
In a Rome that has long slipped from its ancient glory, the city’s streets echo with the clash of foreign armies, corrupt papal intrigues and the restless ambitions of German kings. The tenth‑century capital is a patchwork of feuding nobles, marauding invaders and a papacy humbled to the point of bribery and bloodshed. Amid this chaos, the ancient marble of the Forum bears silent witness to a world struggling to find a new identity.
Into this turbulent backdrop steps Stephania, a young woman whispered to possess a hidden gift that borders on sorcery. As rival factions vie for power, she finds herself drawn into the heart of the city’s desperate politics, balancing secret talents with the ever‑watchful eyes of priests and warlords alike. Her choices could tip the balance between ruin and a fragile hope for a Rome that still yearns for its former greatness.
Language
en
Duration
~13 hours (773K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2013-10-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1866–1927
An Austrian-born American novelist, he filled his historical romances with medieval intrigue, power struggles, and dramatic settings in Italy. His books blend adventure and atmosphere, making them a vivid window into popular early 20th-century historical fiction.
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