The Gates of Rome
Conn Iggulden
 It tells of the harsh realities of life in the Ancient Rome, not only for the nobilitas but also for the slave population, who revolt and kill Gaius' father during a siege on their villa. As the two boys begin their careers (Gaius as a senator and Marcus as a legionary), a political war is being played out in the senate, between two powerful Generals: Cornelius Sulla and Gaius' uncle Gaius Marius.