Product Description
On the eve of Marcus Cicero's inauguration as consul of Rome, the grisly death of a boy sends ripples of fear through a city already wracked by civil unrest, crime, and debauchery of every kind. Felled by a hammer, his throat slit and his organs removed, the young slave appears to have been offered as a human sacrifice, forbidden as an abomination in the Roman Republic. For Cicero, the ill forebodings of this hideous murder only increase his frustrations and the dangers he already faces as Rome's leader: elected by the people but despised by the heads of the two rival camps, the patricians and populists.

Caught in a political shell game that leaves him forever putting out fires only to have them ignite elsewhere, Cicero plays both for the future of the republic and his very life. There is a plot to assassinate Cicero, abetted by a rising young star of the Roman senate named Gaius Julius Caesar -- and it will take all the embattled consul's wit, strength, and force of will to stop it and keep Rome from becoming a dictatorship.

In this second novel of his Roman trilogy, following the bestselling Imperium, Robert Harris once again weaves a compelling and historically accurate tale of intrigue told in the wise and compassionate voice of Cicero's slave and private secretary, Tiro. In the manner of I, Claudius, Harris vividly evokes ancient Rome and its politics for today's readers, documenting a world not unlike our own -- where the impulse toward dominance competes with the risk of overreach, where high-minded ideals can be a liability, and where someone is always waiting in the wings for a chance to set the world on fire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

All absorbing reading!
I just spent two full days reading Conspirata: A Novel of Ancient Rome. Absolutely could not stop myself from reading.

leadership and management
One of the finest Management books I have ever read. Should be required reading for all MBA candidates.

Shorthand: a leadership case study
Politics is an occupation that, if it is to be pursued successfully, demands the most extraordinary reserves of self-discipline, a quality that the naïve often mistake for hypocrisy. (see page 337)

The fictional narrator of this historical novel is a historical character: Cicero's secretary Tiro. He tells us the events of the year 63 BC, when Cicero was Consul, and the following 4 years. The period ends with the rule of the `first triumvirate', an unofficial alliance between Caesar, Pompey and Crassus, which pushed Cicero to the sidelines after he had rejected an invitation to join the club, and with Cicero's exile from Rome.
5 year periods were called a `lustrum', which is the title of the UK edition of this novel. The US title is obviously meant to be more attractive to the market. I don't understand why different titles are needed, but I have a suspicion that US publishers take their clients for dumber than necessary.

The narrator speaks or writes half a century after the events. He reached the ripe age of nearly 100. Cicero was not so lucky, as he was murdered just a year after Caesar, in 43 BC. The historical Tiro is credited with inventing shorthand. He is the first known clerk to take notes during a senate session. (The Roman senate was a different animal from the current US senate. It was not a legislative body, and its members, once elected, were in it for life, unless kicked out for misbehavior.)
This novel is a sequel to `Imperium', which told us of Cicero's previous career.
It starts shortly before his inauguration as Consul. The conspiracy of the title is known as Catilina's. Cicero spent a lot of effort in suppressing this rebellion. One of Cicero's problems was that he came from a relatively modest background and had little genuine power other than his rhetorical and political skills.

The Consul in the Roman Republic was a rather ephemeral position: 2 of them were elected at the same time every year, to share the position for a year, alternating monthly as Presidents of the Senate. In other words, each was head of government for six intermittent months. Hard to see how that could lead to good government, but who are we to talk down on other times and societies, considering contemporary mess with hung parliaments and divided houses and minority cabinets and tea parties.

Cicero found himself in between two mill stones: the factions of the patricians and the populists. The latter included the ambitious up and coming politician called Caesar. Politics was a bloody game and civil war was a definite possibility most of the time.
The main name associated with Cicero's troubles over the following years was Catilina, who started a rebellion and caused serious danger to Cicero and the republic. The danger to Cicero was not even over when Catilina was dead.

The novel is interesting and sometimes suspenseful, and it seems factually accurate enough, as far as I can tell. Still, it leaves me less enthusiastic than its predecessor (Imperium). Harris is a leader of the genre of historical thrillers, with some sidesteps into alternative history. He writes straightforward prose, adequate for his hero Tiro's shorthand. He is not a wordsmith. We should be thankful that he stays away from pretensions. On the other hand it stays rather dry, which makes the tone of the narrative a bit trivial at times. The book is worth reading for Harris fans and for history buffs with an interest in Rome. The thrill seeker will be disappointed. Not even the occasional gore will keep him interested. It is a suitable case study for a leadership seminar.

Harris likes to spice up his tale with parallels to modern times. Consider this nice quote from Senator Cato the Younger (page 91/92): `We are meddling in places we know nothing about! Now we have occupied Syria. Syria! What business do we have in Syria? Next it will be Egypt. This is going to require permanent legions stationed overseas. ... and whoever raises a voice against it will be condemned for his lack of patriotism.'
Plus ça change!
I assume it is pure coincidence that the general who killed Catilina and beat his rebel force was called Petreius.

Take notice!
Just bought this novel and what a disappointment to discover that I already read the book under the title 'Lustrum'. It is exactly the same book, just different title, different publisher. Amazon, this should be mentioned somewhere!

So for all the Robert Harris fans out there: don't make the same mistake.

Loved it but not quite as much as "Imperium"
I hesitate to only give four stars...it's a great book and I wonder if my rating has more to do with the "facts" of the book than with the story and the way it's told.I would strongly recommend reading "Imperium" first...this book stands on its own but is more meaningful having read "Imperium."Just as with that book, the reader is transported back to Rome and the intrigue that plaqued the era of Cicero.I'm looking forward to the final book of the trilogy knowing now how it all ends. ... Read more