Set in Rome in the first century A.D. Emperor Titus wants a Naumachia, a water event including a mock sea battle and other features. After the first event, he is so pleased that he wants another the following year, on a grander scale, this one with deeper water and deadly aquatic creatures: eels, vipers, sharks and crocodiles. An ensemble of workers has to figure out how to waterproof the floor of the Amphitheatre, how to get water to the Amphitheatre and onto the arena floor, and then how to drain it quickly. They also have to get ships (2/3 the size of a regular ship) into the water, get sea creatures from Ostia and house them safely until showtime. And, really, there is no point in having man-eating creatures in the water unless there is something to eat. Fighting gladiators falling from the ships satisfies this need, but the author skims lightly over this part.
Marcus, the manager of games and his assistant, Althea, face these Herculean tasks after having put on one hundred days of consecutive games, along with others recruited occasionally for their expertise. As well as working closely together, Althea and Marcus live in the same insula (apartment block) with a propina (eating place) on a corner run by Cassia and her father. Various other occupants of the insula include a retired Vestal Virgin and a lively, energetic orphaned black boy who’s a sort of mascot.
One night, Althea barely escapes being raped. The next day, she realises her attacker is a cousin of Cassia’s coming for a visit. She faces a moral dilemma. Should she tell Cassia or just hope the cousin will go home? Delay only makes things worse because it is soon apparent that the cousin has his eye on the propina through marriage to Cassia. Althea tells no one and lives in fear. She copes with her secret and the burdens of her job with the support of friends. This is only one of several sub-plots.
Three things I particularly liked about this book. The narrative takes a simple, unadorned style in keeping with the characters. Likewise, the dialogue is simple, even when explaining technically complicated things relating to the Naumachia, and skips along naturally without ever seeming forced. The third is the supportive and loving community of the insula, which adds a few heart-warming moments to the drama.
Anyone who reads this book would be forgiven for wondering how the author found information on something as arcane as Naumachia, which apparently only happened twice. It is explained in the Afterword, but I can’t begin to imagine the difficulty the author must have had tracking down resources on the subject. Kudos for that.
It is the second in a series. The first deals with the destruction of Pompeii – a must-read for me. Highly recommended.
*****
About Melissa Addey
I write historical fiction across several different eras, as I love to research new times and places. Come with me to:
Ancient Rome: meet the backstage team of the Colosseum, tasked with creating spectacular gladiatorial Games.
11th century Morocco: four women’s lives intertwine to tell the story of a rising empire across North Africa and Spain.
18th century China: the gilded lives of four imperial concubines, each struggling to find her place in the Forbidden City.
And a new era coming soon… press the ‘Follow’ button above to be sent an update when new books come out.
You can see some book trailers and videos of research trips on this page.
I hope you enjoy your travels with me – please do leave even a brief review if you have, it helps my stories find new readers and I read every one and am always touched by your kind words and by you taking the time.
I’ve been the Leverhulme Trust Writer in Residence at the British Library and won the Novel London award. I have a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Surrey and for my thesis I wrote about the balance between fact and fiction in historical fiction, while writing my novel The Garden of Perfect Brightness.
For more information on me and my books, visit my website http://www.melissaaddey.com
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