The author begs the indulgence of Latinate readers, who will find some Latin words kept in the nominative case when dative, genitive or other cases are in actual fact correct: and who will find family names (particularly in the first half of the book) Anglicized in the plural. This has been done in order to make reading less confusing for those without Latin.

A note to the reader: to shed light on the world of ancient Rome, several maps and illustrations have been included throughout this book. Their locations are noted on page xi. A list of the main characters begins here. An author’s note appears here. If you would like to know more about the historical background of The First Man in Rome, click here for a glossary explaining some Latin words and unfamiliar terms. Readers who are interested in the pronunciations of Roman masculine names will find a guide here. A guide to the pronunciations of other names and terms begins here.