunning insight by the nobleman Claudius.

Marguerite Yourcenar: Memoirs of Hadrian
In Memoirs of Hadrian, Marguerite Yourcenar recreates the life and death of one of the great rulers of the ancient world. Aware his demise is imminent, the Emperor Hadrian writes a long letter to Marcus Aurelius, meditating on the past, describing his military triumphs, love of poetry and music, and the philosophy that informed his powerful and far-flung rule. It’s a work of superbly detailed research which recreates the world of early BC Rome.