Book Description

Lucretia is the daughter of, Romulus, the governor of the Roman province, Gallia Narbonensis. Like most women of her class, she believes anybody of a lower class is there to serve her. This includes her handmaiden, Celeste. Nobody dares to cross Lucretia, except for her stepmother, Aurelia. She hates both Lucretia and Celeste. And when she conspires with the province's treasurer to accuse Romulus of embezzling state funds, she gets her chance to punish the young women. When the court finds Romulus guilty and orders his execution, Aurelia arranges for Lucretia and Celeste to be sold as gladiatrices. Titus, a friend of Romulus, tries to save Lucretia and Celeste. But when he eventually fails, the young women have to fight for their lives in the Roman amphitheaters. When a captured princess from one of the conquered Germanic tribes is pitted against Lucretia, the bloodthirsty crowds are captivated by the fight between two noble women. But Aurelia is not satisfied. She pays the editor of the games in the city of Rome, to pit Lucretia and Celeste against each other in a fight to the death.