Dio's Rome, Volume 2 An Historical Narrative Originally Composed in Greek During the Reigns of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus: and Now Presented in English Form

This volume plunges listeners into the turbulent years of the late Roman Republic, when commanders like Metellus, Lucullus and Pompey wrestled with fierce rivals across the eastern Mediterranean. The narrative opens with Metellus’s brutal conquest of Crete, then shifts to the renewed clash between King Mithridates of Pontus and Tigranes of Armenia, setting the stage for a series of daring sieges, betrayals and shifting alliances.

Through vivid accounts of Lucullus’s ambitious but costly campaigns—his capture of Tigranocerta, the fiery defense of Nisibis, and the uneasy truce with Parthia—the work reveals the complex interplay of strategy, politics and personal ambition. It also introduces the pivotal legislative reforms that shaped Roman elections and civic life, while hinting at the rising influence of Pompey, whose swift actions begin to tip the balance of power. The storytelling blends military drama with the subtleties of Roman law, offering a rich listening experience for anyone curious about the era’s intrigue and upheaval.