The Danube frontier under Commodus. Marcus Valerius Aquila and his comrades are sent against a fortified enemy position whose strength lies in terrain, preparation and the knowledge that Roman commanders cannot afford public failure.
The mission becomes a test of endurance and loyalty as old enemies move against Marcus again. The novel places the Tungrians in a hard frontier war where imperial policy, revenge and the recovery of lost honour all demand blood.
Marcus’s private enemies exploit a frontier where military failure can easily be hidden inside confused fighting. Recovering honour therefore requires him to understand why the operation went wrong as well as survive the next engagement. Under Commodus, command is further complicated by a political culture in which officers may fear imperial judgement almost as much as the tribes they are sent to fight.
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