Rome and Sardinia, AD 57. After the eastern campaign damages his standing, Cato is ordered to escort one of Nero’s discarded favourites into exile. Sardinia is suffering from disease, local insurgency and a divided Roman command, turning an apparently minor assignment into a provincial crisis. With Macro separated from him, Cato must restore discipline and uncover who is exploiting the unrest while remaining vulnerable to enemies at the imperial court.
Sardinia’s isolation turns exile into a political instrument: unwanted courtiers can be removed from Rome without the spectacle of execution, while provincial commanders are left to manage the consequences. Cato’s assignment therefore connects palace favour with frontier administration, showing how a decision made in Nero’s household can create a military crisis far from the capital.
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