Ancient Rome’s political intrigues and battles have always fascinated the public. From the success of the classic film Spartacus to HBO’s critically-acclaimed series “Rome”, we hunger for well-told, historically accurate tales from that fascinating era. Ben Kane’s cinematic debut novel, The Forgotten Legion (St. Martin’s Press, ISBN: 0-312-53671-2, March 09) is the next great story of Ancient Rome. Debut author Ben Kane brings to life one of the most infamous battles in Roman military history, the Crassus’ campaign against the Parthians—a battle in which more than 20,000 Roman soldiers were killed and half that number taken prisoner. This legion was forced to march far east—so far that today, scientists are studying the DNA of people in the near the ancient city of Liqian in China to determine if they have European ancestry.
Most depictions of Ancient Rome focus on the lives of the wealthy senators, whereas The Forgotten Legion focuses on the people upon whose backs the empire was built—the slaves.
Romulus and Fabiola are twins, born into slavery to a enslaved mother who is much beloved by them, and much abused by their owner. At 13 years old, they and their mother are sold: Romulus to gladiator school, Fabiola into prostitution, where she will catch the eye of one of the most powerful men in Rome, and their mother into obscurity and death in the salt mines.
Tarquinius is an Etruscan, a warrior and soothsayer, born enemy of Rome and trained by the last haruspex in the forgotten arts of divination. A runaway slave, then an AWOL Legionaire, he has a long foretold destiny that will take him to the very ends of the known world.
Brennus is a Gaul from the Allobreges tribe. In the battle against the Roman army, his entire family, perhaps his entire tribe, is slaughtered, and only he survives to be sold as a slave to be trained as a gladiator. He rises to become one of the most famous and feared gladiators of his day - and mentor to the boy slave, Romulus, who dreams night and day of escape and of revenge.
The lives of these four characters are bound and interwoven in a marvellous story which begins in a Rome riven by corruption, violence and political enmities, but ends far away, where Romulus, Brennus and Tarquinius find themselves fighting against the Parthians and overwhelming odds - survivors of one of the most legendary battles in Roman military history and destined to become part of one of the most compelling, enduring legends: The Forgotten Legion.
______________________________________________________________________
Treat me to a Starbucks, so I can keep blogging!If you like this post, then please consider subscribing to my Full Feed RSS. You can also Subscribe by Email and have new posts sent directly to your inbox.
Posts
