A decorated officer betrayed. A proud soldier enslaved. A legend forged in the blood-soaked sands of the arena.

Decurion Valerius is a loyal soldier of Rome, his reputation built on discipline and battlefield victories. But when a treacherous act of political ambition, orchestrated by the man he trusts most, Legate Tiberius, strips him of his rank and honor, Valerius is sold into the brutal world of a Carthaginian gladiator school.

Chained and condemned, he is no longer a commander of men but a slave forced to fight for the roaring mob. To survive, he must abandon the rigid tactics of a Roman soldier and embrace the cunning and savagery of a gladiator. Every sunrise brings a new threat, every fight a step closer to death.

But in the heart of this disgraced soldier, the fire of vengeance burns hotter than the North African sun. He will not just fight; he will learn the cruel lessons of the arena, master the art of the spectacle, and turn his enemies' greatest weapon—the crowd—against them. To reclaim his honor and destroy the men who wronged him, he must first become the most fearsome monster in Carthage.

Fans of Simon Scarrow, Ben Kane, and Conn Iggulden will love this relentless, action-packed tale of historical fiction. Click "Buy Now" and step into the arena today!