Rome Unit Study Books

In conjunction with our Roman Unit Study we read several books. City, The Story of Rome and Roman Myths are my top three recommendations for a Rome Unit Study. The other books will enhance a Rome Unit Study even more.

The Story of Rome (Yesterday's Classics) by Mary MacGregor is a living history book which begins with early Roman Mythology and ends just after the death of Julius Caesar.

Our Young Folks' Plutarch (Yesterday's Classics) is a series of biographies of Ancient Greeks and Ancient Romans which covers basically the same time period. Both books contain similar stories.

Reading both books simultaneously with my eleven year old helped us to comprehend many of the significant events in Roman history as well as the people involved.

In The Eagle (The Roman Britain Trilogy) the reader is taken on a journey to the days of the Roman Frontier. Recommended for 6th grade and up.

A Roman Fort is a non-fiction book with nice pictures and explanations which paints a picture of what it would have been like to live in a Roman Fort. Recommended for elementary and up.


City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction by David Macaulay gives an accurate fictional account of building a Roman City. In the story the city planers layout the city, build aquaducts, thermal baths, housing and other aspects of the Roman City. Both my nine and eleven year old children enjoyed this book.

I read the non-fiction book Ancient Rome as a reference. It helped me to gain a better understanding of the various territories of the Roman Empire.


The Roman's adopted myths from many cultures and made them their own. Therefore, many Roman Myth books are nearly identical to Greek Myth books with the exception of the names of the Gods.

Roman Myths by Geraldine McCaughrean was not a Greek Myth book. It contained several myths unique to the Romans. Beginning with the fall of Troy from Greek legend, the book included the story of Romulus and Remus as well as the story of the Sabine Women. Recommended for grade 3 and up. 


Pompeii is a subject that fascinates and terrifies. My six and nine year olds enjoyed reading book Pompeii...Buried Alive! (Step into Reading) They had many questions and so we found the more detailed book The Buried City of Pompeii: Picturebook. My nine year old son is currently reading the Magic Tree House series to my six year old. Vacation Under the Volcano (Magic Tree House, No. 13), book 13, is all about Pompeii.


Galen was a doctor to Roman Emperors and Gladiators. He served four different emperors and learned about anatomy by dissecting animals since dissecting animals was illegal. Reading Galen and the Gateway to Medicine, a simple chapter book is a fun way to learn about life and medicine during the Roman times.


Last, but not least, the book Life of a Roman Slave (Way People Live) gave an eye opening view of what it would have been like to be a slave. Slavery is bad in any culture, but  Roman slavery was much different than American Slavery. If I had to be a slave I would much rather be Roman, than American. I read this book and passed on much of the information to the kids, but my eleven year old could have easily read it on her own.

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