The last two books in the Emperor series by Conn Iggulden. The "Field of Swords" has Caesar fighting in Gaul and Britain, and finally heading home to Rome. While he's been away, Pompey has been sowing distrust for Caesar among the Senators, and convinces them to make him Dictator. In "Death of Kings" Caesar arrives home only to find all the Senators and Pompey have fled to Greece. After having the people elect him and Mark Antony Consuls, he goes after Pompey to strip him of his illegal dictatorship. Digusted by Caesar's preference of Antony over himself, Brutus defects and joins Pompey. Caesar and his men hunt them down and slaughter Pompey's army, leaving him to flee. Caesar gives chase after forgiving and restoring Brutus as one of his generals. Caesar catches up with Pompey's head in Egypt: the Egyptians have slaughtered Pompey in a futile attempt to keep Caesar from waging war in their land. Caesar is furious at their actions of killing a Roman, but he stays to help exiled queen Cleopatra wrest control away from her husband Ptolemy's advisors, who are taking advantage of the 13 year old king's young age. After a brutual civil war, Ptolemy is dead, Cleopatra is restored as queen, and is pregnant with Caesar's child, who later is proved to be a son. Caesar returns home with Cleopatra and his son, ready to make Rome and Egypt a massive Empire of which he will rule. Disgusted by his naked ambition to destroy the Republic, Brutus conspires with others to feel the same way, and on the Ides of March (the 15th), they assassinate Caesar.
Both books were well written and easy to read, if not completely accurate historically. Iggulden doesn't linger on Caesar's relationship with Cleopatra, which was mildly disappointing. Cleopatra has always intrigued me.
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