Discover the best books set in Rome – From the grandeur of the Roman Empire to the streets, piazzas and bars of the modern city, Rome has inspired writers for centuries. Few places combine history, power, religion and everyday life as vividly as the Italian capital. This selection brings together novels set in Rome and its surroundings, spanning historical fiction, crime, social critique, romance and intimate family stories.
Featured Novels set in and around Rome
The Pope’s Daughter: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia by Dario Fo
Dario Fo’s The Pope’s Daughter offers a vivid reimagining of Lucrezia Borgia’s life, set against the splendour of Renaissance Rome. The novel portrays Lucrezia not as a villain of legend but as a complex woman shaped by family and circumstance. Written in a distinctive, theatrical style, it blends historical insight with commentary on truth and myth-making. Engaging and thought-provoking, the book invites readers to reconsider one of Rome’s most notorious historical figures.
- Setting: Rome and Ferrara
- Publication: 2014
- Original title: La Figlia del Papa
- 241 pages
- Notable: This is the debut novel by Italian playwright Dario Fo, awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1997, published at the remarkable age of 88.
Read the full book page: The Pope’s Daughter by Dario Fo
The Mussolini Canal by Antonio Pennacchi
Antonio Pennacchi’s The Mussolini Canal is a powerful novel set in the Pontine Marshes south of Rome, where families were resettled under Mussolini’s regime. Through the eyes of the Peruzzi family, it portrays everyday life against the backdrop of rising Fascism in 1930s Italy. Rich in voice and historical detail, it offers a compelling perspective on how ideology and survival shaped ordinary lives in the Roman countryside.
- Setting: Latina (Agro Pontino); Codigoro (Veneto)
- Publication: 2010
- Original title: Canale Mussolini
- 460 pages
- Notable: winner of the Premio Strega in 2010 and the Premio Acqui Storia for Historical Novel in the same year.
Read the full book page: The Mussolini Canal by Antonio Pennacchi
Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman by Friedrich Christian Delius
Friedrich Christian Delius’s Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman follows a pregnant German woman wandering through Rome in 1943 for a Bach concert. As she moves through the sunlit streets, her reflections unfold almost as if no war were raging. Set entirely in Rome, the novel offers an intimate portrait of a sheltered life unfolding in extraordinary times. Subtle and evocative, it captures both the beauty of the city and the underlying tension of the Second World War.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 2006
- Original title: Bildnis der Mutter als junge Frau
- 128 pages
- Notable: the author won the Georg Büchner Prize
Read the full book page: Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman by Friedrich Christian Delius
Imperium by Robert Harris
Robert Harris’s Imperium is a gripping historical novel set in ancient Rome, following the rise of Marcus Tullius Cicero from outsider to consul. Told through the eyes of his secretary Tiro, it brings to life the political intrigue, rivalries and power struggles of the late Roman Republic. Fast-paced and richly detailed, it offers an absorbing introduction to one of history’s most fascinating political careers. It is the first book in a trilogy, followed by Lustrum and Dictator.
- Setting: mainly Rome
- Original title: Imperium
- Publication: 2006
- 485 pages
Read the full book page: Imperium by Robert Harris
Don’t Move by Margaret Mazzantini
Margaret Mazzantini’s Don’t Move is an intense and unsettling novel set in Rome, where a surgeon keeps vigil at his daughter’s hospital bedside and confronts a troubling secret from his past. The story moves between the city’s affluent circles and its neglected outskirts, offering a raw and unflinching portrait of human contradictions.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 2001
- Original title: Non ti muovere
- 240 pages
- Notable: winner of the Premio Strega and the Premio Cavour in 2002.
Read the full book page: Don’t Move by Margaret Mazzantini
The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough
Colleen McCullough’s The First Man in Rome is an epic historical novel set in ancient Rome, charting the rise of the ambitious general Gaius Marius at the end of the Republic. Rich in political intrigue and military drama, it recreates the power struggles that shaped Rome’s destiny. With meticulous detail and a sweeping narrative, the book immerses readers in the complexities of Roman public and private life. It is the first in the acclaimed Masters of Rome series, followed by The Grass Crown, Fortune’s Favourites, Caesar’s Women, Caesar, The October Horse and Antony and Cleopatra.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1990
- Original title: The First Man in Rome
- 1123 pages
Read the full book page: The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough
History: A Novel by Elsa Morante
Elsa Morante’s History is a powerful and deeply moving story set in wartime Rome, following a widowed schoolteacher and her two sons as they struggle to survive the hardships of the Second World War. Through the eyes of ordinary people, it portrays a city marked by hunger, fear and the constant threat of violence. Widely regarded as Elsa Morante’s masterpiece, History (La storia) remains a profound and unforgettable anti-war novel.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1974
- Original title: La Storia
- 600 pages
- Notable: the author won the Premio Strega and the Premio Viareggio.
Read the full book page: History: A Novel by Elsa Morante
Last Summer in the City by Gianfranco Calligarich
Gianfranco Calligarich’s cult novel Last Summer in the City follows a drifting man through Rome in the early 1970s, as he resists the expectations of adult life. Moving between Piazza Navona and the city’s bars, cafés and trattorias, the novel captures a bohemian Rome seen from the margins. At its heart lies a fragile love story that reflects the protagonist’s uncertainty and detachment. Evocative and understated, it offers a compelling portrait of a city and a life suspended between freedom and direction.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1973
- Original title: L’ultima estate in città
- 192 pages
- Notable: the author won the Premio Viareggio and the Premio Bagutti
Read the full book page: Last Summer in the City by Gianfranco Calligarich
Augustus by John Williams
John Williams’s Augustus is a richly textured historical novel that traces the rise and rule of Rome’s first emperor through letters, diaries and official accounts. From the aftermath of Julius Caesar’s assassination to the consolidation of imperial power, it vividly evokes the political and personal struggles at the heart of ancient Rome. The shifting voices offer an intimate and nuanced portrait of Augustus and those around him. Elegant and compelling, it brings to life the moment when Rome was transformed from republic to empire.
- Setting: mainly Rome
- Publication: 1972
- 336 pages
- Notable: winner of the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction.
Read the full book page: Augustus by John Williams
Young Caesar and Imperial Caesar by Rex Warner
Rex Warner’s Young Caesar and Imperial Caesar together form a compelling fictional autobiography of Julius Caesar, tracing his life from his early years in Rome to his rise as dictator. Set partly in Rome, the novels evoke the political tensions and ambitions that shaped the late Roman Republic. Blending classical scholarship with psychological insight, they offer an intimate portrait of one of history’s most formidable figures.
- Setting: mainly Rome and Gaul.
- Publication: 1958 (Young Caesar) and 1960 (Imperial Caesar).
- Original title: Young Caesar and Imperial Caesar
- 702 pages
- Notable: Imperial Caesar won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.
Read the full book page: Young Caesar and Imperial Caesar by Rex Warner
That Awful Mess on the Via Merulana by Carlo Emilio Gadda
Carlo Emilio Gadda’s That Awful Mess on the Via Merulana is a richly layered detective novel set in 1920s Rome, where a murder in an apartment building sets off a complex and elusive investigation. As Inspector Ingravallo questions the residents, the story unfolds into a portrait of Roman society under Fascism. Blending crime fiction with satire, it captures the city’s voices, tensions and contradictions. Challenging yet rewarding, it stands as a landmark of modern Italian literature.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1957
- Original title: Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana
- 400 pages
- Notable: the author won the Premio Bagutta, the Premio Viareggio, and the International Formentor Prize.
Read the full book page: That Awful Mess on the Via Merulana by Carlo Emilio Gadda
Boys Alive by Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Boys Alive is a raw novel set in post-war Rome, following a group of boys who grow up on the city’s impoverished outskirts. Through the experiences of Riccetto and his friends, the book portrays a harsh world of survival, petty crime and fleeting hopes. Gritty and unflinching, it remains a powerful portrait of a hidden side of the city.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1955
- Original title: Ragazzi di vita
- 224 pages
Read the full book page: Boys Alive by Pier Paolo Pasolini
The Scarlet City by Hella S. Haasse
Hella S. Haasse’s The Scarlet City is a richly layered historical novel set in Renaissance Rome, following a young man’s search for his true identity within the shadowy world of the Borgia and Farnese families. As his story unfolds, the novel immerses readers in the artistic brilliance and political intrigue of 16th-century Rome. Blending multiple perspectives, it brings to life a city shaped by power struggles, ambition and cultural transformation.
- Setting: Rome
- Original title: De scharlaken stad
- Publication: 1952
- 368 pages
- Notable: the author won many Dutch literary prizes including the Huygens Prize and the P.C. Hooft Award.
Read the full book page: The Scarlet City by Hella S. Haasse
Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar
Marguerite Yourcenar’s Memoirs of Hadrian is an elegant and introspective historical novel in which the Roman emperor Hadrian reflects on his life from his villa at Tivoli, near Rome. Written as a long letter, it traces his rise to power, his travels across the empire, and his efforts to govern with wisdom and restraint. Blending historical depth with philosophical insight, the novel offers an intimate portrait of both the man and his age. Widely regarded as a masterpiece, it brings ancient Rome to life with remarkable clarity and emotional resonance.
- Setting: Tivoli and various other settings across the Roman Empire
- Publication: 1951
- Original title: Mémoires d’Hadrien
- 416 pages
- Notable: the author was the first woman elected to the Académie Française.
Read the full book page: Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar
The Ides of March by Thornton Wilder
Thornton Wilder’s The Ides of March is a sophisticated historical novel set in ancient Rome, reconstructing the final days before Julius Caesar’s assassination. Told through letters, diaries and documents, it captures the intrigues, ambitions and private lives of those around him. Blending fact and fiction, the novel offers a psychologically rich portrait of Caesar and his circle, bringing the drama of Rome’s last republican years to life.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1948
- 304 pages
- Notable: the author won the Pulitzer Prize three times, as well as the U.S. National Book Award.
Read the full book page: The Ides of March by Thornton Wilder
There’s No Turning Back by Alba de Céspedes
Alba de Céspedes’s There’s No Turning Back is set in 1930s Rome, following a group of young women living in a convent-run student residence. As they form friendships and pursue ambitions for university studies, love and independence, their lives unfold against the constraints of Italian patriarchal society. Banned under Mussolini, the novel stands as a powerful challenge to the Fascist regime’s vision of women as wives and mothers.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1938
- Original title: Nessuno torna indietro
- 303 pages
Read the full book page: There’s No Turning Back by Alba de Céspedes
I, Claudius by Robert Graves
Robert Graves’s I, Claudius is a vivid historical novel set in ancient Rome, recounting the life of the unlikely emperor Claudius amid the intrigues and infighting of the imperial court. Told as a secret autobiography, and drawing on ancient Roman sources, it brings to life the violence, ambition and betrayals of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Through Claudius’s sharp and often ironic voice, the novel offers an insider’s view of power in Rome. Together with its sequel, Claudius the God, it stands as one of the most celebrated portrayals of imperial Rome in fiction.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1934
- 394 pages
- Notable: I, Claudius and Claudius the God won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction.
Read the full book page: I, Claudius by Robert Graves
Hadrian the Seventh by Frederick Rolfe
Frederick Rolfe’s Hadrian the Seventh is a satirical and eccentric novel set in Rome, in which an obscure Englishman is unexpectedly elected pope. As he assumes the name Hadrian VII, he embarks on a series of radical and highly personal reforms. Blending fantasy, satire and sharp social observation, the novel offers a strikingly original portrait of power in the Vatican.
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1904
- 424 pages
Read the full book page: Hadrian the Seventh by Frederick Rolfe
Other Notable Novels set in and around Rome
The Catholic School by Edoardo Albinati
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 2016
- Original title: La scuola cattolica
- 1280 pages
- Notable: winner of the Premio Strega in 2016
Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 2007
- 224 pages
- Notable: the author won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (for All the Light We Cannot See).
Clash of Civilizations over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 2006
- Original title: Scontro di civiltà per un ascensore a Piazza Vittorio
- 144 pages
First Words by Rosetta Loy
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1997
- Original title: La parole ebreo
- 208 pages
Threshold of Fire: A Novel of Fifth Century Rome by Hella S. Haasse
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1966
- Original title: Een nieuwer testament
- 255 pages
- Notable: the author won many literary awards in The Netherlands, including the C. Huygens Prize and the P. C. Hooft Award.
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone
- Setting: Rome and Florence
- Publication: 1960
- 784 pages
Death in Rome by Wolfgang Koeppen
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1954
- Original title: Der Tod in Rom
- 216 pages
- Notable: the author received many literary awards in Germany, including the Georg Büchner Prize.
Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Céspedes
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1952
- Original title: Quaderno proibito
- 288 pages
Artemisia by Anna Banti
- Setting: Rome and Florence (also Naples)
- Publication: 1947
- Original title: Artemisia
- 224 pages
The Life and Times of Lucrezia Borgia (Women in History) by Maria Bellonci
- Setting: Mainly Rome; also Ferrara
- Publication: 1939
- Original title: Lucrezia Borgia. La sua vita e i suoi tempi
- 406 pages
- Notable: winner of the Viareggio Prize. The author posthumously received the Premio Strega, for Rinascimento privator.
The Late Mattia Pascal by Luigi Pirandello
- Setting: Mainly Rome and Miragno (a fictional place in Liguria).
- Publication: 1904
- Original title: Il fu Mattia Pascal
- 166 pages
- Notable: the author received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1934.
Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz
- Setting: Rome
- Publication: 1895-1896
- Original title: Quo vadis: Powieść z czasów Nerona
- 324 pages
- Notable: the author received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905.
Pleasure by Gabriele D’Annunzio
- Setting: Mainly Rome; Francavilla al Mare (Abruzzo)
- Publication: 1889
- Original title: Il Piacere
- 384 pages
The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
- Setting: Rome and Florence
- Publication: 1881
- 640 pages
Roderick Hudson by Henry James
- Setting: Rome and Venice
- Publication: 1875
- 186 pages
Italian Journey by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Setting: Trento, Lake Garda, Verona, Vicenza, Padua, Venice, Bologna, Rome, Alban Hills, Naples and Sicily. The Casa di Goethe in Rome (Via del Corso 18) is dedicated to Goethe’s Italian journey.
- Publication: 1816-1817
- Original title: Italienische Reise
- 512 pages