Blood and Steel

Blood and Steel
Harry Sidebottom

From the bestselling author of WARRIOR OF ROME comes the second book in an epic new series set in third century Rome; a dramatic era of murder, coup, counter-rebellions and civil war.In a world of battle and betrayal men will fight – and kill – to sit on the Throne of the Caesars.Rome, AD238Emperor Maximinus’ reign hangs in the balance. At the helm of an empire that is bleeding manpower and money to sustain his wars in the north, rebellions flare in the far reaches of its territories.In Africa, Gordian the Elder and Younger are proclaimed as the new Augusti. A family descending from the imperial bloodline, they represent a chance for the establishment to take back the empire.In Rome, the first blood of the revolt is shed when an assassin murders Maximinus’ prefect and announces to Rome that their ruler is dead and the Gordians have taken the throne. Still bitter at having a soldier from the barracks wearing the imperial purple, the Senate endorses the rebellion: the Gordiani are hailed as Emperors.But as chaos descends on the capital, news reaches Maximinus of the betrayal. A man of war, he acts with decisive brutality and violence. On the dusty plains outside Carthage, bloody battle will determine the fate of the Roman empire.

Copyright (#ue2f898c9-1381-5f3a-88c0-8c69ccbe8866)

Harper

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Published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2015

Copyright © Harry Sidebottom 2015

Maps © John Gilkes 2015

Cover design by Claire Ward © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2016

Cover photographs © Stephen Mulcahey/Arcangel Images (Roman eagle and Soldiers); Shutterstock.com (http://Shutterstock.com) (texture)

Harry Sidebottom asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it, while at times based on historical figures, are the work of the author’s imagination.

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Ebook Edition © MAY 2015 ISBN: 9780007499908

Source ISBN 9780007499915

Version 2017-10-27

Dedication (#ue2f898c9-1381-5f3a-88c0-8c69ccbe8866)

To Katie and Jeremy Habberley

Do not fear god,

Do not worry about death;

What is good is easy to get, and

What is terrible is easy to endure

PHILODEMUS (HERCULANEUM PAPYRI 1005, 4.9–14)

One could press on or draw back in a private enterprise, and commit oneself more deeply or less at will, in accordance with the prospects of the moment. But in the pursuit of an empire there was no mean between the summit and the abyss

TACITUS, HISTORIES 2.74

Table of Contents

Cover (#ueb3185fd-1756-5c93-8082-9ebda2c0cdc4)

Title Page (#u03a97c1d-01df-5da4-988e-f57a752a783b)

Copyright (#ud7a70ee2-0d78-510b-835d-32395d68603f)

Dedication (#u6de0c461-52a5-5b85-b277-b2dd1b474e5b)

Epigraph (#uebf6516b-b63b-5594-bed6-03582f4304df)

Maps (#ubc6ff4c4-b8bb-566a-8a5d-9024bfdddaca)

Cast of Main Characters (#u7f6553c9-59ff-53ff-9e3d-2fb3dd02111a)

Chapter 1 (#u05898726-a7bc-52e2-bb7c-0cc6213c4843)

Chapter 2 (#uce8437f5-616b-5a9a-a880-81d668824b3f)

Chapter 3 (#ue48ad529-1cbf-5934-ae29-768690cbb571)

Chapter 4 (#ud16a4cdd-0682-5919-aa4e-45701bd4d641)

Chapter 5 (#u9af1e104-d677-5744-a7db-f867e4a89b3f)

Chapter 6 (#ud00c7179-3267-5b08-85df-448a8d63a411)

Chapter 7 (#uf9351a2c-47f2-5f36-a98d-1b3c7544b5a4)

Chapter 8 (#u6dc99658-72bf-5389-9f56-215b869f7955)

Chapter 9 (#u9fbacb10-b012-51bd-9a83-885e9fde6ec7)

Chapter 10 (#u3ebb8bdc-61c6-588b-bce9-237019866ce4)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)