Sword of the Gladiatrix

by Faith L. Justice Book 1 in the Gladiatrix series.

First published 2015

Amazon

3.8(112)

Afra, a scout and animal handler from the kingdom of Kush, and Cinnia, an Iceni warrior associated with Boudica’s revolt, are carried from opposite edges of the Roman world into slavery. In Nero’s Rome they are trained as gladiatrices, where combat, spectacle and the threat of execution turn survival into a performance for an imperial audience.

Their rivalry develops into attachment as each woman confronts the loss of homeland, freedom and family. The novel uses the arena and Roman slave system to connect Britain, North Africa and the capital, combining military aftermath, gladiatorial violence and romance while keeping the two fictional protagonists at the centre of the story.

Female gladiators are sparsely documented, which gives the novel room for invention while keeping the institution of slavery historically central. Afra and Cinnia may earn applause and temporary privileges, but neither controls the terms on which she fights. Their relationship develops in a setting where public fascination cannot erase the legal fact that the performers remain property.