let's talk about roman history

I find ancient Rome bizarrely comforting? today I was having one of those bouts of paranoia/general creeping bad feeling, and I sat down and listened to the History of Rome podcast until it went away. When I feel like everything I like is terrible and nothing's going to make me happy to read/watch/etc. again ever, Roman history and bad classics jokes somehow fix everything.

in other words, REC ME YOUR FAVORITE ROMAN HISTORY BOOKS I WANT THEM.

also, a while ago I read all of dhampyresa's ancient history stuff and discovered that I had secretly had Scipio/Hannibal feelings lurking within me THIS WHOLE TIME. send help. or, like, historical resources so I can write some fic myself.