The Princess and the Chariot of Gold
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At the end of the fourth century A.D. a young princess,Constantia,is sent from Constantinople in the Eastern Roman Empire to marry Gratian,the young heir to the Western Empire. She is accompanied on a long journey across Central Europe by a tribune,Marcus,and a group of itinerant gladiators. Their route entails crossing the Alps and dangerous progress along the rivers Rhine and Mosel. Marcus, however, also has instructions,once the princess is safely in Trier,the Northern residence of the Emperor,to continue to Britain where he is to carry out secret intelligence work. The Emperor wishes to establish the strength of the Christian faith amongst the inhabitants of Britain.Marcus task is to assess the remaining power of the pagan religious faiths. IN this he is threatened by many secret sects and his position is further complicated by the discovery of a great treasure by his old friend,Lepidus, who has a farm in the North of the island,close to the wall of Hadrian. Attempting to carry this treasure to the Emperor whilst hiding it from the governor of Britain proves a daunting task.Marcus is also surprised by the appearance, without warning of a new hazard to his venture. He gradually realises that his mission is per
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A young Roman princess, Constantia,is protected on a long journey across Central Europe by Marcus on her way to marry the new Emperor at his base in Germany. A close relationship develops between her and Marcus and continues even as he is despatched to carry out dangerous and secret intelligence work in Britain.
About the Author
Michael Gordon is a retired history teacher who has worked for four decades in schools and colleges both in the U.K. and Europe.For many years he was headteacher of an international school and later Head of a large faculty in a College. He has a degrees from the Universities of Durham and Hull.He has published another novel on a Roman theme,The Sacred Bough,as well as a contemporary novel,The Last Red Leaf. His childhood was spent in Northumberland with his grandmother during the years of the Second World War. She was a music teacher and his mother was an accomplished violinist while his grandfather was a noted portrait painter in London. He has travelled extensively in Europe and spent time in many of the countries of the Continent as well as driving to Greece and also to the edge of the Sahara in Morocco in the 1970's. Many visits were made to the English Lake District where he and his wife have climbed more than a hundred of the fells. Now a more leisurely approach is made to the hills of the North West of Scotland where he and his wife spend several weeks each year. He has a great love of Classical music,plays the piano somewhat indifferently and has a large collection of C.D.s and opera D.V.D's. Over the years as a teacher he has sketched out several ideas for novels but has only now the time to work on these in detail.