Bread and Circuses: A Novel of Ancient Rome

Step into the heart of the Roman Empire at its dazzling-and most dangerous-zenith. In 80 CE, as Emperor Titus throws open the gates of the Colosseum for a hundred days of blood and spectacle, three lives collide amid the roar of fifty thousand voices and the shadow of a city on the brink.

Meet Marcus Judor Bitiviran, the undefeated gladiator known as "The Lion of Judah." Once a Judean prince, now a slave to Rome's insatiable hunger for entertainment, Marcus fights not just for survival but for the memory of a homeland lost to imperial conquest. His true identity is a secret, even as his legend grows with every victory in the arena.

Livia Claudia, the sharp-witted daughter of a powerful senator, is both privileged and restless. Haunted by the suffering she witnesses at the games, she risks everything to challenge the world she was born to rule-and to help those Rome would rather forget.

In the shadows, Miriam, a Jewish healer, searches desperately for her vanished brother, unaware that he fights for his life beneath a new name and a lion's mask. As riots erupt over bread, and conspiracies fester in the marble halls of power, these three destinies intertwine in a city where freedom is a spectacle and justice is bought with blood.

When Marcus's defiance in the arena sparks a rebellion, the Colosseum becomes a crucible for revolution and redemption. Loyalties are tested, secrets revealed, and the flames of the final games threaten to consume not just Rome's greatest champion, but the very soul of the empire itself.

Bread and Circuses is an epic tale of power and spectacle, identity and survival, set against the vivid backdrop of Imperial Rome. Meticulously researched and richly told, it brings to life the grandeur and brutality of an empire-and the courage of those who dare to resist it.

Perfect for fans of Gladiator, I, Claudius, and The Book Thief, this sweeping historical novel blends visceral action with unforgettable characters and moral complexity. Enter the arena. Witness the spectacle. Decide where you stand.