Captain of Rome   The Roman Republic was just beginning naval
warfare during what has come to be known as the First Punic War.
It had experienced some success with the corvus, a plank that
enabled them to move soldiers onto the enemy ship, thus creating
land warfare at sea. The title character Atticus is a Greek in
service to Rome, as his name suggests. He is readily accepted by
his Roman colleagues until he begins a romance with one of their
sisters. The main conflict is between Atticus and Varro, a Roman
senator’s son promoted beyond his competence through political
connections and fearful of having his cowardice exposed. His
political sponsor is Scipio Asina, not to be confused with the
heroic Scipiones of future generations. Roman politics are seen
in simplistic terms of patricians jealous of their status set
against rising new men. Carthaginian internal conflicts concern
the forces back home opposing Hamilcar Barça, thrust back twenty
years in history “for narrative purposes.”  The liberties taken
with h