List of Characters To avoid giving away any of the plot, characters usually are only described as first encountered in Fire in the East.
Acilius Glabrio: Marcus Acilius Glabrio, Tribunus Laticlavius of Legio IIII, commander of the detachment of the legion in Arete; a young patrician. Alexander: A nondescript councillor of Arete. Anamu: A synodiarch (caravan protector) and councillor of Arete. Antigonus: A trooper in Cohors XX, selected to serve in the equites singulares of Ballista. Antoninus Prior: Pilus Prior, First Centurion, of Cohors I of Legio IIII. Antoninus Posterior: Centurion of Cohors II of Legio IIII. Ardashir: King of Adiabene, son and vassal of Shapur. Bagoas: The 'Persian Boy', a slave purchased by Ballista on the island of Delos; he claims his name before enslavement was Hormizd. Ballista: Marcus Clodius Ballista, originally named Dernhelm, son of Isangrim the Dux, warleader, of the Angles; a diplomatic hostage in the Roman empire, he has been granted Roman citizenship and equestrian status, having served in the Roman army in Africa, the far west and on the Danube. When the novel starts he has just been appointed Dux Ripae. Bathshiba: Daughter of Iarhai. Bonitus: A famous Roman siege engineer. Calgacus: A Caledonian slave originally owned by Isangrim sent by him to serve as a body servant to his son Ballista in the Roman empire. Callinicus of Petra: A Greek sophist. Castricius: A legionary in Legio IIII. Celsus: A famous Roman siege engineer. Cocceius: Titus Cocceius Malchiana, a decurion in command of the first turma of cavalry in Cohors XX. Demetrius: The 'Greek Boy', a slave purchased by Julia to serve as her husband Ballista's secretary. Dinak: Queen of Mesene, a daughter of Shapur. Felix (1): A centurion in Cohors XX. Felix (2): An unlucky trooper in the equites singulares of Ballista. Gallienus: Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus, declared joint Roman emperor by his father, the emperor Valerian, in AD253. Haddudad: A mercenary captain serving larhai. Hamazasp: King of Georgia, a vassal of Shapur. Hannibaclass="underline" A nickname given to a frumentarius from North Africa serving as a scribe on the staff of Ballista. larhai: A synodiarch (caravan protector) and councillor of Arete. Ingenuus: A Roman general on the Danube. lotapianus: A pretender to the Roman throne in AD248-249, from Emesa. Isangrim: Dux, warleader, of the Angles, father of Dernhelm/Ballista. Josephus: A Christian mistaken for a philosopher. Julia: Wife of Ballista. Karen: A Parthian nobleman, the head of the house of Karen, a vassal of Shapur. Lucius Fabius: Centurion of Cohors I of Legio IIII, stationed at the Porta Aquaria. Mamurra: Praefectus Fabrum (chief of engineers) to Ballista. Mariades: A member of the elite of Antioch who turned bandit before going over to the Sassanids. Maximinus Thrax: Gaius Iulius Verus Maximinus, Roman emperor AD235- 23 8, known as 'Thrax' ('The Thracian') because of his lowly origins. Maximus: Bodyguard to Ballista; originally a Hibernian warrior known as Muirtagh of the Long Road, sold to slave traders and trained as a boxer, then gladiator, before being purchased by Ballista. Odenaethus: Septimius Odenaethus, Lord of Palmyra/Tadmor, a client ruler of the Roman empire. Ogelos: A synodiarch (caravan protector) and councillor of Arete. Otes: A councillor of Arete, a eunuch. Philip the Arab: Marcus Iulius Philippus, Praetorian Prefect under Gordian III, became Roman Emperor AD244-249. Priscus (1): Optio, second-in-command, of the trireme Concordia. Priscus (2):Gaius Iulius Priscus, brother of Philip the Arab. Prosper: Gaius Licinius Prosper, a young optio serving in Legio IIII. Pudens (1): Centurion of Cohors II of Legio IIII. Pudens (2): A lumpen Macedonian soldier who ends up as standard-bearer to Ballista. Romulus: A trooper of Cohors XX appointed standard-bearer to Ballista. Sampsigeramus: King of the Roman client kingdom of Emesa and high priest of Elagabalus. Sasan: Prince, 'the hunter', a son of Shapur. Scribonius Mucianus: Gaius Scribonius Mucianus, Tribune commanding Cohors XX. Seleucus: Pilus Prior, First Centurion, of Cohors II of Legio IIII. Sertorius: Nickname given to a frumentarius from the Iberian peninsular, serving as a scribe on the staff of Ballista. Shapur I: (or Sapor) Second Sassanid King of Kings, son of Ardashir I. Suren: A Parthian nobleman, the head of the house of Suren, vassal of Shapur. Theodotus: A councillor of Arete, a Christian priest. Turpio: Titus Flavius Turpio, Pilus Prior, First Centurion, of Cohors XX. Uranius Antoninus: Lucius Iulius Aurelius Uranius Antoninus, from Emesa, pretender to the Roman throne AD253-254. Valash: Prince, 'the joy of Shapur', a son of Shapur. Valerian (1): Publius Licinius Valerianus, an elderly Italian senator elevated to Roman emperor in AD253. Valerian (2): Publius Cornelius Licinius Valerianus, eldest son of Gallienus, grandson of Valerian, made Caesar in AD256. Vardan: A captain serving under the Lord Suren. Verodes: Chief minister to Odenaethus. Vindex: A trooper in the equites singulares of Ballista, a Gaul. Zenobia: Wife of Odenaethus of Palmyra. Warrior of Rome