- Falco's niece Dubnus - Pedlar Julius Mordanticus - Potter Regina - Barmaid at the Medua Belonging to the Fourteenth Legion A Macrinus - Senior Tribune Cornicularis - Commissariat Clerk Florius Gracilis - Legate, missing. Julia Fortunata - Mistress of Florius. Maenia Priscilla - Wife of Florius. Primipilus - Chief Centurion Rusticus - Slave, missing. S. Juvenalis - Camp Prefect Belonging to the First Legion Dama - Centurion Lentullus - Recruit Q. Camillis Justinus Helveticus - Brother of Helena Justina, Tribune. Major themes Investigation into the disappearance of an imperial legate and the whereabouts of a rebel leader. Developing relationship of Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina. The pottery industry of Roman Gaul and Germany. Relations between Rome and the Celtic tribes of Germany during the Revolt of the Batavi. Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science Set in Rome and Germania in AD 71, during the reign of Emperor Vespasian. The story takes place in the aftermath of a real rebellion by the Batavians and other Germanic tribes in AD 69–70. This is described by Tacitus in his Histories. However, much of this book has been lost and the Histories breaks off in the middle of the Batavian rebellion. Release details 1992, UK, Hutchinson, Hardback (out of print) 1993, UK, Arrow, Paperback 1994, US, Crown/Ballantine 1999, UK, Arrow, Paperback (as part of single-volume omnibus edition, Falco on his Metal, with Venus in Copper and Poseidon's Gold) Adaptations in other media BBC Radio 4 starring Anton Lesser and Anna Madeley, first broadcast from 6 April 2007 in six parts. References External links and quotations lindseydavis.co.uk Author's Official Website 1992 British novels Historical novels Marcus Didius Falco novels Novels set in Roman Gaul 71 Hutchinson (publisher) books Novels set in the 1st century