COLOSSEUM

Lorraine Blundell

Description

WINNER GOLD AWARD

Literary Titan

ONE EMPEROR’S DREAM. ONE GLADIATOR’S JUSTICE

Discover the secret of Nero’s spectacular Domus Aurea golden palace, only now being revealed. What is its connection to the Colosseum? And what is its link with the vibrant city of Pompeii, its gladiators and its total destruction caused by the eruption of Vesuvius?

The amphitheatre has its own secrets even more spectacular.
79 AD. In the reign of Vespasian in the very heart of Rome, a huge amphitheatre rose that would awe the empire. It became known as the Colosseum. Born from the extravagance of the Domus Aurea in Nero’s reign and the Great Fire of Rome, its construction was paid for by spoils won in the Judaean war. Over the years, the blood of thousands seeped into the arena’s sand. And the people loved it! This was the time of the gladiators as seen through the eyes of Famullus, Rome’s most famous fresco painter.

Quintus, a young man born free in Rome sharpens his skills as a Retiarius by fighting in arenas such as Pompeii, becoming caught up in the eruption of Vesuvius. Haunted by his mother’s murder years before, he is determined to find the killer and take a life for a life. He finds himself in the inaugural Games of Rome’s deadly Colosseum where he must fight for survival and the woman who loves him.

Executions, classical re-enactments, beast attacks, gladiatrices and staged naval battles are held within the arena and the crowd is ecstatic. The Colosseum has it all.

Beautifully crafted and soundly historically detailed, this is a gripping novel about retribution, love and bravery.

Sujets

• Historical
• Pompeya
• Colosseum
• Pompeii
• Fiction
• Nero

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse UK
• Date de parution: 07 juin 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798823082891
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

COLOSSEUM
Blood and Roses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LORRAINE BLUNDELL
 
 
 
 


AuthorHouse™ UK
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403 USA
www.authorhouse.co.uk
Phone: UK TFN: 0800 0148641 (Toll Free inside the UK) UK Local: (02) 0369 56322 ([phone] from outside the UK)
 
 
 
 
 
 
© 2023 Lorraine Blundell. All rights reserved.
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
 
Published by AuthorHouse 06/06/2023
 
ISBN: 979-8-8230-8290-7 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-8289-1 (e)
 
 
 
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
CONTENTS
Dedication
Timeline
Characters
Part I
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Part II
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Part III
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Part IV
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Part V
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Part VI
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
 
The Author
Historical Notes
Glossary
To My Readers

 
 
 
 
 
OTHER NOVELS BY THE SAME AUTHOR
Cleopatra: Arsinoe’s Curse
Cleopatra: Whispers from the Nile
Marie Antoinette: Secrets from the Grave
Pompeii: Death Comes Calling
Empress of Pompeii
Pompeii: The Peacock Murders
Pompeii: My Love Must Wait
Whispers from Pompeii
Herculaneum: Paradise Lost
Medici: The Queen’s Perfume
Rome: The Titus Conspiracy
DEDICATION
 
For Jenni and Steve

 
 
 
 
 
 
WITH THANKS
 
Jenni and Izak
Steve and Candace
Joan
Michelle and Paul
Kate
Professor Miles Prince
Dr. Harold Cashmore

 
 
 
 
 
 
FRONT COVER DESIGN
 
London Montgomery
TIMELINE
 
THE COLOSSEUM
DATE
EVENT
72 AD
Construction of the Colosseum begins by Vespasian as a gift to the people.
80 AD
Titus, Vespasian’s son dedicates the amphitheatre also known as the Colosseum beginning 100 days of games.
83 AD
Domitian, Titus’ younger brother completes the building of the Colosseum.
217 AD
A fire completely destroys the building’s upper level.
5 th Century
Gladiatorial combats finish but not beast hunts.
6 th Century
Colosseum no longer used as an amphitheatre, a chapel is built and the arena floor used as a cemetery. Under seats converted to shops and workshops.
12 th Century
The Frangipani patrician family converts it into a fortified castle.
1349
An earth quake causes major damage to the structure.
14 th Century
Colosseum suffers ongoing destruction until the 18 th century. Building materials stripped and iron clamps taken to be melted down. Stone removed. Marble used in construction of St. Peter’s Cathedral.
1749
Pope Benedict XIV proclaims it a holy place, due to Christian martyrs despite little evidence.
19 th Century
Two centuries follow of restoration projects.
2013
Several years of extensive exterior cleaning and restoration of the façade of the Colosseum to remove grime and soot continued until 2016.
 
The Colosseum is visited by 4 million tourists a year and is one of the most loved and iconic buildings in the world. It is one thousand, nine hundred and thirty-seven years old.
CHARACTERS
 
Achillia
A Gladiatrix *
Aelianus
Trainer, Greens Racing Stables
Aetius
Sculptor, Titus’ Bathhouse
Amazonia
A Gladiatrix *
Acte
Nero’s mistress *
Caecilius Jucundus
Games Patron, Pompeii *
Cassandria
Fortune Teller, Rome
Celer
Architect Nero’s Golden House *
Certius
Gladiator Lanista, Pompeii *
Cornelius Fuscus
Games chief administrator *
Decimus
Gladiator. Friend of Quintus
Domitia
Emperor Domitian’s wife *
Famullus
Master Fresco Painter *
Haterius
Master Builder
Julius Alexander
Governor of Ephesus *
Jullianus
Aide to General Fuscus
Julia
Emperor Titus’ daughter *
Linus
Livinia’s dead son
Livinia
Wealthy Roman widow
Marcellus
Senator, her dead husband
Mevea
A Gladiatrix *
Numerius
Murderer, gladiator
Plini (Elder)
Commander, Roman Naval Fleet *
Poppaea
Empress of Rome *
Quintus
Gladiator (Retiarius)
Servius
Engineer, Nero’s Golden House *
Sextus
Fresco painter
Silanus
Lanista, Volterra
Tigellinus
Praetorian Prefect *
Umbricius Scaurus
Pompeii garum maker *
Zenodorus
Famous Greek sculptor *
 
Historical character *
PART I
 
Emperor Caesar Vespasian Augustus ordered a new amphitheatre to be made from the spoils of war.
Inscription
Dedication Stone
The Colosseum
 
1
 
ROME
Ave Imperator! Moriture te Salutant.
(Hail Emperor, those who are about to die salute you.)
Suetonius
The Titus Inaugural Games
Day 4
80 AD
L ivinia sat anxiously wringing her hands. The decision she’d made to attend the Colosseum had not been easy, but the seer’s words echoed in her ears, do not hesitate .
She knew that Quintus would fight second and the first of the bouts was due to begin after the executions which would soon be in progress. This would be the most arduous, dangerous fight of his life.
She averted her eyes from the arena in front of her.
This wasn’t Volterra or Pompeii, fights were to the death by the command of Titus, which he thought was appropriate to celebrate the opening of the new amphitheatre to honour his father, Vespasian, who had died after working for so long to bring the project into being.
‘Let Quintus live, please, don’t take him from me,’ Livinia beseeched the gods. She looked around her wondering if she’d mistakenly spoken aloud in her distress, but no one seemed to have noticed her.
Livinia knew she wasn’t strong enough to survive losing a son for the second time. She’d made up her mind if that happened then she’d take her own life.
She held her hands in her lap so as not to make her anguish obvious. Because of her family’s social standing she’d been invited to sit in the royal box, which was an unusual honour. Her late husband, Marcellus, had been a Roman Senator and a loyal supporter of Vespasian.
Livinia was almost out of view in a row