Belisarius, Book 1: The First Shall Be Last

By Paolo Belzoni

Book Overview

The year is AD 504. The all-powerfulRoman Empire lies in tatters, its western provinces dismembered into a patchwork of new kingdoms ruled by barbarians. Britain has been abandoned by the Romans for almost 100 years. Gaul, conquered by Caesar, is ruled by a Frankish king. Spain, which produced the Roman emperors Trajan and Theodosius the Great is now the seat of the Visigoths. North Africa, birthplace of St. Augustine, groans under the overlordship of the Vandals. Even Italy and the Eternal City of Rome herself are under the rule of a powerful Ostrogothic king.

In Constantinople, the New Rome, the Eastern Roman emperor is beset by problems. New and dangerous barbarian hordes appear on the frontier year after year. The powerful king of Persia demands tribute and threatens Roman Mesopotamia and Syria. Religious controversies spawn catastrophic military uprisings.

But unbeknownst to all, in that same year was born Belisarius, the greatest Roman general of them all. At a time when Roman power was thought to be practically extinct, Belisarius did what no sane Roman thought possible. He went toe-to-toe with the empire's most powerful enemies.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1889758787
• ISBN13: 9781889758787
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Arx Publishing
• Length: 252 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

a good read

Belisarius Liber I is a decent read. the author manages to make dry history very entertaining. The author keeps an ugly world at a PG level and disallows boredom. Belzoni portrays even an empathy for the Persians and I like that. He is not a historian with xenophobic intent and that is what really brings my high rating along with the readability. I hope that this book interests young adults in Byzantine history and makes readers sorrowful of the iconoclasm.

Excellent and Realistic Historical Novel

Very well done dramatization of the early life of Belisarius. Look forward to Volume II.

excellent Ancient Rome biographical fiction

The once invincible Roman Empire has been collapsing from within as much as from the barbarians attacking at the edges. Most citizens regardless of locale feel strongly that the great state is going in the wrong direction with little hope for the future. That changes when war hero Justin is offered the throne and accepts after rejecting the emperor position in the past. His rise from common birth to soldier to leader to emperor brings new hope of a cleansing. His heir nephew Justinian rules the kingdom in Justin's name, but though all know this no one cares as a rebirthing of optimism is everywhere. Justinian wants real leaders to take charge of the legions not noble connections. Soldiers like Belisarius in Thrace join with a chance to make their mark after learning to fight by defeating looters. He and his friends join Justin's military and quickly become part of the Imperial household guard. With trouble on the eastern flank from the Persians, the competent Belisarius is sent to Constantinople to battle the enemy where he meets his assertive future spouse Antonina. He moves up the ranks as the Persian Wars occupy the eastern legions. BELISARIUS, Liber 1 of a biographical fiction saga, is a superb Ancient Rome tale that brings to life one of the last great generals of the empire focusing on the Persian Wars; thus the story line reads for the most part as a fictionalization of military history. Told almost exclusively from the Roman perspective especially that of the lead hero; his side in the conflict comes across as honorable while the enemy consists of murderous thugs; to the victors go the fictionalized history books. Although readers will have to overcome the tiny font size, teens and adults will appreciate this spotlight into sixth century Rome at a time when the empire and in some chronicles of the time the world was on the brink of collapse as cultures collide. Harriet Klausner