The third novel in the author's series about Vespasian begins in the year 34. Quaestor Vespasian serves on a remote outpost of the Roman Empire, dealing with local issues and defending the Roman way of life. But political events in Rome – Tiberius's increasing madness and debauchery, along with the deepening grain crisis – bring him back. When Caligula becomes emperor, Vespasian is convinced that the situation will improve. Instead, he witnesses the transformation of a shining Roman star into a deranged bloodthirsty madman. The ostentatious belief that he is a god on earth, an incestuous relationship with his sister, and a terrified Senate are nothing compared to Caligula's most ambitious plan. To realize it, the emperor needs a historical object that someone must bring from Alexandria. However, it must be stolen from a heavily guarded location – and Caligula entrusts this task to Vespasian.
