Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun Free

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Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Lion of the Sun by Harry Sidebottom. It's Mesopotamia, AD Betrayed by his most trusted adviser, the Roman Emperor Valerian has been captured by the Sassanid barbarians. The shame of the vanquished beats down mercilessly like the white sun, as the frail old emperor prostrates himself before Shapur, King of Kings. Ballista looks on helplessly, but vows under his breath to avenge those who have brought the It's Mesopotamia, AD Ballista looks on helplessly, but vows under his breath to avenge those who have brought the empire to the brink of destruction with their treachery. One day, maybe not soon, but one day, I will kill you But first he must decide what price he will pay for his own freedom. Only the fearless and only those whom the gods will spare from hell can now save the empire from a catastrophic ending. Ballista, the Warrior of Rome, faces his greatest challenge yet. Get A Copy. Hardcoverpages. More Details Original Title. Warrior of Rome 3. Other Editions 2. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Lion of the Sunplease sign up. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 4. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Start your review of Lion of the Sun Warrior of Rome, 3. Dec 06, Mary rated it it was amazing. Harry Sidebottom's "Lion of the Sun" continues the story of Marcus Claudius Ballista, a courageous "Warrior of Rome" born to the Angles but raised as a hostage in the Roman imperial court. When we left Ballista at the end of "King of Kings" he, along with his emperor Valerian, had fallen victim to Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun treacherous plot by the emperor's treasurer, T. Fortunately, a Dr. Fortunately, although Ballista's prospects looked pretty grim, especially considering his past victories against the Persians and his practice of cremating the Persian dead despite the knowledge that it was viewed as a desecretion of holy fire by the enemy Zoroastrians, Ballista's famillia including his devoted Hibernian body guard Maximus, his lovingly irrascible Caledonian guardian Calgacus and his poetic Greek secretary Demetrius had escaped. So I wondered how they would rescue him from what looked like certain death. Having met the revolting Macriani in "King of Kings" Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun also hoped Ballista could avenge himself and his emperor as the tale unfolded. But it was not Ballista's famillia that came to his rescue. It was the frail old emperor who finally remembered who he had always been able to trust. Historically, Valerian Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun had a high regard for Ballista, as illustrated by the following communication from Valerian to a prefect of Illyricum quoted in the Historia Augusta: "From Valerian to Ragonius Clarus, prefect of Illyricum and the provinces of Gaul. If you are a man of good judgement, my kinsman Clarus, as I know that you are, you will carry out the arrangements of Ballista. Model your government on them. Do you see how he refrains from burdening the provincials, how he keeps the horses in places where there is fodder and exacts the rations for his soldiers in places where there is grain, how he never compels the provincials or the land-holders to furnish grain where they have no supply, or horses where they have no pasture? There is no arrangement better than to exact in each place what is there produced, so that the commonwealth may not be burdened by transport or other expenses. Galatia is rich in grain, Thrace is well stocked, and Illyricum is filled with it; so let the foot-soldiers be quartered in these regions, although in Thrace cavalry, too, can winter without damage to the provincials, since plenty of hay can be had from the fields. As for wine and bacon and other forms of food, let them be handed out in those places in which they abound in plenty. All this is the policy of Ballista, who gave orders that any province should furnish only one form of food, namely that in which Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun abounded, and that from it the soldiers should be kept away. But the old emperor had been seduced by Macrianus into believing his seemingly loyal courtier acted upon reliable intelligence about the whereabouts of Persian forces and ignored Ballista's repeated warnings about the army's precarious position. Now that it appeared all was lost, Valerian realized the ambitious Macriani had inadvertently left him an instrument of redemption. Without a hint to Shapur that Valerian had finally realized the ambitious author of the treachery, the old Roman asked Shapur to send Ballista to Macrianus' headquarters to negotiate a ransom, knowing full well that Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun would refuse any suggestion of ransom. But Valerian's best general would then be free to first, drive out the Persians, then deal with the imperial traitors. But is Ballista being snatched from the frying pan only to be delivered to the fire? Much of the ensuing story is based on the few fragments of history that survived Rome's brutal Third Century including the much maligned and historically suspect Historia Augusta. The Historia Augusta says Maeonius Astyanax claimed Ballista openly supported the usurpation of the Macriani saying: "As for myself, my age and my calling and my desires are Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun far removed from the imperial office, and so, as I cannot deny, I am searching for a worthy prince. But who, pray, is there who can fill the place of Valerian except such a man as yourself, brave, steadfast, honourable, well proved in public affairs, and — what is of the highest importance for holding the imperial office — possessed of great wealth? Therefore, take this post which your merits deserve. My services as prefect shall be yours as long as you wish. His age precludes him from seeking the purple himself? Ballista was only in his thirties! Although his military calling and personal ambitions may not have included the purple, he was hardly too old. In fact, he was probably not that much older than the sons of Macrianus. Sidebottom's novel, instead, has Ballista publicly accept the office of Prefect only after a henchmen of the Macriani makes veiled threats about Ballista's family that was essentially at the mercy of the Macriani in Antioch if Ballista refused to support the regime. I think this is a far more believable scenario as there is nothing in the histories to suggest Ballista was ever one to exploit a political situation. But, either way, Ballista once more ends up in command of much of the Roman army in Syria and he once more inflicts serious losses on the invading Persians. Sidebottom's gritty descriptions of 3rd century warfare leave you breathless and his excellent characterizations makes you worry about not only Ballista's welfare but the fate of loyal Maximus, cranky old Calgacus and even the gentle Demetrius. Ballista's wife, Julia, gets her moment to shine too as she confronts Persian warriors in a surprise attack on the city of Antioch. The Persians, though, are not the ultimate enemy. To restore the imperium, Ballista must kill the Macriani pretenders but not until he can find a way to safeguard his wife and two Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun. When Macrianus the Lame and his namesake Macrianus the Younger leave for Europe to challenge Valerian's son Gallienus for the throne of the entire Roman Empire, Ballista is ordered to remain with Quietus. Now, at least, the odds for Ballista's opportunity to exact retribution improve. However, when Quietus receives word that his father and brother have been defeated Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun killed in Thrace, he becomes paranoid and imprisons Ballista and his family. He captured the king's treasures and he captured, too, what the Parthian monarchs hold dearer than treasures, namely his concubines. For this reason Sapor [Shapur I] was now in greater dread of the Roman generals, and out of fear of Ballista and Odaenathus he withdrew more speedily to his kingdom. We read that Ballista was killed along with Quietus when Odaenathus captured the city of Emesa. But in the very next section of the Augusta Historia about Odaenathus himself, the Historia Augusta says while Odenathus was defeating Quietus at Emesa, Ballista claimed the purple for himself to avoid being slain. Then under section 18 of Volume III describing Ballista, the author of that portion if it is not Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun same as the rest of the work details yet another fate of Ballista but admits that he really doesn't know what happened to Ballista since most ancient sources only refer to his prefecture not any reign as usurper. I, however, have not been able to find out sufficiently the truth concerning him, because the writers of his time have related much about his prefecture but little about his rule. Fortunately, Sidebottom sorts this out in a much more satisfying conclusion that sets us up for the next novel in the series, "The Caspian Gates". View 1 comment. Nov 22, Ruth Downie rated it really liked it. Here he escapes the clutches of Shapur, King of Kings, but not the shadow of the oath he has sworn on his family's lives. This seemed to me to be the darkest of the books so far, and some of the violence is truly shocking - but it's a rich portrayal of the treachery and terror that must have underlain the struggle for power as the Roman empire tore itself apart. Powerful stuff. Jan 19, Jane rated it really liked it Shelves: ancient-romeWarrior of Rome III: Lion of the Suniran. This was a straight continuation from vol. He fights on side of the two usurpers, the two sons of Macrianus the Lame, as they face him with possible fate of wife and sons if he does not. He battles against Sassanids at Sebaste and Corcyra. Sassanids retreat. During Battle of Antioch, J This was a straight continuation from vol. During Battle of Antioch, Julia saves herself and the boys. I dislike her, but this was certainly brave. Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun : Harry Sidebottom :

He has an Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun reputation as a scholar, having published widely on ancient warfare, classical art and the cultural history of the Roman Empire. Harry is also a presenter on Ancient Discoveries for The History Channel and the best-selling fiction author of the Warrior of Rome series. The mix of heroes, treachery, political chicanery, and brutal warfare, combined with a fine literary style and and a sound academic background, made these two blockbusters the kind of books that truly deserve the clich page-turners. On the publication of the third in the series, Lion of the SunRoger Michael Kean interviewed Dr Harry Sidebottomasking about his influences, his real and fictional characters, writing techniques, and the genesis of his historical hero, the Romanized barbarian Ballista. Since a child I have always enjoyed reading historical fiction I grew up reading Alfred Duggan, Mary Renault, and Graham Shelby, and a lot of others and also writing it. It just took me a long time to get my courage up and try and get it published. Could you clarify what you meant by that, and do you think it should also apply to fiction? Too many students of the Classical world define the parameters of their research on the lines of I will study X body of evidence and see what turns up. Now there is a place for this. But I find MacMullens approach, where you ask a question or come up with a model, or hypothesis, or whatever you want to call it and then test it against the evidence we have, much more fun. All fiction is better if there is some sort of big moral or philosophical idea in play. Each of my Warrior of Rome novels tries to raise a question that both was important in the ancient world and is still of relevance today. Where do you stand on the historical fiction versus real history debate? I think the division between the two is far from total. In some ways the barriers between the two are more fluid now than they have been since the end of the nineteenth century. Several leading academic historians have been experimenting with novelistic forms. To what degree do you believe historical fiction should be faithful to the historical events and, indeed, to what degree do you think the historical sources are themselves accurate at what point do historical sources become fiction or, at least, biased? Unsurprisingly, I think historical novelists should respect history. In the Warrior of Rome novels the surface story of Ballista and his familia is almost entirely invented what little we know about the historical Ballista is all in the third novel, Lion of the Sun. But the background, the political events as well as the social history of the time, both the externals the food, weapons, clothes etc and the attitudes and values, are as real as I can make them. I think it is important, when you deviate from history to let the reader know in the Afterword or somewhere. All sources have an agenda and need careful analysis; that is a large part of the pleasure of doing ancient history. The Historia Augusta which I suspect has influenced many later historians shows Gallienus in the worst possible light: Gallienussurrendered himself to lust and pleasurecontinuing in luxury and debauchery, gave himself to amusements and revelling and administered the commonwealth like a boy who plays at holding power At the battle outside Mediolanum in Lion of the Sunyou appear to give him credit for being a much better person, but can you indicate how his character in the book will develop in The Caspian Gates? Gallienus is fascinating. The Latin sources, including the Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun Augusta, portray him as a degenerate, ineffectual tyrant, while the Greek sources see him as an essentially good emperor struggling Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun adversity. Possibly the former were influenced by how very badly he got on with the Senate. In the novels I want to blend the two images into one. Gallienus plays a major role in the next three Warrior of Rome novels. His growing closeness to the divine needs watching. You refer to the Historia Augusta as being by the mid-third century free historical fiction and untrustworthy, and yet, with so little else to go by, how much did you use its narratives Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun constructing your own version of events? The Historia Augusta is one of my all time favourite texts from antiquity Doing my first research under Tony Birley, one of the great experts probably had an effect. Why did an unknown author some time around AD write a series of imperial biographies pretending to be six different individuals writing about one hundred years earlier? Why, about half way through the life of Heliogabalus, did he give Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun any serious pretensions to be limited by historical Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun In my novels I use it more for characters than narrative. I like the idea of taking Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun fiction and using it for modern ends. The Historia Augusta paints the elder Macrianus as an upright, virtuous Roman of the old kind; in this you deviated from the source in as much as your Macriani are delightfully loathesome. In the novels, mainly for plot-driven reasons, I went with the propaganda image, and then added some. In the first two books particularly, your view of early Christianity and Christians comes across as mixed; how do you feel about the faith at this period particularly bearing in mind middle- American sensitivity to any criticism? Learning a lot about early Christianity or maybe better Christianities the heretics are just the sects that lost was one of the keenest pleasures so far of writing the novels. The early Christian martyr acts are wonderful, atmospheric propagandist novellas. The Christians seem to have gone out of their way to make themselves as weird as possible in pagan eyes; not just denying the existence of the pagan gods, but being pacifists, downplaying the importance of the biological family, undermining conventional social status, consuming the body and blood of their god, meeting in the dark, and voluntary martyrdom; all that shouting I am a Christian, and I want to die! The mid-third century is an obscure period to most readers. What drew you to place your story at that time? A mix of reasons. It is a period of fast change but poor sources, so intrinsically interesting to a historian. I had studied it for years. Very few novels have been set in the period. The lack of good evidence, and the absence of modern popular preconceptions, brings a certain freedom. You are clearly well placed to undertake literary research for the novels, but how much physical research do you do, trekking around the archaeological sites? I started out as an archaeologist, and think there is no substitute for boots on the ground. I take at least one research trip a year for the novels. Has the local geography or the topography of a place you have visited ever Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun any plot lines or made you alter a previously planned situation? Usually I plan the scenes carefully before I travel; so I know where the characters will go, and thus where I will take the notes and photos. Sometimes I leave it more open. For example for the battle of Sebaste in Lion of the Sun, all I knew was that Ballista had fought the Persians there, so I left it until I was exploring the modern village of Ayas before plotting the chapter. Does that mean that your characters are also carefully plotted before writing, or do you allow the story and characters to develop, as it were, under Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun own steam? As the series goes on the main characters are becoming ever more real to me, almost taking on a reality independent of me; sometimes they say and do things that surprise me. Ive pointed out in reviews that you deliver a geographically ordered framework in the big battle scenes so often a failing in novels, leading to reader confusion. How do you set out to write a battle? Like a general I draw scale maps, cut out bits of cardboard of Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun frontages of units, move them about all very carefully choreographed. The thing is to get the big picture over to the reader, even if the characters only see a small, confused part. Very little is known about the real Ballistas background, even his nationality although theres no reason why he shouldnt have been one of the earlier Teutons like Bauto, Arbogast, Ardaburius, Stilicho, Aspar et al to rise to military power in later decades but was the choice of his being an Angle a conscious decision to make him more appealing to a British readership, or was there a deeper meaning behind his nationality? There were various reasons for making Ballista Germanic. As an academic I wanted to play with the ideas advanced by a friend of mine, Hugh Elton. In an excellent book, Warfare in Roman Europe ADhe argued that barbarian generals like Stilicho et al were more or less completely Romanized. I wanted to explore how true that was likely to be would a man completely forget the culture of his early life? As a novelist, I wanted Rome observed by a semi- outsider. The first of these were built in the late third century AD. I would not be surprised if Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun ends up defending or attacking them. Have you any wish to write about a Roman or other period where there is a great deal more contemporary source material extant, or would this be more of a hindrance than a help? HS: I want to write about the period just after the death of Alexander ; his generals have helped him conquer most of the known world, now they have to work out what to do with it. I would also like to write modern thrillers. I suspend my judgement whether more source material will help or hinder. The maps are vital to my books. Ever since I was a kid reading Tolkien, I have loved maps in a book. In mine they help the reader know what is happening, and maybe learn a bit of geography, just like I did when researching them. Did you suffer second-book nerves, and was King of Kings more difficult to write than the first, Fire in the East? I had the feeling that, owing to the historical framework, Ballista had to be found work to flesh out the central section, not that this was uninteresting far from it but it meant the driving narrative force of the first book was more subdued in book two until the climactic ending. Lion of the Sun Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun, again, a more linear drive from start to finish. Fire in the East had a deliberately simple plot. With King of Kings I wanted to write a more complex novel. The central section of King of Kingsthe persecution of Christians in Ephesuswas conceived as the heart of the story. It is the big moral question the novel raises: how is a good, but basically irreligious man to act in the face of religious extremism? I may be wrong, but I had thought the Warrior of Rome series was to be a trilogy; thats obviously not the case, with The Caspian Gates coming next year. Are these in the Warrior of Rome Ballista series as well? The Warrior of Rome novels were always seen as an ongoing series I jotted down rough plans for no fewer than seventeen initially but and here is a very pretentious, Oxford Classics Don bit influenced by Tacitus in the AnnalsI wanted each three books to form a trilogy within the whole. From Fire to Lion we are in the Near East. In many respects, it would seem in a similar vein to Warrior of Rome. I read Eagle in the Snow at school, and very much enjoyed it. I want my fiction based on my reading of the primary evidence and modern scholarship, and I do not want other novelists ideas getting in the way. I read somewhere that you do not rate the Roman novels of Colleen McCullough Masters of Rome serieswould you care to explain why? Like in so many historical novels which pretend to be set in Rome, her characters are modern western people in fancy dress; utterly anachronistic in attitudes and values. Also, the one I reviewed, The October Horsewas just far too long. Most def as characters say in The Wire. So far, in Lionwhat little we know of her ambitious in unwomanly areas of politics and war, keen on culture, uses sex as a way of controlling her husband comes via Bathshiba, so might be wrong. But she has provided Odenathus with a new heir; which might prove awkward, as he already has one from his previous marriage. Looking for more Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun authors that successfullytackle the Roman Empire? Warrior of the Pen, an Interview with Harry Sidebottom roger-kean. In the first place, as an academic, what made you turn to historical fiction? Lion of the Sun (Warrior of Rome, #3) by Harry Sidebottom

Description Lion of the Sun. Betrayed by his most trusted adviser, the Roman Emperor Valerian has been captured by the Sassanid barbarians. The shame of the vanquished beats down mercilessly like the white sun, as the frail old emperor prostrates himself before Shapur, King of Kings. Ballista looks on helplessly, but vows Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun his breath to avenge those who have brought the empire to the brink of destruction with their treachery. One day, maybe not soon, but one day, I will kill you. But first he must decide what price he will pay for his own freedom. Only the fearless and only those whom the gods will spare from hell can now save the empire from a catastrophic ending. Ballista, the Warrior of Rome, faces his greatest challenge yet. King of Kings. AD - the spectre of treachery hangs ominously over the Roman Empire. The sparks of Christian fervour have spread through the empire like wildfire, and the imperium is alive with the machinations of dangerous and powerful men. All the while, Sassanid forces press forward relentlessly along the eastern frontier. The battle-bloodied general Ballista returns to the imperial court from the fallen city of Arete - only to find that there are those who would rather see him dead than alive. Ballista is soon caught in a sinister web of intrigue and Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun fanaticism. Fire in the East. The year is AD - the Roman Imperium is stretched to breaking point, its authority and might challenged along every border. The greatest threat lies in Persia to the east, where the massing forces of the Sassanid Empire loom with fiery menace. There the isolated Roman citadel of Arete awaits inevitable invasion. One man is sent to marshal the defences and shore up crumbling walls. A man whose name itself means war: a man called Ballista. Alone, Ballista is called to muster the forces and the courage to stand first and to stand hard against the greatest enemy ever to confront the Imperium. This is part one of Warrior of Rome: an epic of empire, of heroes, of treachery, of courage, and most of all, a story of brutal bloody warfare. The Caspian Gates. AD - the Imperium is in turmoil after the struggle for the throne. Furthermore, Ephesus, Asia's metropolis, lies in ruins, shattered by a mighty earthquake. Its citizens live in fear as the mob overwhelms the city, baying for blood to avenge the gods who have punished them. Yet an even greater threat to the Empire advances from the North. The barbaric Goth tribes sail towards Ephesus, determined to pillage the city. Only Ballista, Warrior of Rome, knows the ways of the barbarians, and only he can defeat them. The Goths' appetite for brutality and destruction is limitless and before long Ballista is locked into a deadly bloodfeud, with an enemy Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun has sworn to destroy him - and the Imperium - at all Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun. The Wolves of the North. AD - barbarian invasions and violent uprisings threaten to tear apart the Imperium of Rome. In the north, the tribes are increasingly bold in their raids on the Imperium - their savagery unlike anything Rome has known before. Ballista must undertake his most treacherous journey yet - a covert attempt to turn the barbarians of the steppe against each other. He must face the Heruli - the most bizarre and brutal of all the nomad tribes - the Eaters of Flesh, the Wolves of the North. As Ballista and his retinue make their journey, someone - or something - is hunting them, picking them off one by one, and leaving a trail of terror and mutilated corpses. Ballista is in a strange land, among strange people, but is it possible that the greatest threat may come from within his own familia? The Amber Road. On a mission shrouded in secrecy and suspicion, Ballista is sent by Gallienus back to his original home of Hyperborea, the place of the people of his birth to raise an Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun against Postumus. This means that Ballista must journey along The Amber Road to the far north. Along the way Ballista meets a fearsome, masked warlord who attacks, bringing fire and sword against Ballista and his men. And in his home of Hyperborea not all welcome Ballista's return. In the battle between Postumus and Gallienus only one can survive and be emperor 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 days of the Roman Empire. Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun in the East The year is AD - the Roman Imperium is stretched to breaking point, its authority and might Warrior of Rome III: Lion of the Sun along every border. The Wolves of the North AD - barbarian invasions and violent uprisings threaten to tear apart the Imperium of Rome. The Amber Road On a mission shrouded in secrecy and suspicion, Ballista is sent by Gallienus back to his original home of Hyperborea, the place of the people of his birth to raise an army against Postumus. Bibliographic Information. Snazal Reviews. Customer Reviews. Other Books. Share this page:.