An epic tale that sweeps the reader into the whirlpool of pagentry, passion, spelndor, chaos and earth-shattering upheaval that was ancient Rome.

Here is the story of Marius, wealthy but lowborn, and Sulla, aristocratic but penniless and debauched - extraordinary men of vision whose ruthless ambition will lay the foundations of the most awesome and enduring empire known to humankind.

A towering saga of great events and mortal frailties, it is peopled with a vast, and vivid cast of unforgettable men and women - soldiers and senators, mistresses and wives, kings and commoners - combined in a richley embroidered human tapestry to bring a remarkable era to bold and breathtaking life.