Originally Posted by
The Good
I want to mention that I really appreciate this series of mods. Thank you, to everyone involved!
They're very detailed, and to me they appear authentic to the late Roman period, which is my favorite to do with ancient Roman history. Most people are mainly interested in the time periods of Caesar and Augustus, give or take about two or three centuries before and after them (from around Rome: Total War's start date, to the 3rd Century Crisis). I agree that those periods are interesting as well, but there is a haunting appeal to the age of the Western Roman Empire's fall (for me it fell after Julius Nepos' death, and the annexation of Dalmatia). Odoacer's Kingdom of Italy, Syagrius' rule over northern Gaul, and the British state of Ambrosius Aurelianus (if not him, possibly succeeded by the King Arthur whose exact identity is shrouded in mystery) were very interesting as well. I know less about the North African Roman-Moorish Kingdom, I think their most important leader we know of, was Masuna, around the late 5th and early 6th centuries AD.
In fact, after my first book is finished, I am planning on writing a historical fiction novel (or if the period is too broad, a series), most likely set between the years after the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Adrianopolis to the very late 5th century, probably ending after the Ostrogothic invasion of Italy, at the time controlled by Odoacer with the Senate's approval. I will try to use as much of historical research I have access to in preparing for it, and I will continue researching through books like Peter Heather's The Fall of the Roman Empire, some of the Osprey series of books, and Ian Hughes' Stilicho and Aetius books. I also have Vegetius' On Roman Military Matters coming on its way.
Any more late (or all periods) Roman books to recommend, that aren't prohibitive in price (I've seen a very expensive book centered around Roman leaders of the mid-to-late 5th century)?
Which writing convention do you prefer; referring to the Goths as Visigoths and Ostrogoths, or their Latin names, Visigothi and Ostrogothi? Does referring to the Huns as the Hunni seem too strange? How many ancient terms is good to use before seeming too unapproachable to most readers?
Finally, what are some late Roman (I mean 3rd to 6th centuries) historical fiction novels that you like? Are they mostly authentic, or are a number of artistic liberties taken with the time period? Thank you!
Brilliant Series of Mods, and Questions from a Writer
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