The Centurions is the first book in a historical fiction trilogy about the 1st-century Roman Empire. Set primarily in Rome and Lower Germany circa AD 73, it follows the adventures of a pair of Roman brothers - one free-born and one slave-born - as they serve in the Roman legions.

Plot summary

Correus Appius Julianus is the slave born son of retired Roman general Flavius Appius Julianus. As the book opens, he and his half-brother Flavius Appius Julianus are rising eighteen years of age. Flavius is in preparation to enter the Roman Centuriate - the officer corps of the legions and Correus faces an uncertain future - although he wants to enter the Centuriate as well, he is unsure if he can. His father Appius adopts him to allow his to achieve his goal. This action provokes a family feud which is exacerbated when Flavius' young bride-to-be falls in love with Correus.

Flavius and Correus do enter the Centuriate, and are sent to serve on the German border. Flavius' and Correus' uneasy relationship is not helped by being posted to the same legion - a situation that is worsened when Correus proves to be far superior to his brother as a field commander. Correus also falls in love with a German slave whom he buys in a misguided attempt to protect her from a worse man. In the meantime, the German tribes are gathering for a last effort to force the Romans out from the Black Forest under the leadership of the chieftain of the Semnones - a man named Nyall Sigmuindson.

Analysis

The novels are marked by their author's obvious love of the topic and the clearly intensive research she did to write them - the depictions of 1st-century Roman life have the ring of authenticity. The trilogy is also remarkable in that both sides are portrayed sympathetically, though the Romans - Correus in particular - are clearly the heroes of the story. However, there is enough ambiguity on both sides that the reader can't help being drawn into the lives of the characters.

Trivia

The Centurions trilogy was written by Amanda Cockrell

Amanda Cockrell

Amanda Cockrell is a professor of English at Hollins University, specializing in children's literature and creative writing. She is also the author of a number of works, writing both under her own name and a variety of pseudonyms.-Selected bibliography:...

 writing under the pseudonym Damion Hunter. The other two books in the series are the eponymous The Centurions

The Centurions

The Centurions were an American surf rock band from Newport Beach, California, active in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In recent times, they are best known for their recording "Bullwinkle Part II", a dark and saxy surf tune from their eponymous album. This tune was featured in Quentin...

 which begin the tale of the two brothers and their extended family and Barbarian Princess (book)

Barbarian Princess (book)

Barbarian Princess is the second in a historical fiction trilogy about the 1st-century Roman Empire. Set primarily in Roman Britain circa AD 76-79, it follows the adventures of a pair of Roman brothers - one free-born and one slave-born - as they serve in the Roman legions.-Plot summary:Correus...

. It is unknown why the series never continued past the third book as it was clearly intended to be a much lengthier tale on the order of the , though the most probable reasons are a lack of consumer interest or a change of direction from either the publisher or the author.