The Caspian Gates

One Roman soldier is the only man who can stop barbarians from destroying a city in this historical adventure by the author of Lion in the Son. Ephesus, Asia's metropolis, lies in ruins, shattered by a mighty earthquake. Its citizens live in fear as mobs overwhelm the city, baying for blood to avenge the gods who have punished them. At the same time, an even greater threat to the security of the empire advances from the north. The barbaric Goth tribes sail toward Ephesus, determined to pillage the weakened city. Only Ballista, Warrior of Rome, knows the ways of the barbarians—and only he can defeat them. Renowned for their skilled blending of action and historical accuracy, Sidebottom's Warrior of Rome novels take the reader from the shouts of the battlefield to the whisperings of the emperor's inner circle. Rich in detail and punctuated by harrowing action, there's no better way to transport yourself back to the Roman Empire. "[The] fiction rises above the research, bringing history alive in gory detail. . . . Sidebottom remains consistently meticulous about detail, old-fashioned about storytelling, and astute in portraying political backstabbing worthy of the modern arena." — Publishers Weekly