Spurius: A Novel
Consul of Rome who crushed the cult of Bacchus, 186 BC
- Compelling, erudite and fast-paced ancient historical novel, in the tradition of Robert Graves and Robert Harris
- First-ever treatment of a little-known but fascinating (and troubling) event in Roman Republican history
- Newly commissioned illustrations by award-winning artist Jorge González bring the narrative to vivid life
It is a perilous time for the Roman Republic. Victory over her nemesis Hannibal in the Second Punic War and the subsequent conquest of Greece have led to widespread debauchery and mayhem on the Italian peninsula. Into the breach steps Spurius Postumius Albinus, Consul of Rome in 186 BC, who turns detective to investigate a series of crimes attributed to the cult of the wine god Bacchus that, he argues, threaten the very heart of the State.
Based on events recorded by the Roman historian Livy and confirmed by a surviving bronze plaque in Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, Spurius is at once an ancient political whodunit and the first major treatment of a cataclysmic event in Roman history: according to Livy, some 3,500 Romans perished in the witch hunts resulting from Spurius’ investigation. In its finely balanced examination of freedom of belief and expression, and the manipulation of truth in times of national emergency, the novel has great relevance to today’s troubled world.
- Publisher
- Kulturalis
- ISBN
- 9781836360407
- Publish date
- 9th Mar 2026
- Binding
- Hardback
- Territory
- World
- Size
- 228 mm x 146 mm
- Pages
- 226 Pages
Distributed by ACC Art Books
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