Petosiris. Unknown to history.
Ptolemy Philadelphus. Born in 36 BCE, he was the youngest son of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII. He disappears from the record after the fall of Alexandria in 30, his fate unknown.
Quintus. Unknown to history.
Seker. Unknown to history.
Syllaeus. One of the chief ministers to King Obodas II of Nabataea, Syllaeus volunteered to guide Egyptian prefect Aelius Gallus and his Roman legions to the spice-rich lands of Arabia Felix. He instead led them to death and despair in the desert, returning to Petra a hero. In 9 BCE Obodas died, and Syllaeus was soon accused of his murder. King Aretas IV put him in chains and sent him to Rome, where he was declared guilty and flung headfirst to his death from the Tarpeian Rock.
Syphax. Unknown to history, though it is reasonably certain in the records that an unnamed slave aided in the suicides of Juba I and Marcus Petreius.
Thrasyllus. An Egyptian scholar, Thrasyllus of Mendes became famous as the personal astrologer of Tiberius Caesar. A trusted servant and friend to the emperor, it is said that he saved the lives of many in Rome by promising Tiberius a longer life than he ultimately led.
Tiberius. Born in 42 BCE, Tiberius Claudius Nero became the stepson to Octavian, the future Augustus Caesar, when his mother was forced to divorce his father and marry the powerful adopted son of Julius Caesar. In time he became a strong field general, and he rose quickly through the ranks to the position of heir apparent to Augustus Caesar. He was unhappy, however, and for unknown reasons he retired to Rhodes in 6 BCE, only returning to Rome in AD 2—after much begging from Caesar. When Augustus died in 14, Tiberius was declared his sole heir and would rule—a reportedly depressed and dark figure—as Caesar until his own death in 37.
Titus Pullo. Along with Lucius Vorenus, Pullo is mentioned only once in the existing record: in Julius Caesar’s Commentary on the Gallic Wars, where their inspiring actions in battle are reported. His birth and death dates are unknown.
Varro. Marcus Terentius Varro (116–27 BCE) was a Roman scholar of great renown.
TOR BOOKS BY MICHAEL LIVINGSTON
The Shards of Heaven
The Gates of Hell
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MICHAEL LIVINGSTON holds degrees in history, medieval studies, and English. He is an associate professor of English at the Citadel, specializing in the Middle Ages. His short fiction has been published in Black Gate, Shimmer, Paradox, and Nature.
Visit him online at www.michaellivingston.com, or sign up for email updates here.
Thank you for buying this
Tom Doherty Associates ebook.
To receive special offers, bonus content,
and info on new releases and other great reads,
sign up for our newsletters.
Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
For email updates on the author, click here.
CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Preface
Families of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII
Maps
Epigraph
Prologue: The Dark of the Moon
PART I: THE REACH OF ROME
1. First Light
2. Signs of Life
3. The Palladium of Troy
4. Alexander’s City
5. The Cantabrian War
6. The Astrologer’s Plan
7. Tiberius
8. Signs of Death
9. Claiming the Reward
10. Blood on the Water
PART II: THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
11. The Power Within
12. The Battle of Vellica
13. The Island in the Nile
14. The Outlaw King
15. The Peace of Rome
16. The Way of the Teacher
17. The Moon Takes Flight
18. Unquenchable Fires
19. What Lies Beyond
20. Growing in Darkness
PART III: THE GATES OF HELL
21. The Astrologer’s Ally
22. The Temple of the Ark
23. The Rising of the Moon
24. Fire on the Water
25. The Wheel Turns
26. The Citadel of Carthage
27. Life for Life
28. The Gate Opened
29. The Bitter End
30. The Gate Closed
Epilogue: The Light of the Sun
Glossary of Characters
Tor Books by Michael Livingston
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE GATES OF HELL
Copyright © 2016 by Michael Livingston
All rights reserved.
Cover photograph by Larry Rostant
Cover design by Peter Lutjen
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-0-7653-8033-3 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-7332-2 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781466873322
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
First Edition: November 2016