his host, the Roman governor of Cyprus, while on the island to deal with an upsurge in piracy. The eponymous princess is the young Cleopatra VII of Egypt. A Point of Law (51–50 BC): While running for election to the office of praetor, Decius must deal with accusations that he murdered a man who had threatened to denounce him for actions he took while on Cyprus the previous year. Under Vesuvius: In 50 BC, while touring Campania as praetor peregrinus, Decius investigates a murder near Mount Vesuvius. Oracle of the Dead (50 BC). As praetor peregrinus, Decius investigates the murders of a group of priests of Apollo during the period just before Caesar crosses the Rubicon. The Year of Confusion (46–45 BC): During Caesar's dictatorship, Decius is commissioned to oversee the adoption of Caesar's new calendar, and investigates the murders of several astronomers who developed it. Dolabella (forthcoming) Short stories The series also includes the following short stories, in chronological order: "The Statuette of Rhodes" (60 BC): Decius finds a corpse at the base of the Colossus of Rhodes. "Mightier Than the Sword" (53 BC): Decius investigates the murder of a victim found in the basement of a townhouse in Rome. "The Etruscan House" (52 BC): Decius investigates a senator's murder. "An Academic Question" (51 BC): Decius investigates a murder during his visit to Athens mentioned as part of his leisurely trip to Cyprus at the beginning of "The Princess and the Pirates" "Venus in Pearls" (46 BC): Caesar hires Decius to locate his stolen breastplate before his Pompeian triumph "Beware the Snake" (45 BC): Decius must locate the missing sacred snake of the Marsi. "The Will" (44 BC): Decius investigates Caesar's will following his assassination. "The King of Sacrifices" (20 BC): An elderly Decius investigates the death of a candidate for Rex Sacrorum Roberts also wrote a short story, "The Mountain Wolves", which is also set in ancient Rome, but is not part of the SPQR series. Chronology The above dates are approximate because there is contradictory information within the texts. For instance, in The Sacrilege, which can be dated at 62 BC, Decius claims to be turning 29, indicating he was born in 91 BC; however, in The Tribune's Curse, he finds that he was born in the same year as Marcus Porcius Cato (95 BC). Confusingly, however, in the same book, Cato claims to have been born