Domitian is remembered poorly as the last of the Flavian dynasty, an ill successor to his great brother and father. But his reign led smoothly into Rome’s golden age, eighty years of prosperity beginning with the fussy Senator Nerva and the glorious soldier Trajan. Thea and Arius will find their mountain and raise their family in peace, so their story is done. But Sabina has an interesting life ahead of her, and Rome is not done with Vix, either.

Characters

ROYALTY

*Titus Flavius Domitianus, Emperor of the Roman Empire

*Empress Domitia Longina, his wife

*Julia Flavia, daughter of Domitian’s brother Titus from his second marriage

*Flavia Domitilla, daughter of Domitian’s brother Titus from his first marriage; Julia’s half-sister

*Flavius Clemens, her husband

*Their two sons

*Gaius Titus Flavius, Domitian’s cousin, Julia’s husband

SENATORS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Marcus Vibius Augustus Norbanus, Roman senator, grandson of Emperor Augustus

Lepida Pollia, his second wife

*Vibia Sabina, their daughter

*Paulinus Vibius Augustus Norbanus, Praetorian, Marcus’s son from first marriage

*Lappius Maximus Norbanus, governor of Lower Germania, Marcus’s cousin

Lady Diana, Marcus’s cousin

*Senator Marcus Cocceius Nerva

SLAVES AND SERVANTS

Thea, a Jewish slave belonging to Lepida Pollia

Vercingetorix, slave boy

*Stephanus, gardener to Lady Flavia Domitilla

Penelope, freedwoman to Praetor Larcius

Nessus, Imperial astrologer

Ganymede, Imperial body slave

Quintus, steward to Marcus Norbanus

Iris, Lepida’s maid

Laelia, Roman courtesan

Chloe, slave woman of Praetor Larcius

GLADIATORS

Arius, gladiator and slave

Gallus, lanista, Arius’s master and owner of a gladiator school, and his gladiators

Belleraphon, star gladiator

Hercules, dwarf and comic gladiator

SOLDIERS

Centurion Densus, Paulinus’s commander in Brundisium

Verus, Praetorian, Paulinus’s friend

*Marcus Ulpius Trajan, legion commander

ROMANS

Quintus Pollio, games organizer, father of Lepida Pollia

Larcius, praetor and music aficionado of Brundisium

*Saturninus, governor of Upper Germania

Justina, Vestal Virgin

Calpurnia Helena Sulpicia, patrician heiress

*denotes actual historical figure