History (and Background) for D&D

[mmadsen]

I've found that mystery novels set in places like ancient Rome, Byzantium and places like that are good places to get a feel for various societies. Certainly one good enough for a game.

Definitely. Historical fiction usually conveys the feel much better than a dry history textbook.

Some of my favorites have been Lindsey Davis' "Falco" books (Rome and all corners of the empire), Rosemary Rowe's "Libertus" Mysteries (Roman Britain) and Mary Reed's "John the Eunich" Mysteries (Set in Justinian and Theodora's Byzantium -- The title character is Justinian's Chamberlain).

I may need a bit more "selling" before I'm convinced to pick up something called the "John the Eunuch" mysteries.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Definitely. Historical fiction usually conveys the feel much better than a dry history textbook.

I may need a bit more "selling" before I'm convinced to pick up something called the "John the Eunuch" mysteries.

I'd still take an actual good history over the mystery.

Eunuchs are cool, at least the Byzantine ones. Good servants of the state, renowned for their virtue and intelligence, and producing a number of famous and capable individuals such as Narses, who was one of Justinian's generals and considered by many to be among history's great military leaders.

Though he certainly isn't as famous as his contemporary Belisarius.