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To its credit, there is something decidedly old-school about Wallace’s tale of ancient Rome. One feels that it ought to be found in a stately public library or in a quaint, out-of-the-way bookstore specializing in hard-to-find editions. There, sequestered on a high shelf untouched by the night maid’s feather duster, would reside this engrossing tale of honor and ignominy, triumph and tragedy, passion and pathos played out in togas, swords, and sandals.
Tiberius is the son of a legendary Roman. A hundred and forty-six years before the birth of Christ, he takes part in the siege of Carthage and wins glory for his brave deeds. Thus begin the exploits of an honest and good family man forced to navigate the treacherous waters of brutal enemies, envious cohorts, scheming senators, and the mercurial nature of the Roman rabble. There is much to admire in Wallace’s epic tale. He vividly depicts the opulence and grandeur of the ruling classes while simultaneously detailing the sights, sounds, smells, and squalor of those not born to wealth or position. His battle scenes pulse with excitement as he couples the weapons, tactics, and strategies of war with the carnage they wreak. No less compellingly does he describe the deceit and scheming in the porticos of power as well as the intrigue and hidden agendas in intricate familial relationships. His dialogue and the prose that surrounds it maintain a musty odor of antiquity that is perfect for the setting of his tome. This is a big story well told of times far distant from our own—but it reminds us there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to the best and worst of human behavior.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review