Discover the World of Ancient Rome
The Twelve Tables
A sixteen-year-old boy in the early Roman Republic rises out of bondage to become a wealthy—and morally compromised—merchant. When honor and love prove greater than ambition, he risks his life and fortune in a fight to enact the Twelve Tables, the great code of Roman law. The Twelve Tables will appeal to historical fiction lovers seeking immersion in ancient Rome and character-driven readers craving an intense emotional journey.
Coming Fall 2026
“The past is never dead. It isn’t even past.”
—Faulkner
Welcome to The Early Roman Republic: In Paintings and Prose
Roman myths and legends aren’t just found in dusty tomes—they’re captured in color and conflict.
Do you want to explore the foundations of the Roman Republic without plowing through the dense volumes of Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus? You’ve come to the right place! I’ve combed through their ancient annals to bring you the most essential stories, delivered in a way that’s visually pleasing and historically rich.
What to Expect
Every two weeks, we’ll delve into the pivotal century between the Birth of the Republic (509 BC) and the First Gallic Sack of Rome (390 BC). Each piece offers:
- Brevity: The key myths, legends, and historical truths told in succinct, 500-word posts.
- Visual History: Every entry is paired with a classic painting that brings the drama of the ancient world to life.
- Curated Insight: Get straight to the historical figures and events (some factual, some invented) that shaped Western civilization.
Whether you’re a seasoned armchair historian or casual lover of Roman lore, this blog is your gateway to the heroes, villains, and stories that formed the Roman Republic.
Let’s start at the beginning, with a woman named Lucretia…
Start Reading
Coriolanus at the Gates of Rome
The legend of Gaius Marcius Coriolanus, as related by Livy in the History of Early Rome, takes place between 493 and 488 BC. Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and a film adaptation of it starring Ralph Fiennes are but two of many treatments of the tale, ranging from early...
Kirkus Review of The Twelve Tables
I’m delighted to share the new Kirkus review of my forthcoming historical novel, The Twelve Tables: A Novel of Ancient Rome. “Barager’s novel is thoughtful, thoroughly researched, and historically accurate…skillfully achieves an appropriate balance of factual...
BlueInk Review of “The Twelve Tables”
Check out the latest book review of The Twelve Tables, from BlueInk! The Twelve Tables Richard Barager Koehler Books, 282 pages, (paperback) $19.95, 9798897475230 (Reviewed: September 2026) In The Twelve Tables, Richard Barager delves into a chapter...
Booklife Review, Editor’s Pick
In this dynamic historical offering, Barager (The Atheist and the Parrotfish) presents the coming-of- age of a young man who rises from a bonded servant to a prosperous merchant during the early Roman Republic. In 462 BCE, 16-year-old Marcus Atilius’s farmer father...
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: The Execution of Spurius Cassius
Patrician control of land to the exclusion of plebeians lay at the core of social strife between the orders of Rome. The story of Spurius Cassius Viscellinus is a stark reminder of how furiously the ruling class fought to retain its grip on the land. Cassius...
First Secession of the Plebs
Parable of the Belly By 494 BC, debt slavery in Rome had become as tyrannical as the king that had been overthrown just fifteen years before, at the founding of the Roman Republic. Nexum, or debt bondage, reached crisis levels for plebeian soldiers fighting in...
The Chains of Debt
Of Roman Bondage The year after the Battle of Lake Regillus put an end to Tarquin the Proud’s bid to reclaim his crown, many Romans discovered that they had traded the shackles of monarchy for the chains of debt. Veterans who fought for Rome’s freedom from kings...
The Battle of Lake Regillus and the Dioscuri
Twin Brothers of Helen of Troy The Battle of Lake Regillus in 496 BC was the culmination of a struggle between the fledgling Roman Republic and the deposed Roman monarchy of Tarquinius Superbus—Tarquin the Proud. The conflict also ended the First Latin War, pitting...
The Legend of Mucius
What Price Liberty? The siege of Rome in 508 BC by the Etruscan King of Clusium, Lars Porsenna, sought to restore the monarchy of Tarquinius Superbus, the last Roman king, whom the Romans had deposed the year before. Porsenna drew a blockade around Rome that slowly...
Horatius Defending the Bridge
For the Ashes of his Fathers, and the Temples of his Gods The second year of the newborn Roman Republic saw the banished king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, seek to restore his monarchy with the aid of Lars Porsenna, the powerful Etruscan king of Clusium. A large...
The Early Roman Republic: In Paintings and Prose
Whether you’re a seasoned armchair historian or casual lover of Roman lore, “The Early Roman Republic: In Paintings and Prose” is your gateway to the heroes, villains, and stories that formed the Roman Republic.
Also From Richard
Meet Richard Barager
Richard Barager is a passionate storyteller who breathes life into the ancient world of Rome through his meticulously researched historical fiction. With a deep-seated love for history and a talent for weaving intricate narratives, Richard transports readers to a time when legend, myth, and historical truths laid the foundations of the Roman Republic. His dedication to authenticity and detail invites readers to experience the grandeur and complexity of Roman civilization.