Gladiators

After his paternal grandfather rescues infant Octaviate Bracia from one of Rome’s traitor purges, he spirits the child away to Judaea.

Upon maturity, Octaviate joins Caesar’s Forces. His vindictive ex-wife implicates Octaviate in treason. Her schemes are too perfect, in fact, to fully convince Caesar’s chief prosecutor of Octaviate’s guilt—even though three legions with which he is associated have been decimated.

From Judaea’s dusty highways and byways, an itinerate rabbi and his follow...