Caesar has just been assassinated. Will the senate react favourably to
Cassius and Brutus? The senate grants the killers amnesty. Caesar's
nephew, Octavian is in Greece when the murder occurs. Mark Anthony
riles up the crowd at Caesar's funeral when he explains how members of
the senate and Caesar's so-called friends had killed him.
Octavian returns to Rome with his friends Agrippa and Maecenas to hear
the reading of Caesar's will. Octavian is named as Caesar's heir, much
to the chagrin of Anthony. On top of that, the senate has ordered
Anthony to Brundisium to decimate the legions there as punishment for
not coming to the aid of the senators in Rome when the riots broke out.
Octavian gains the support of the two legions camped outside Rome, and
marches them into the city. Meantime, Anthony has got the six legions
in Brundisium behind him. The senators decide to call on the legions
from outside the city to come to their aid. Anthony marches around Rome
headed north to attack one of the assassins.
Fearing Anthony, the senate offers Octavian some of his requests and
then sends him after Anthony. Octavian wins the battle against Anthony,
but let's him escape. Octavian then returns to Rome and is elected as
one of the consuls. Octavian then meets up with Anthony and Lepidus to
negotiate the formation of a triumvirate that will go after the
assassins, plus rule Rome and her territories.
Sextus Pompey has been given the roman fleet by the senate, and with it,
he manages to blockade Italy. Italy was on the verge of starvation,
but Agrippa manages to destroy the rogue fleet with a newly created one,
and new tactics. The next task for the triumvirate is to go after
Brutus and Cassius in Greece.
Brutus and Cassius await at Philippi, a strongly fortified site. The
ensuing battle will determine the future of Rome. As with the rest of
the book, author Conn Iggulden provides well researched detail of the
battle, bringing it to life and and for thousands, death. For fans of historical fiction,
once again Iggulden has put together a book you will not want to put
down.
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