Imperium (novel)

Infobox Book
name = Imperium
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = First edition cover
author = Robert Harris.
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
genre = Historical novel
publisher = Hutchinson
release_date = 4 September 2006
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 416 pp (first edition, hardback)
isbn = ISBN 0-09-180095-1 (first edition, hardback)
preceded_by = Pompeii
followed_by =

"Imperium" is a 2006 novel by Robert Harris. It is a fictionalised biography of Cicero, told through the first-person narrator of his secretary Tiro, beginning with the prosecution of Verres. It was serialised as the Book at Bedtime on BBC Radio 4 from 4th to 15th September 2006, read by Douglas Hodge. An abridged audiobook on compact disc is available, read by British actor Oliver Ford Davies. Unabridged audiobooks on compact disc are also available, read by Simon Jones and Bill Wallis.

Plot summary

Imperium tells the story of Cicero's early career until the point at which he becomes a consul. It follows three main events: the trial of Gaius Verres (a corrupt governor); a political crisis involving Pompey the Great and his arch-rival Crassus; and Cicero's election campaign and election as consul.

Release details

*2006, UK, Hutchinson (ISBN 0-09-180095-1), Pub date 4 September 2006, hardback (First edition)
*2006, UK, Simon & Schuster (ISBN 0-7432-6603-X), Pub date 26 September 2006, hardback

External links

* [http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,1863538,00.html A little bit of politics (interview), Observer, 3rd September 2006]
* [http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1861252,00.html Putting the past together (review), Guardian, 2nd September 2006]
* [http://books.guardian.co.uk/digestedread/story/0,,1869627,00.html 'Digested read' (parody) by Jim Crace]
* [http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/23/23852/1.html Der letzte Republikaner (interview, German), Telepolis, 11th November 2006]