Product Description

March AD 80. In Rome, the Emperor Titus has announced that there will be a hundred days of games to open his new Flavian amphitheatre (now known as the Colosseum). Suspecting that their friend Jonathan is not dead, as they had thought, Flavia, Nubia and Lupus organise an invitation to Rome on the pretence of witnessing this historic event. Their search for Jonathan leads them straight to the games, where they must face wild beasts, criminals, conspirators and gladiators. It is Nubia's turn to employ all her courage and talents, and before the end of the story she is called upon to make the most terrible choice. A heart-pounding behind-the-scenes account of gladiator fights, executions and beast fights makes this one of the most exciting Roman Mysteries yet.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28139 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Review
'As always with Caroline Lawrence, the research is impeccable and the ancient Rome she depicts is very real.' -- Elizabeth Hawksley HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW

From the Back Cover
March AD 80.
In Rome the Emperor Titus has announced a hundred days of games.

The games are to celebrate the opening of the new Flavian amphitheatre (now known as the Colosseum). Suspecting that their friend Jonathan is not dead, as they had thought, Flavia, Nubia and Lupus organize an invitation to Rome on the pretence of witnessing this historic event.

Their search for Jonathan leads them straight to the games, where they must face wild beasts, criminals, conspirators and gladiators. It's Nubia's turn to employ all her courage and talents, and before the end of the story she is called upon to make the most terrible choice.

A heart-pounding behind-the-scenes account of gladiator fights, executions and beast fights makes this one of the most exciting Roman Mysteries yet.

About the Author
Caroline Lawrence is American. She won a scholarship to Cambridge to read Classical Archaeology, then did a degree in Hebrew and Jewish Studies at University College, London. She lives with her husband, a graphic designer, by the river in London.

Customer Reviews

The Gladiators from Capua
The Gladiators from Capua is a great book. Its one of the best books Caroline Lawernce has written yet. This book goes into some emotional moments and of Nubia's past. It's also about Jonathan, who in this book is a gladiator named Prometheus. Basically, this book is about four best friends; Flavia, Nubia, Lupus and Jonathan who care about each other. Jonathan is said to be dead and was the one who started the big fire which killed a lot of people. Lupus, a mute boy, finds out that Jonathan is alive and is in Rome. Flavia, Lupus, and Nubia go out in search for Jonathan. Lupus overhears people talking about the boy who started the fire and is living on top of a hill. On the hill, they find a girl who tells them that the boy with curly hair (Jonathan) has just left the hill and has gone to the amphitheatre. Caudex, Flavia's slave and bodyguard, used to be a gladiator in training but then quit because he didn't like seeing blood. Caudex knew where the gladiators were kept during the practice.Then Caudex suddenly disappears. Lupus then finds out that all the gladiators that will be fighting and dying are all Jews.
Nubia runs into an old friend and his lion Monobaz. Monobaz's owner has a son who works at the amphitheater. From my point of view I would say that Nubia and Monabaz's owner's son like each other. Then,the fighting between the gladiators start.
Human gladiators, men gladiators, women gladiators, child gladiators, beasts and criminals fought. During the fights, Nubia wins a lottery ball. Inside it is a paper on which the word "gladiator" was written. Nubia had just won a lottery ball! The battle continued for some other days until one day, gladiators from Capua walked into the amphitheatre. One of them was Nubia's brother whome she was seperated from when slave dealers sold her. Nubia's brother was paired up with Sextus: he had 6 fingers on each hand. Eventually Nubia's brother won. Nubia really wants to set her brother free but Lupus found Jonathan! Lupus wanted Flavia to free Jonathan. Later on, Nubia finds out that her brother doesn't want to be set free beacause he loved the condition that he was in.
Nubia accidentally tells the emperor Titus that Jonathan is alive. Titus believes that Jonathan was the onbe who started the fire on the hill. Titus asks Jonathan if he had started the fire and Jonathan says yes. Titus orders Jonathan to be killed but someone saves his life withe a lion.
After that, Titus asks Jonathan one more time if he had started the fire. This time he tells the emperor the real story.From Titus Jonathan finds out that his mother is alive. She had not died in the fire. Jonathan, Lupus, Nubia, Flavia and Caudex hen go home to Ostia. On thir way to Ostia Jonathan discovers that Caudex had saved his life.
This is the best book I've ever read. I'd rate it 5 because it has all the great stuff a great book should have.

Fighting off crocodiles with a banana
Caroline Lawrence's vivid - and sometimes disturbing - descriptions really bring to life the savage bloodshed of the Inaugural Games. The three remaining friends witness bloody beast combats, a bloodbath renamed as a beast hunt featuring barely armed beast hunters, a grisly parade of informers, and public executions re-enacting horrible deaths from myths.
This is my favourite Roman Mysteries book because the descriptions are very rich in detail and it tells you exactly what it was like to live in Ancient Roman times. I think that other people should read it because it really draws you in and even by the end of just the first book you feel like you know the characters very well. Another reason I like this book is because they have a lot of information in them. There are maps and diagrams at the front depending on the location and what the book is based around. For example, at the front of "The Gladiator from Capua" there is cross-section of the Colosseum, maps of Rome, and the complicated seating plan for the amphitheatre according to rank.
To summarize, therefore, it is very readable but still very deep in texture and is a colourful and satisfying read.

Reader Aged 12

How many more as great as this book
Caroline larwence has done it again, she has created a great book with Jonathan going missing and Flavia and here gang going to find him but the hundred days of gladiator fighting gets in there way. Nubia plays with animals,Lupus goes underground but overall jonathan is found I can't wait for the next one!