About Simon
Simon lives with his wife, children, rabbits and dog in rural North Yorkshire. Having spent much of his childhood visiting historic sites with his grandfather, Simon fell in love with the Roman heritage of the region, beginning with Hadrian’s Wall. His fascination with the ancient world snowballed from there with interest in Egypt, Greece and Byzantium, though his focus has always been Rome. A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling the world visiting historic sites, writing and researching the ancient world.
Simon’s career meandered along an eclectic path including everything from agricultural quotas to network management before settling back into the ancient world. During those years, Simon returned to university study to complete an honours degree in classical history through the Open University. Now with over 40 novels available, Simon is a prolific storyteller of historical fiction through the ages.
S.J.A. Turney's Books & More 
OK, I’m hooked. You are now Blogrolled! (Or as my daughter says “Globrolled)
LikeLike
trishatruly
September 10, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Ahahahaha. Come into my lair, said the spider through his flies…
LikeLike
SJAT
September 10, 2009 at 12:53 pm
good to see another football fan 🙂
LikeLike
Munish Gupta
October 8, 2009 at 11:35 am
Simon, the above recipe worked out very nicely. Really. Jules
LikeLike
JULIE RICHARDS
January 24, 2010 at 4:29 pm
I have to ask – “sheep-validating” ?
I had a fascinating lecture on Ai-Khanoum in Afghanistan a few years ago. Can’t remember who gave it – he was a visiting professor of something or another, but who had been allowed into the country just after the American’s had taken Kabul.
anyway, on the way back he visited the site to see what was still there.
The answer, depressingly was “Nothing. It was used as a camp by some mujahideen, and the Americans bombed it flat.”
LikeLike
Joseph Broad
March 17, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Hi Joe. Sheep Validating was, sadly, not remotely as interesting as it sounds. Though since I now work in IT I dream of the excitement of Sheep validation! And now I have to ask… I don’t remember writing here about Ai Khanoum? I may be wrong, because I know I’ve mentioned it in Google Earth posts. I’d be interested to see if an exploration team visited the site how much they’d be able to locate. It would be so sad if there truly was absolutely nothing left, so I have to steadfastly believe otherwise. I’m still in denial about Ratiaria, Pompeii, Ailenoi and so many others. Nice to meet you Joe.
LikeLike
SJAT
March 17, 2011 at 2:01 pm
Ah – I’m disappointed. What could be done with a decent job like that on the CV? I’d interview someone just to ask what their reasons for leaving were.
And you didn’t write about Ai Khanoum. I was reading your post on Ani (which sounds fascinating) and it spurred the memory of that guest lecturer years ago. He was pretty conclusive – remote air-bombed, any pieces of stonework targeted as they “might” have had people sheltering there. Criminal as far as I am concerned. I can’t swear to this, but from what he said it was unfortunately comprehensive enough to totally destroy pretty much anything which had been left in situ. I don’t know if they had been left in situ, but if so the inscriptions of Klearchos are probably now dust.
I “think” his primary reason for being there might have been to check over the Kabul Museum treasures or something similar.
But no, randomly stumbled across your blog and enjoyed reading – nice to find it!
Joe.
LikeLike
Joseph Broad
March 17, 2011 at 2:41 pm
What is the latest “Mules” available in the US?
LikeLike
Roger Moore
September 17, 2013 at 2:56 am
Hi Roger. The MM books are released in the US and UK simultaneously. MM5 is out at the moment. MM6 is due in the New Year. 🙂
LikeLike
SJAT
September 17, 2013 at 8:08 am
Hooked on Marius’Mules,any way to get reminders of more From to books coming up,have read first 5 volumes,now I’m hooked.
LikeLike
Welsh Pete Isle of Man
September 26, 2013 at 2:13 pm
Hi Welsh Pete. (Sounds like a pirate! :-))
It so happens I have a mailing list that I try to update folk with whenever I do anything more unusual than eat lunch. Shall I add this email address to it?
And I would just like to take a moment to say how really truly fab that was to read and I’m really pleased you like them. If you haven’t read my collection of Roman short stories (free!) I’ll point out there’s a Fronto short in there, and there’s another in another collection being released by inkslingers any time now.
Have a good week.
Si
LikeLike
SJAT
September 28, 2013 at 8:17 pm
Well I have everything that you have written except for the newest Marius Mules and the Preatorean series since that is a new one for me. Started reading with the Empire series and wanting to continue that. Besides Wilbur Smith and Bernard Cornwell (have read everything that they have written), you will be the next in line for that. Like books in series and kind of a historical nut myself, but I inherited that from the English side of the family (my mother).
LikeLike
Paul
June 16, 2017 at 9:40 am
Hi Paul. Excellent stuff. Glad you’re enjoying. Actually Praetorian is my favourite stuff I’ve written (3rd book coming this autumn). Oh, and the 6th Empire book will be out later in the year too! Working like a madman here 🙂
LikeLike
SJAT
June 16, 2017 at 9:44 am
I can’t adequately express how much I love your work, and Malk Williams is such a fantastic narrator too. Thank you for hours of entertainment so far, looking forward to more!
LikeLike
Shane
February 24, 2024 at 11:45 pm
Cheers, Shane. And I quite agree about Malk. He’s brought them to life! 🙂
LikeLike
SJAT
February 25, 2024 at 9:47 pm