Ancient Times - Fiction
"Last Seen in Massilia" by Steven
Saylor 
In 49 BC, the Roman civil war between Pompey and Julius Caesar is still raging. In Rome, Gordianus the Finder gets an unsigned message informing him that his son Meto, aide to Caesar, has been killed in Massilia, an ancient Greek trading city (modern day Marseille). Gordianus and his son-in-law Davus make their way to Massilia and enter the city by luck through one of the sapper tunnels. Once inside the city, they are befriended by the scapegoat, a man chosen for sacrifice to purge the sins of the city at its most perilous time. This man provides them with food, shelter, and some freedom under his protection to move about the city. While searching for the circumstances surrounding Meto's death, they meet old friends and enemies, mostly exiles from Rome and Gordianus becomes involved in unraveling several unrelated mysteries. But, the search for the truth about Meto continues amidst the naval and land battles around Massilia, while in the city the populous grows more despondent as any hope of rescue fades and the threat of starvation and mass slaughter by the legions of Caesar grows.
Reviewed by Kenneth S. Smith 6/17/2002
Available from:
Available from:
Ivy Books
Published by Ballentine Books
A Division of Random House
http://www.randomhouse.com
[Back to Categories]