hey anons
looking for some good reading material on the the origin of the republic, julius caesar and the decline.
I've heard good things about decline and fall of roman empire, spqr, and tom hollands rubicon?
Also,
Are these good books, and do you have any suggestions?
SPQR will teach you what you want to know. Rubicon focuses on Caesar and the fall of the Republic specifically.
Decline and Fall covers time periods way after the Republic, it's got nothing to do with what you want.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465023967/
Roma: A Novel of Ancient Rome (Novels of Ancient Rome) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312377622/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dofHzb9CM6A7A
Less of a true history and more of a narrative version of it, starting way before alba longa was founded, but doesn't go into illium/Aeneas at all. Pretty good imo