I’ll never forget the first time I visited Pompeii.

I entered through the Marina Gate and as I walked slowly toward the Forum, it was as though I was going back into time with each and every step. And the place still possesses its very human story through its various buildings—some of which still stand complete—and it’s wall frescoes and plaster-cast molds of victims. The site is a world treasure. Though people and animals tragically died here, it’s a veritable time-capsule of information on just how ancient Romans lived and died. And perhaps the most surprising thing that a visitor takes with them upon leaving is the thought that, “They were just like us!”

In Rome itself, apartment buildings called insulae (islands) were often up to seven or even eight stories high. Plutarch, an ancient biographer who liked to tell the stories of famous Greeks and Romans, told about Marcus Licinius Crassus, a contemporary of Julius Caesar. Crassus became rich through vast purchases of properties in Rome—specifically insulae. Since Rome had no fire brigade at the time, Crassus trained a band of his own slaves to be firemen. If there was a fire in an insula, which occurred regularly, due to people trying to cook in their apartments, Crassus would show up with his firemen. He’d offer to buy the insula for a ridiculously low price and the poor, panicked owner would either have to sell his enflamed property or watch it burn, as Crassus would only order his firemen into action if he sealed a deal!

And—hey! McDonald’s anyone? Common plebians typically ate their meals at fast food stalls (thermopolia), located on the streets and sometimes even built into insulae. Americans might think they invented fast-food, but these tiny eateries would serve up steaming veggies and meats onto husks of bread for a filling meal two-thousand years ago. It was only the upper middle classes and families of noble descent who could really afford to recline in their painted triclinia, served by slaves.

Lastly, I have to mention the Roman passion for games. Now their tastes were different than ours—bloody beast and gladiator shows were the norm. But this enormous public park easily lends to our imaginations what mighty structure once stood there. The Circus Maximus was the place to go for gladiator shows, public executions of criminals, and the favorite Roman past-time—chariot racing! The Circus Maximus is HUGE and worth a visit. Visitors can still walk where the original track was laid out and see where the spina—the “spine” of the complex—once was. By Julius Caesar’s day, this enormous arena seated over one-hundred-fifty THOUSAND people! As the Republic morphed into Empire, several Emperors renovated and improved the mighty Circus Maximus, and other hippodromes similar to it, were added in notable cities throughout the Roman Empire.

 I am of the opinion that there’s NOTHING boring about history. People who poo-poo the study of other cultures from the past simply haven’t gotten INTO the spirits of the people who lived so long ago. Tourists who visit Pompeii and experience the many similarities between ancient Roman culture and ours are right. In many regards, they were “just like us.”
 

If you read Antonius: Second in Command, you will quickly find yourself traveling through the ancient world alongside Marcus Antonius. Antony was a real traveling man. He traveled all over the Mediterranean world, which was "the western world" at the time. The Roman World had a few different names and titles to places that you and I are most familiar with. Here are a few of them--and this week, I'm including a lovely map of the Roman world, created by Cathy Helms at Avalon Graphics, LLC. This is one of two maps included in my newest book!

GAUL: Gaul was pretty much modern-day France. When Second in Command begins, Julius Caesar is attempting to conquer the Gallic people. They were known as valiant warriors and their hill-forts were huge and imposing. The Gauls invaded and sacked the city of Rome way back in 390 BC and the Romans never forgot that infraction. There was bad blood between the two peoples from then on. Caesar wrote a propaganda-fueled memoir, known as The Gallic Wars that can still be read today. Caesar describes the ancient Gauls and Britons and details the many skirmishes and incidents throughout the decade of Gaul's fall to the Romans.

BRITANNIA: Caesar made two forays over to what is now the United Kingdom. The second was more successful than the first. Until 2017, nobody knew exactly where Caesar had landed, however, recent archaeological excavations in Kent have rendered artifacts and ruins of fortifications that are very similar to those excavated in present-day France at the Alesia site, where Caesar won Gaul for Rome. British archaeologists are quite certain that the ruins and artifacts (which include Roman spear points), are from Caesar's invasion. In his writings, Caesar paints a vivid description of the ancient Britons and their methods of warfare. It is not known whether Antony was actually with him, but if Antony had arrived in Gaul shortly before Caesar left, the remote possibility is there. (And that, my friends, is why it's fun to write historical FICTION!) As a young officer needing experience and exposure, it's conceivable that Caesar may have taken him along.

SYRIA: In Marc Antony's lifetime, Syria was a brand new conquest. In Son of Rome, he receives his first command there, under Aulus Gabinius, Syria's new proconsul. Since it was such a recent addition to Rome's growing empire, it was very loosely compiled. There were areas that its conqueror, Pompeius Magnus had claimed but weren't really subjugated, as of yet. Much of that land in question was what would eventually become Judea, under the emperors. On its eastern border were the troublesome Parthians, with whom the Romans always had conflicts. To the south were the Judeans, whose people were never pleased with Roman rule, despite their kings who willingly served Rome to stay in power.

It is remarkable to me that the Roman World "worked" as well as it did. In trade, economics, growth, and communication, this was a period of world history when there was no telecommunication of any sort, no jet planes, or automobiles. And yet, part of the Roman Empire lasted well into the high Middle Ages. 

Take your time looking over the map below, and then be sure to read Second in Command and travel to many of these amazing lands where Antony went. 

Octavian Caesar. He's not my favorite character from Roman history, but he's sure an important one.

"Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Augustus" was his full name at the height of his career. Yet he began as a sickly, large-eared youth who supposedly wore elevator sandals. I wasn't the biggest fan of HBO's ROME, but I did think that the young actor, Max Pirkis did an especially phenomenal job portraying Octavian. "Middling" at swordplay, but possessing nerves of steel. Inconsequential physically, but living into his mid-70's... Octavian had to have been one of history's most shocking surprises!

Octavian and Antony had to have been at odds early on. No two men could ever have been more opposite in their personalities, talents, and interests. At one point, Antony describes Octavian as being "a boy with nothing but a name". But that name was his inherited one from Caesar, and as my Antony discovers along the way, it packs a punch.

Readers of my books won't get many of Octavian's merits, since my work is written from Antony's point of view. However, Octavian was a brilliant strategist, a real prince of propaganda, and surprised everyone at his early age at being an adept ruler. He was a huge risk-taker and was the first living Roman to denote himself as being associated with godhead. After Julius Caesar was proclaimed to be a god, Octavian followed shortly after in proclaiming HIMSELF as "son of the god". This shows up on many coins, the Latin stating "Divi Filius" (Son of the god).

In Second in Command, he steps into the limelight to become a real player, just as Antony was, on the Roman stage of power. Anthony Everitt describes Octavian's eventual politics to be thus: "Rather than insist on a chasm, he built a bridge." He just didn't build it with Antony! Octavian knew his enemy's weaknesses and played on them with surgical precision.

Whenever I go to Rome, Octavian's likenesses are some of my favorites. I took a phenomenal class in Roman Art & Archaeology under Dr. Christina Salowey, PhD of Classical Studies at Hollins University. She taught her students how to recognize different Roman busts and statuary by traits given them by the artists in their day. Octavian's busts and statues all have pincer-like locks in the way his hair rests on his forehead. Now my own husband walks through museums in Rome, pointing out all of his statues to me! This pincer-like trait has always amused me, since Octavian really did  "pinch" his enemies into submission one-by-one. It may have taken time, but he always succeeded. His own words describe his method of advancement: "Festina lente"-- hasten slowly.

My new book, Antonius: Second in Command will portray the beginning tensions between Marc Antony and Octavian. Read on, my friends!

This Friday, on October 25th, my second book , Antonius: Second in Command, will launch. I hope my readers are ready, because it's a book chock-FULL of warfare! There will be plenty of political intrigue and scandal, too. 

From the unexplored regions of Britannia to hill-forts of Gaul, dusty plains in Greece, rugged landscapes of northern Italy, and Rome's unrelenting Senate struggles, Second in Command is a fast-paced ride through the beginnings of Marcus's rise into politics as he becomes one of Caesar's most competent generals and supporters. Much more information from ancient sources is available on this part of his career, so the reader will also experience his character's transformation as he matures and becomes more ruthless through power. I used Plutarch's Life of Antony and Appian of Alexandria's accounts, in particular.

Readers will also be introduced to some fascinating historical characters--some of whom will be new to Second in Command. Though not central to the story in presence or dialogue, Caesar's rival and King of the Gauls, Vercingetorix will loom in the shadows, high above the Roman encampment at Alesia. He's just as influential with his own people as Caesar is with his own army.

Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius are two men of Senatorial rank. Both oppose Caesar's ambitions, becoming eventual enemies of Marcus Antonius, as well. Brutus and Cassius will go to any lengths to attempt restoration of Rome's vanishing Republic.

Cleopatra will re-appear as Egypt's new Queen. She also becomes a mother, bringing her baby to Rome on a state visit to further her favor with Caesar. However, most Romans of Senatorial rank aren't pleased at having a foreign queen so celebrated in their city, right under their noses.

Young Gaius Octavian is Caesar's great-nephew and though brilliant, has an unappealing and abrupt personality, as well as Caesar's own luck! Marcus despises him and a heated rivalry ignites between them that can hardly be contained.

Several other notable women characters are introduced, such as Fulvia. Much-married and of tempestuous nature and a brashness to rival most men, she is always full of surprises--and not necessarily good ones. Another young lady, Volumnia Cytheris will also make her appearance. Though earthy, low-born, and scandalous, she proves to have her own sort of honor.

So with such an exotic cast of characters and places to travel, join me for Antonius: Second in Command, coming THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25th!!!

Now... who wants to win a book??? 

All you have to do is three things: 1) Subscribe to my website, here at https://www.brookallenauthor.com/  2) Go to Brook Allen's Facebook site, and "like" it. 3) Share that post.

That's ALL! You'll be automatically entered to win one of five, signed books. You even get to CHOOSE which book: Antonius: Son of Rome OR Antonius: Second in Command.

I will announce the winners on my website and on Facebook on Thursday, October 31st! 

In ancient Rome, the typical business dress for men was a toga. What most people don't realize is that there were various togas for different occasions and they were every bit as much of a status symbol as a sports car is today. Togas were made of wool and were probably not the most comfortable sort of attire. They could be worn several ways and the popular way of wearing one actually changed over time. Roman art is always an exceptional time-line and indicates that togas were worn as early as 753 BC. These earlier togas were much shorter than most statuary indicate. By Marc Antony's day, they measured about 15-18 feet in length and were cumbersome and difficult to put on. In fact, one hand of the wearer often held the fabric in place! Even some statuary attest to this,  as they're depicted holding their toga with one hand.

So let's discuss the different types of togas that men wore.

Toga pura: This was a toga that common people wore whenever a toga was called for. It was of un-dyed wool and was often whitish in color. Of course, that would also depend on the breed of sheep used. 

Toga Trabea: This toga type was worn by priestly officials or members of the equite class. The garment's edges were decorated with a thin purple strip. In the case of augurs (priests who read omens from nature), the edges of their togas were striped in both purple and gold. The religious office of augur was a life-long honor, and one held by Marc Antony!

​Toga Virilis: Boys assuming adulthood, between the ages of 14 through 17 years wore this toga in their "toga virilis" ceremony. A big deal was made of a boy's first visit to a barber, having his beard shaved. Usually, he would have worn a white toga virilis for this event, signifying his foray into adulthood. In elite families, there were often great celebrations when sons came of age--always adorned in their toga virilis. 

Toga Candida: In Antonius: Second in Command, Marcus will be wearing a stark-white toga candida several times while standing for office. Apparently, the toga candida was a basic toga pura, but enhanced with the application of white chalk. Candidates wanted to stand out in a crowd, and the rubbing of white chalk on their toga made their attire a lot brighter than those of the rest of the populace. In fact, if you take a look at my cover for Second in Command, I was thrilled when the toga candida was selected as the model's clothes. In fact, the Latin word "candida" is where our word "candidate" comes from.

Toga Praetexta: Senators wore these togas, bordered with a broad purplish-red stripe Anyone in such a toga was held in regard, as this type of garment--especially in the Republican Age, meant "imperium", the influential power all Romans craved. Men like Marc Antony, Cicero, Pompeius, and Caesar would all have worn the traditional toga praetexta in the Senate. When Caesar celebrated his Triumphs and following that into the Imperial Age, purple became the traditional color of the toga praetexta for emperors.

Toga Pulla: Worn to funerary rites, this was the official toga of grief. It was always dark in color, and was probably not adorned with any border decorations, keeping it solemn and austere. During Caesar's funerary rites, Antony would have worn a toga pulla, and probably afterward as well, in keeping with a period of mourning. 

One more interesting tidbit. Women who were prostitutes also wore togas! While men usually wore tunics underneath, it's doubtful that these ladies would have worn anything under theirs! 

So there you have it, my friends! Toga, toga, TOGA!!!

Now... who wants to win a book??? 

All you have to do is three things: 1) Subscribe to my website, here at https://www.brookallenauthor.com/  2) Go to Brook Allen's Facebook site, and "like" it. 3) Share that post.

That's ALL! You'll be automatically entered to win one of five, signed books. You even get to CHOOSE which book: Antonius: Son of Rome OR Antonius: Second in Command.

I will announce the winners on my website and on Facebook on Thursday, October 31st! ​

The magnificent "Pious Augustus", located at the Palazzo Massimo Museum in Rome. This would have been a very typical way for a man of power to wear his toga. Whenever he was involved in a religious rite, it's believed he would have covered his head with the back drape of the toga, as Augustus has done in this rendering.

One of my strongest characters in both Antonius: Son of Rome and Antonius: Second in Command is Marc Antony's Mom--Julia Antonia. Julia had a full life and is mentioned several times in Plutarch's writings. In fact, she is described as one of the "most nobly born and admirable women of her time". 

Interestingly enough, she may have suffered with the same tendency to fall "deeply in love", as her son. Perhaps that's where he inherited that propensity--one that probably hurt him in the long run. Julia remarried after Marcus Antonius Creticus, her first husband, died in shame. However, the man she remarried became involved in the troublesome Catiline conspiracy, and Cicero, lifelong foe of the Antonii, had Lentulus executed. (For details on that drama, read Antonius: Son of Rome.)

In Antonius: Second in Command, Julia continues to be vocal regarding Marcus's weaknesses, often reminding him of what he should and shouldn't do. He is his own worst enemy in a lot of situations. But she also shows her courage, grit and grace, when it comes to defending her own. And at last, she'll see her son come into power, as he steps forth into Rome's political scene.

In a lot of ways, Julia Antonia is the penultimate "Roman matron", showing that women DID exercise influence in political affairs, their men's personal lives, and in the life of her most influential son, even if it was behind closed doors. Granted, Antony doesn't always heed her advice, but as he steps out of the shadows and into imperium--the term for power and prominence, it is women like Julia who champion him and stand up for their family. 

Another woman who held sway over some political incidences in my upcoming book, Antonius: Second in Command, was Fulvia, Marc Antony's third wife. She heralded the pathway for other women like Antonia Minora (Marc Antony's youngest daughter), Livia, Messalina, Agrippina, and other women in the Imperial age, who were truly commanding in their own regard, both good and bad.

Julia Antonia holds a special place in my novels. She's actually one of my favorite characters. I pity her in the fact that she had to deal with "Marcus" as a teenager... not an easy task! And I grieved with her; in her weakness for Lentulus in Son of Rome. I cheer her on in the adventures she'll have in both Second in Command and my third book--yet unnamed. She is a woman of her time--a woman raised traditionally-- who faced changing times, a dying government, and learned to embrace the power her son wielded with courage, wisdom, and tenacity.

I hope you enjoy her character as much as I have.


Now... who wants to win a book??? 

All you have to do is three things: 1) Subscribe to my website, here at https://www.brookallenauthor.com/  2) Go to Brook Allen's Facebook site, and "like" it. 3) Share that post.

That's ALL! You'll be automatically entered to win one of five, signed books. You even get to CHOOSE which book: Antonius: Son of Rome OR Antonius: Second in Command.

I will announce the winners on my website and on Facebook on Thursday, October 31st! 

A grand painting by Vincenzo Camuccini, showing noblewomen surrendering their jewelry for the "benefit" of the state, a piece of legislature that briefly comes into effect in my upcoming novel, Antonius: Second in Command.

Authors get asked so many different questions. But perhaps the one I'm most frequently asked is "How long did it take for you to write your book?"

The answer: "A long time."

What most people who are NOT authors don't realize is the the actual writing is only a fraction of the entire process. So, in this week's blog, I thought I'd briefly share the basic process of what's involved in creating a historical novel, independently. 

First is the research. I am researching even when I'm writing. Sometimes I have to stop cold and fish out a book to look up facts. One nagging subject early on in Son of Rome was what Roman saddles were like. Believe it or not, some have been discovered by archaeologists and recreated. Roman saddles made up for their lack of stirrups by having four saddle horns. So regardless of whether a cavalryman looped his leg around one for balance on the fly or used them for hanging tack and saddlebags, they were obviously practical. But a well-researched novel stands alone, and as an author, that's my intent.

Writing the novel itself is a creative and fun task. However, we do it in multiple drafts. The first draft is always one that we look back and laugh at. Full of errors, too many words, scenes that don't tie in to each other, and holes in plot and character... I could go on and on. Yet a first draft is a vital skeleton upon which we go back to in the second draft, third, fourth... and so on, fleshing out, editing, and correcting. For people (like me!) who love writing, it's how I love to unwind after the workday. I write.

After the manuscript is as complete as possible, an in-depth developmental edit is essential to tightening the entire plot and solidifying each character. It's also a good way to get input on descriptive elements in scenes, along with dialogue. After a developmental edit, I rework the entire manuscript. Sometimes, this means cutting or adding an entire scene. Many authors find it painful, but for me, it's cathartic, because it makes the whole package more appealing to the reader. It's my favorite part of the entire book-writing process!

After that, comes a copy-edit. This is where an editor makes certain that every 't' is crossed, and every 'i' is dotted. It's where grammatical issues are cleared up and any clumsy phrases or inaccuracies in historical detail are corrected. Yes--a good copy-editor has to research too! My editor, Jenny Quinlan and I have discussed Latin word endings a great deal, trying to come up with ones that will serve my work the best, in context. She has also questioned me on Roman saddles, so it's a good thing I did my homework!

Now that I have a fantastic network of author-friends, I'm able to send my work to them to read as a "beta-reader". It is one of the professional favors we authors do for one another, since the more eyes that are on a manuscript, the better. Once I read and make decisions on their suggestions, I go ahead and send my work to my "advance readers" who will be the very first people to write reviews on Amazon for me. 

Right now, Second in Command is in the final phase before publication: formatting. Formatting is when a manuscript is placed into the appearance it will have in either a print or e-book. I have to have both, since I sell both. Roseanna, my formatter, knows her stuff and adds elegant little details, such as the Greek meander pattern  at the beginning of each of my chapters and the lovely rosettes readers see between each of my scenes. I might add that she also inserts the maps I have had designed especially for the book.

During a formatting, I'm required to proofread the entire manuscript. This enables me to catch computer glitches that have over-corrected paragraph placement, left out punctuation (always a scary thing to try to catch!!!), and even be sure there's no deleted text. (Yep, that's happened, too.) Because I'm an OCD perfectionist, this is the most stressful part of the entire process for me. However, I'm more than half way through the first proofing. There will be a second and possibly a third before October 25th's launch date. 

So, there are only a few more weeks before Antonius: Second in Command will be available. I hope you join in the journey with me, because it's a real roller-coaster ride!  If you've not yet read Antonius: Son of Rome, there is still time to do so before Second in Command's release. And I hope you'll consider subscribing to my web-page for updates and weekly blogs.

Lastly, I have great news, in case you haven't heard. A reviewer in England, Mary Anne Yarde of The Coffee Pot Book Club, awarded Antonius: Son of Rome a FIVE-STAR review! For an author, that's pretty awesome, and Mary was most gracious with her review. You can read it here:
​
 https://maryanneyarde.blogspot.com/2019/09/bookreview-antonius-son-of-rome-by.html

                    The little world of Brook Allen--proofing my formatted print version of Second in Command.

Unlike slavery taking place in the U.S. prior to the Civil War, Roman slavery wasn't ever based upon race.

In Rome, slaves were of various nationalities and races. They could come from all walks of life. Many were from conquered provinces, others were simply sold into slavery as children, while some were born into it. 

Now we can all agree that slavery, in and of itself is heinous. However, not all slaves in the Roman period led equal lives of misery and toil. Like free plebs and nobles in Rome, there was a social status even among enslaved individuals. Perhaps the ones that labored on latifundia (farms owned by nobles), gladiators, or slaves working in mines and brothels had the worst lives. But if you were a slave with a skill, or fortunate enough to belong to a wealthy household, life could be fairly tolerable and even lead to eventual freedom. Some household slaves were cooks, others worked as personal slaves, who assisted their domina or dominus when bathing, dressing, or with secretarial duties, etc. Many of these slaves were literate, acting as scribes or tutors in large homes. Another position was that of a janitor--which doesn't have the same connotation as it does today (i.e. school janitor). In Roman times, a janitor was a trusted doorman, in that he was responsible for ushering and welcoming guests into the domus--or keeping them out!

Interestingly enough, there are records showing that some slaves purchased their freedom by saving enough money on their own. Others were freed by their owners because of loyalty or as a reward for a special deed. One of my favorite museum exhibits in Rome is in the lower level of the Capitoline Museum. This part is actually in a portion of the ancient Tabularium, which was built in the 70's BC, when Marc Antony was a boy. Displayed for all to see are countless funerary steles, inscriptions, and reliefs, each with a translation. A particular plaque that was once attached to a stele caught my attention.The inscription reads:

The tomb of Maritimus, freedman of Antonia Minor, wife of Drusus, employed for receiving guests. 

Maritimus was one of the fortunate ones... he had been freed. We don't know the details regarding his manumission, but he had been in the household of none other than Antonia Minor, one of Marc Antony's daughters. What IS important is that whenever he was freed, his relevance as a human being was important enough to Antonia to be given a burial plaque a his passing. Maritimus was a janitor in Antonia's domus. She may have had several. But he must have been especially trustworthy and held a special place in her esteem to have been memorialized and honored by her, as she was the mother of an emperor and daughter of a legendary general.

Indeed, Maritimus was fortunate to have been freed by Antonia. However, many other slaves memorialized in the Capitoline Museum were not. It's a poignant exhibit, in that it shows that regardless of their lack of rights, slaves were oft-times beloved within a family and given special thought when they died. Certainly, this doesn't change the brutality and horror of "owning" an individual in our present-day mindset. Yet, these people were valued and I find it remarkable and touching that they were given the honor of being memorialized in death.

Another slave mentioned by the ancient historian Plutarch, and remembered for posterity, was named Eros. We know very little about him, other than his name. However, he was a servant of Antony and is an important character in my trilogy. In Second in Command, Eros's position at Antony's side increases in importance as does the level of trust bestowed upon him.

And in the end, Eros's fate will remain bound to that of his dominus.

I invite you to keep reading and hang in there with me as I continue learning and writing. Feel free to respond to my blogs. I'd love hearing from you. And if you haven't already, be sure to go to my webpage that says "CONTACT", fill out the online subscription form and join me on my author journey. 

Antonius: Second in Command will launch on October 25!!!

The funerary plaque that honor Maritimus, a freedman and former janitor in the domus of Antonia, daughter of       Marc Antony. (The Capitoline Museum, Rome)

In all of my travels to research the Antonius Trilogy, I was struck by two big things when it came to broad swaths of land. First, the scale of some ancient battles was enormous. When it comes to battles scenes in my upcoming book, Antonius: Second in Command, we're talking about a twenty to twenty-five mile radius. And this was without walkie-talkies, radios of any sort, cell-phones, or Morse Code. The second thing that amazes me is how many sites are yet untouched archaeologically. Sometimes this has to do with land ownership. But (probably) it also has to do with the fact that the Mediterranean has so many sites that could be excavated, yet the money and grants to bring in a team of noteworthy archaeologists is limited. Naturally, it's also important to maintain sites that are already excavated and popular with tourists.

So the exact location of the Battle of Pharsalus (Farsala, in Greek), still remains unknown.

Four years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Greece and the many sites that would factor into my novel's story line. The Battle of Pharsalus was fought on a large plain in Thessaly. Ancient sources tell us that Caesar and Pompeius Magnus slugged it out someplace near the ancient city of Pharsalus. On the day of my visit, my friend Kathryn and I actually climbed a good portion of the ancient acropolis of the city, overlooking the plain. Someplace out there, two-thousand years ago, a Roman civil war was underway. I had limited information for my driver to explain "where" it may have taken place. However, we do know from ancient sources that Antony commanded the left wing of Caesar's forces, and that he was alongside a river called the Enipeus. 

Our driver that day kept stopping and asking people, "Where's the Enipeus River?" Most didn't even know. Apparently, even in Antony and Caesar's day, the Enipeus wasn't that big a deal, either. We kept driving, kept looking, I kept HOPING that maybe we'd get lucky and run into this river. I just wanted to get a general idea for where the fight took place. Suddenly, I saw a sign with both Greek and English, stating that we were crossing the Enipeus River!!! I've never been as excited to cross a river that was probably no bigger than a creek back home, known as Peter's Creek. In fact, this river flowed lazily and murkily. It wasn't very pretty. Nor was it impressive in size. But HERE, someplace along this inconsequential stream, a portion of my novel's story played itself out. 

That day, Marc Antony took several of Caesar's most undermanned legions and held his position through the worst of the fighting. While Caesar maneuvered his cavalry around to entrap Pompeius's men, Antony's wing held steady and didn't budge. 

From the top of that acropolis, looking out over the plain in Thessaly, my imagination ran wild! What a sight the townspeople of ancient Pharsalus must have had! I imagined them hunkered down on top of their acropolis, fearful of the possible looting of their town, when Romans were so close by. That day, sixty to seventy thousand Roman legionaries fought it out in a war that would settle the rivalry between Caesar and Pompeius once and for all. It must have been one incredible sight!

And the research continues. I'm not one to intentionally leave stones left unturned. 

The Enipeus River is more like a creek. But one can clearly see the surrounding plain and somewhere near here, Caesar faced off with Pompeius Magnus. 

I've dealt with some pretty fascinating characters in my research for Antonius: Second in Command. One of those people with a commanding aura is certainly Julius Caesar. Here was a man who founded a dynasty without any living children, is still known as a formidable commander among modern military strategists today, and whose very name "Caesar" became a title, not only in Rome but in Germany (Kaiser) and Russia (Czar).

Caesar was a pretty intriguing guy. He was himself an author. His Gallic Wars are a primary source that historians and Classicists use to teach about ancient Britain and Gaul. Granted, he used a lot of propaganda in the work, and never alludes to his own weaknesses, but for anybody interested in learning more about the Gallic War and how Romans fought, it's worth a read.

While writing Second in Command, I had to ask myself repeatedly what MY Caesar was to be like. I wrote him as a man chock full of ulterior motives, a grand-scheme manipulator, exceptionally shrewd, and someone who believed that he was born to rule. My Caesar wants it ALL. However, it's generally agreed that he had some physical issues after the Battle of Munda in Spain. I have embraced the epilepsy theory in my story, and that will feature prominently in one scene. Romans were never keen on physical weaknesses of any kind. Therefore, whatever ailments Julius Caesar may have had, I'm sure he attempted to conceal them.

Though his descendants were not from his own children, Caesar had (most people believe) two: a daughter named Julia, by his wife Cornelia, and Ptolemy Caesar (Caesarion), by Cleopatra. Julia eventually married Pompeius Magnus and died in childbirth. Sadly, the baby was also lost. Caesarion was only a teenager when he was executed during the last of the Roman civil wars in 30 BC. And yet, the incredible thing was that Caesar's legacy lived on. He was deified and a temple was erected in his memory on the very spot in the Forum Romanum where he was cremated. A small portion of it remains to this day, and people in Rome still bring flowers there to honor him. 

Julius Caesar was  beloved by the plebs, Rome's common people. He even left them a hefty sum of money, as well as a lovely plot of land across the Tiber. It was the "Optimate" political party, composed of rich and powerful Senators who opposed him, especially after he was proclaimed dictator for life. A real Renaissance man, Caesar's last year was eventful. An entire series of Triumphs were celebrated in Rome to fete his victories. Apparently, these days of wine and roses were the biggest party Rome had experienced, to date. To honor his patron goddess, Venus, he built a phenomenal Temple and used Cleopatra as a model for the cult statue! (Brutus and Cassius must have loved that!) And even while the last dagger was plunged into his heart, a brand new forum complex was being built and paid for by him. When completed, it would be the first added forum to Rome's already crowded Forum Romanum. Caesar introduced the Egyptian calendar that Cleopatra revealed to him in Alexandria. It became known as the Julian Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar (our calendar today) was based upon it. Oh, and because Caesar was such a big deal in Rome by 44 BC, the Senate renamed one of their months after him. It was the month of JULIUS--what is now known as July. Hail Caesar!

Please be sure to share my posts and blogs with your friends who enjoy history. Let them know that they can join my adventure in writing by subscribing to brookallenauthor.com. And don't forget--Antonius: Second in Command is coming on October 25!

                                                             Brook with Gaius Julius Caesar in Naples, Italy.