COLOSSEUM

About the Book

WINNER GOLD AWARD
Literary Titan

ONE EMPEROR’S DREAM. ONE GLADIATOR’S JUSTICE

Discover the secret of Nero’s spectacular Domus Aurea golden palace, only now being revealed. What is its connection to the Colosseum? And what is its link with the vibrant city of Pompeii, its gladiators and its total destruction caused by the eruption of Vesuvius?

The amphitheatre has its own secrets even more spectacular.
79 AD. In the reign of Vespasian in the very heart of Rome, a huge amphitheatre rose that would awe the empire. It became known as the Colosseum. Born from the extravagance of the Domus Aurea in Nero’s reign and the Great Fire of Rome, its construction was paid for by spoils won in the Judaean war. Over the years, the blood of thousands seeped into the arena’s sand. And the people loved it! This was the time of the gladiators as seen through the eyes of Famullus, Rome’s most famous fresco painter.

Quintus, a young man born free in Rome sharpens his skills as a Retiarius by fighting in arenas such as Pompeii, becoming caught up in the eruption of Vesuvius. Haunted by his mother’s murder years before, he is determined to find the killer and take a life for a life. He finds himself in the inaugural Games of Rome’s deadly Colosseum where he must fight for survival and the woman who loves him.

Executions, classical re-enactments, beast attacks, gladiatrices and staged naval battles are held within the arena and the crowd is ecstatic. The Colosseum has it all.

Beautifully crafted and soundly historically detailed, this is a gripping novel about retribution, love and bravery.

About the Author

Lorraine Blundell (Dance), an award winning author, was born in Brisbane, Australia. She lives in Melbourne and has a daughter, Jenni, and a son, Steve. Lorraine graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in English and History. She holds a teaching qualification in Drama from Trinity College, London.

She trained as a classical singer at the Queensland State Conservatorium of Music, Brisbane. During that period, she sang professionally on television as a solo vocalist, regularly performing for six years on channels BTQ7 and QTQ9 Brisbane as well as nationally on HSV7 Melbourne. She is an experienced performer in musical theatre productions. Her interests are singing, ancient history and archaeology.