Fire and Sword: Throne of Caesars: Book Three Hardcover – March 28, 2017

I really love this series. The third century of the Roman empire is ignored by most novelists, Sidebottom makes the time come alive.

Sidebottom really knows his history. He also knows how to write a well-designed and crafted novel. The 3-volume series of which this is the conclusion is a prequel to his earlier stories of Ballista. The vision of how Roman politics worked is highly plausible, the main characters thoroughly realized. High class historical fiction.

If you've ever read any of Mr. Sidebottom's previous works you know what to expect.If you've never read any of Mr. Sidebottom's previous works then I am jealous!! I would love to read them for the first time again!!

One of his best in terms of reader involvement in the period.

Good series, but it ends rather abruptly. Three of the next four emperors are mentioned almost in passing with no good explanation as to why they were even the book.

The first two books in the series were fast and exciting. I found it hard to go through the chapters of this book. There are too many names to remember.

Great story! Can't wait for more by Sidebottom

This is the third volume of Harry Sidebottom’s “Throne of the Caesars” series which started in AD 235 with the overthrow and murder of the last of the Severan Emperors and the beginning of the reign of Maximinus Thrax, the first equestrian to become Emperor thanks to the plot orchestrated by three Senators. This episode covers a short period of about two months and a half in AD 238 – from early April to mid-June which saw the end of the Thracian’s reign, and the struggles that followed his murder over the next few weeks as several factions vied for power.The first point I would want to make is that it is rather “action-packed”. You also get the impression that a lot is happening because, as in the previous volume, the author describes what is happening simultaneously throughout the Empire. You will, for instance, jump from Africa to Rhone, to Aquileia, to the Danube frontier and to the Eastern one through a series of short chapters.The second point is that this volume is largely “more of the (excellent!) same.” The author so obviously knows his topic that it is almost not worth mentioning. He also makes his characters come alive and he tells a rather exciting and dramatic story.The topic is the Roman Empire is the first decades of the Third century, at the beginning of what some modern historians call the “the Third century crisis”. This book, like its predecessors, shows the crisis building up, with increasing and simultaneous pressure on several of the frontiers – the Danube and the East in particular – and the Empire’s inability to deal with wars on several fronts. This is particularly well illustrated by the frantic efforts of Priscus (the governor of Roman Mesopotamia) to defend his province with the few understrength units at his disposal against the attacks of the aggressive and new dynasty of the Sassanids.The two related points are about the internal crisis, with the Thracian trying to muster resources and having to raise money by any means available, including confiscations from Senators, these plotting his overthrow and the harsh old Emperor-soldier retaliating through increasingly savage purges and executions. While these points were perhaps more prominent in the two previous volumes, they also appear in this one. The revolts in both Africa and Rome have already taken place by the time this book begins, and the first of them is quickly and ruthlessly put down. However, the revolt in Rome and Italy continues, with two Senators proclaiming themselves joint emperors and the last of the Gordiani (a child) being added afterwards. This forces Maximinus to abort his campaign and come marching down the Danube into Italy at the head of his army of veterans.The “morceau de bravura” of the whole book is the scenes and chapters describing the siege of Aquileia by the Thracian’s army. As indicated by the author in his note, a number of the events are in fact borrowed from the two later sieges of this city (by Julian and by Attila). While the author has resorted to fiction when describing the siege, it is nevertheless very plausible and grippingly realistic. It also helps to explain how a city that was only defended by a single auxiliary cohort, the crew of a trireme and the city’s militia managed to hold out victoriously against more than thirty thousand veterans. In addition to a very spirited defence, the other reason for the siege’s failure was that the besiegers run out of provisions and this is also very well described.The other great feature of this book (and of its predecessors) is the characterisation and the atmosphere. I will not insist too must on the feelings of fear and paranoia that grip a number of the characters, starting by Maximinus, because these can also be found in the previous books. I will not insist either on the somewhat tragic and duty-bound figure cut by the Maximinus the Thracian who, in addition to being paranoid, also becomes increasingly alone. I will not insist on the ambitious Themistius, with his mixture of courage and barely controlled terror portrayed as a rodent, or on Priscus, whose only hope to extricate himself from an increasingly desperate situation against the Persians is to plot the overthrow of the Thracian’s regime in the hope that a new Emperor might either campaign in the East or call him back to Rome.I will, however, mention Pupenius and Balbinus, the two Senators “auto-proclaimed” Emperors, and the way in which Harry Sidebottom has chosen to present them in stark contrast. Both are middle-aged. The background of the former is however obscure – and you will see to what extent when reading the book – while that of Balbinus – the blue-blooded but very decadent and quite unpleasant Patrician - is quite the opposite. Also worth mentioning is Menophilus, presented as stoic and somewhat tormented friend and ruthless agent of the Gordians (in the previous book) who rises to the challenge and becomes the heart and soul of the victorious defence of Aquileia. A nice little final touch is the first action in which a certain hostage called Dernhelm (the future Ballista) is involved – the murder of the Thracian – with his rather grisly and dangerous role being richly rewardedThe book also contains a set of maps at the beginning which, in addition to a map of a whole Roman Empire, also includes maps for each of the main areas where some of the action takes place (Rome, the Northern frontiers, Mesopotamia and Aquileia). Also included is the author’s historical note which makes, among others, a point on the huge size of the Empire and the distances and time needed for news to ravel from one end of it to the other, a list of the main characters mentioned in the book and a glossary of the main terms. To conclude, this book is indeed “more of the same”, that is just as superb as the two previous ones of the series, although you may want to read these before. Five stars.

This is the third installment in Harry Sidebottom's Throne of the Ceasars series and it is a fantastic read. The storyline covers the Year of the Six Emperors (238AD), a very politically unstable and complex time in the Roman Empire. If you studied this period in history classes, as I did, you would just become bored and go to sleep, as I did. But this book (and the series) makes sense of it all and brings it to life in a way no history book can. Make no mistake, this is an intelligent read, so if you are looking for a mindless read by the pool, this is not for you. But if you are after a fascinating bit of history full of political intrigue, military strategy, changing political alliances and all the scheming that accompanies it, set in the context of the Roman Empire, while ensconced in a nice little cafe drinking excellent espresso, this is definitely the book for you.

The third volume in the Throne of the Caesars series, Fire and Sword is in my opinion, simply the best. I found it hard to put the book down.Set in AD 238, the Year of the Six Emperors, the story graphically illustrates the greed, avarice and corruption that must have been prevalent in this turbulent year. With detailed battle scenes, behind the scenes skulduggery and scheming, it is gripping.Sidebottom at his very best.

The Throne of the Caesars series has consistently delivered amazing characterization and scene setting putting the reader in the gritty and dark world of Rome's Period of Military Anarchy. Sidebottom, an Oxford scholar is able to make Maxinimus Thrax, a literal monster of a Roman Emperor into an understandable if not entirely sympathetic character. Sidebottom takes us from Maximinus's frontline command center to the intrigue at the city herself where senators jockey to be on the winning side of a civil war in a year of six emperors. We move on to Roman North Africa where the actual fighting of this civil ware has begun. An alliance between Senators in Rome and the Gordians in Carthage hopes to take down the usurper emperor, Maximinius- who just happened to be eight feet tall, a complete barbarian and wasn't afraid to lead his men from the front.There has been little exploration of this utter aberration that was the worst part of Roman history and maybe it takes an Oxfordian professor to make this into a era gripping action thriller novel because the historic record starts to really fall apart at this point in history.Sidebottom has really done spectacularly in this series and I am now interested in his other novels on the period of Gallienus.

Another good book from this author keeps one turning the pages found it was hard to put down once started looking forward to reading more

This series just gets better and better. As this is the third, i suggest you buy and read the previous 2. I was gripped from the first page to the last. I don't go into the storyline, that's for you to enjoy. If you enjoy Roman historical fiction, Harry is one of the best authors out there. There's only one downside to this book. You have to wait for the next one.