ANCESTRY NOVELS- A New Sub Genre of Historical Fiction

Have you ever wanted to live in another time in history? And if so, did you imagine what it would be like to take the place of an ancestor? My lifelong experience reading books on history combined with my love for family has inspired me to bring these visions alive, by writing a series of “Ancestry Novels”.

It began over ten years ago. My father, Joseph Ponzio, also read books on history as a hobby. We traded books and discussed the possibility of being related to ancient Romans. I went one step further and wrote novellas for my father about our ‘ancient ancestors’. The first story was about an Etruscan, Pontias Larth, whose only historical record was that his name was engraved on a tomb in 474 B.C.. I wrote another story about Pontius Cominius, a scout in the Roman army. He was mentioned by the Roman historian Livy in his narrative on the sack of Rome by the Gauls in 390 B.C. The source of the third novella was relatively generous, being a few pages of historical record, that described the defeat of the Roman legions by General Pontius Gaius at Caudine Forks.

I recommend two criteria when writing “Ancestry Novels”. The main character must be documented in history. And there must be a possibility the historical person is related to your family based on surname. The documentation in history can be as little as the name inscribed on a tomb or as much as several pages in the historical record. Sparse historical records are preferred, because when the character is well documented, the author’s experience is lessened, and there are fewer chances to develop characters and stories.

Write the novels you want to read, but that no one has written. Experience the story and live the dream as one of your ancestors. Include the characteristics of relatives and memories of family experiences in the novels. For example, your departed pets live again or relive a humorous family experience. Use the results of family DNA tests to add previously unidentified ethnicities and localities for new stories.

I have published three ancestry novels that take place during ancient Rome. The first novel is about Pontius Aquila. He infuriated Julius Caesar when he refused to stand with the other officials as the dictator’s chariot passed during a parade in Rome. The second novel takes place 100 years after Aquila. Emperor Tiberius Caesar ordered Pontius Pilate to return to Rome from his post in Judea, because of a complaint that the governor had used excessive force to put down a rebellion. In the third novel, Saint Pontianus, Bishop of Rome, must deal with the persecution by Roman authorities and fight street battles with the followers of the anti-pope, Hippolytus. When the novels are read chronologically, connections are revealed as to the relation of the characters across generations, however, the stories stand on their own and each book can be read alone.

The fourth novel occurs during the Middle Ages. Ramon Pons: Count of Toulouse, chronicles the ruler of a region in the south of France in 924 A.D.. Ramon Pons longs to fulfill his dying father’s request to build a monastery in honor of their ancestor, Saint Pons of Cimiez, but he must serve his people first. He is obligated to marry and produce an heir, put down rebellions by vassals, and protect his domains against Saracens and Hungarians.