The first systematic global study of how Christians respond to persecution, presenting new research by leading scholars of global Christianity.

“Caesar's Sword was nothing but a bane, sent by the Devil to drag all the men of my blood to ruin…” Amorica, 571 AD. From his cell in the Abbey of Rhuys, the dying Coel ap Ahmar writes the final chapter of his chronicle, describing his last years in the service of the Roman Empire. Deprived of all that he loves, Coel writes of how he lost Caesar's sword and his only son, Arthur. Thirty years previously, the Roman Empire is locked in a battle to reclaim its Italian homeland from the Goths. Led by Belisarius, the Roman army wins victory after victory and marches within sight of the Gothic capital at Ravenna. As one of the few officers Belisarius can trust, Coel is dragged into a melting pot of treachery and politics, before suffering a final betrayal that all but destroys his loyalty to Rome. The discovery of his son forces the ageing Coel back into the army, and take part in a final effort to reconquer Italy. From the sea-battle of Sena Gallica, to the slaughter of Taginae, Coel must fight like never before to save himself and his bloodline…

After centuries of being on the defensive, the Roman Empire is on the march once again... Constantinople, 537 AD: after the successful reconquest of North Africa, the Emperor Justinian starts to entertain grand dreams of restoring the shattered Western Empire. He despatches his golden general, Flavius Belisarius, with an army of twelve thousand men to drive the Goths from Italy and recover Rome, the Eternal City and ancient capital of the Roman world. For Coel ap Amhar, King Arthur's grandson, the Italian campaign is an opportunity to escape his growing number of enemies in Constantinople. But the early successes of Belisarius quickly fade, as Rome is surrounded by an overwhelming horde of Goths, commanded by their dread king, Vitiges. Stalked by assassins, thrown into one desperate battle after another, Coel's life and liberty are at stake as Belisarius makes his final stand in the siege of Rome...

As private secretary to the Emperor Hadrian, Suetonius gained access to the imperial archives and used them (along with carefully gathered eye-witness accounts) to produce one of the most colourful biographical works in history. 'The Twelve Caesars' chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over Rome, from the foundation of the empire under Julius Caesar and Augustus, to the decline into depravity and civil war under Nero, and the recovery and stability that came with his successors. A masterpiece of anecdote, wry observation and detailed physical description, 'The Twelve Caesars' presents us with a gallery of vividly drawn - and all too human - individuals.

It is the year 568 AD. From his monastic refuge in Brittany, King Arthur's aged grandson, Coel, begins to write the incredible story of his life. Now a monk, he is determined to complete his chronicle before death overtakes him. His tale begins shortly after the death of his famous grandfather at the Battle of Camlann. Britain is plunged into chaos, and Coel and his mother are forced to flee their homeland. They take with them Arthur's famous sword, Caledfwlch, once possessed by Julius Caesar. Known to the Romans as The Red Death, it is said to possess unearthly powers. Caesar's Sword (I): The Red Death follows the adventures of a British warrior of famous descent in the glittering, lethal world of the Late Roman Empire. From the riotous streets of Constantinople, to the racetrack of the Hippodrome and the bloodstained deserts of North Africa, he must fight to recover his birthright and his pride

Follows the exploits of Julius Caesar on the fields of battle as he leads Rome's legions on a trail of conquest that takes them beyond the city, victories that lead to unrest at home as his political adversaries rise to power in his absence.