The Conqueror
“Bryan Litfin brings a historian’s background to the story he tells about Constantine the conqueror, giving you a feel for the time and actions of a historic figure. This is still fiction, but it tells a good story well. Enjoy.”
Darrell Bock, Executive Director for Cultural Engagement, Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement;senior research professor of New Testament studies
“With an eye for detail and an engaging fictional story, Dr. Bryan Litfin makes history come alive. If you’ve ever wondered what life was like for early believers, you will love The Conqueror.”
Chris Fabry, author and radio host
“The Conqueror is a wonderful mix of excellence in storytelling and keen insight into the setting’s historical context. This is what you get when a historian crosses over the authorial divide into the world of fiction. Read this book! Read all of Bryan’s books! They are enjoyable from beginning to end. This is certainly on my list of Christmas presents for the readers in my family.”
Benjamin K. Forrest, author and professor
© 2020 by Bryan M. Litfin
Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2020
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-2792-5
This is a work of historical reconstruction; the appearances of certain historical figures are therefore inevitable. All other characters, however, are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
To the many students whom I have loved and taught as a professor at Moody Bible Institute.
Contents
Cover
Endorsements
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Map
Ancient Rome
Historical Note
Gazetteer of Ancient and Modern Place Names
Glossary
Prologue
Act 1: Convergence
1
2
3
4
Act 2: Resistance
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Act 3: Acquiescence
12
13
14
15
About the Author
Back Ads
Cover Flaps
Back Cover
Historical Note
THE CONQUEROR IS SET IN THE ANCIENT CHURCH PERIOD, but it isn’t a “biblical” novel. Many readers will be familiar with the genre of historical fiction in which a backstory is imagined for the apostles or other characters from Scripture. This isn’t such a book. The ancient church period lasted about five hundred years after the birth of Christ, until the Roman world gave way to the Middle Ages. While this novel does take place in the Roman Empire, it isn’t the empire of Jesus’s day. The events occur three hundred years later, when mighty Rome was learning to bow the knee to Christ. The persecution of Christians was coming to an end. Emperors were taking notice of Christianity—even converting. The age of Christian Rome was dawning.
Historians know quite a bit about this tumultuous era from various written and archaeological sources. As a scholar of that period, I have tried to add a certain realism to my story that reflects the way things really were. The characters are not “evangelicals in togas” who think and act like modern Christians. They were part of the ancient catholic church, not twenty-first-century evangelicalism.
The word catholic means “universal.” In this novel, the term should not be equated with all the doctrines and practices of today’s Roman Catholic Church. At the same time, the faith of the early Christians took a shape different from what today’s born-again Christians are familiar with. In some ways, ancient church practices do reflect Roman Catholic belief patterns. We must remember that this novel takes place twelve hundred years before the Reformation. The characters are neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant. They are the “little-c” catholic Christians of ancient Rome.
Politically, this was the age of what modern historians call the Tetrarchy, which means “rule by four.” The ancients referred to it as the Imperial College. This political system, devised by Emperor Diocletian in the late third century, divided the whole Roman Empire into quadrants. Two leading figures, each called an augustus, would rule their halves of the realm, assisted by two caesars who were supposed to take their place in orderly succession. However, this wasn’t what happened. The history of the Tetrarchy was tumultuous because many claimants vied to be augusti or caesars, backing up their aspirations by military action. It is safe to say the Tetrarchy led to a lot of civil war, until Emperor Constantine finally defeated all his challengers and united the empire again in AD 324.
Since The Conqueror is a historical novel, obviously some of the book’s characters are actual figures from history. Rex and Flavia, however, are not real (though there were certainly people like them: a Germanic army recruit, an aristocratic Christian daughter). The main story characters attested in actual history are:
Neratius Junius Flavianus, the city prefect
Sophronia (the name Sabina I have attached to her is imaginary)
Ruricius Pompeianus, the Praetorian prefect
Alexamenos (nothing is known about this person except his Christian faith)
Emperor Constantine
Emperor Maxentius
Emperor Licinius
Helena, Constantine’s mother
Fausta, Constantine’s wife
Maximian, Constantine’s father-in-law
Bishop Eusebius of Rome (and Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea is mentioned as well)
Bishop Miltiades
Lactantius, professor of rhetoric
Bishop Ossius of Corduba
Bishop Chrestus of Syracusae
King Chrocus of the Alemanni
Heraclius, the heretic
Of course, we know varying amounts of historical detail about these figures. The best attested is Emperor Constantine. He did indeed witness a solar phenomenon while on a march, interpret it as a sign from the Christian God, mark his soldiers’ shields with the cross, and fight Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in AD 312.* Other historical figures require more effort to reconstruct, yet they also grant more latitude to an author’s creativity. What I, as a fiction writer who is a church history professor and scholar of early Christianity, have tried to do in The Conqueror is spin an entertaining tale that blends real history, accurate context, and exciting drama. May you enjoy the ride. I promise, there is more to come.
Dr. Bryan Litfin
*You can read my academic article about these events at http://www.tinyurl.com/y73bnqy8.
Gazetteer of Ancient
and Modern Place Names
Note: the modern names of Rome and Italy are used in this book because of frequent occurrence.
Aegyptus. Egypt
Aethiopia. Ethiopia
Africa. Roman Africa corresponds to Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco
Alps. Mountain range across northern Italy and central Europe
Antiochia. Antioch, Turkey
Apostolic Monument. Outdoor dining facility at the original
catacombs, believed to contain the relics of Peter and Paul
Apennines. Mountain range down the central spine of the Italian peninsula
Aquileia. Aquileia, Italy
Arar River. Saône River
Arelate. Arles, France
Argentoratum. Strasbourg, France
Athenae. Athens, Greece
Athesis River. Adige River, Italy
Augusta Praetoria. Aosta, Italy
Augusta Treverorum. Trier, Germany
Augusta Taurinorum. Turin, Italy
Baiae. Italian site, near Naples; now submerged under the ocean
Brigantium. Briançon, France
Britannia. Roman Britain corresponds to contemporary England, Wales, and parts of Scotland
Brixia. Brescia, Italy
Campania. Campania region, Italy
Capreae. Isle of Capri, Gulf of Naples, Italy
Carthago. Ancient Carthage, near Tunis, Tunisia
Catacombs, the. Catacombs of San Sebastiano, Rome
Cemetery of Callistus. Catacombs of San Callisto, Rome
Colonia Agrippina. Cologne, Germany
Corduba. Córdoba, Spain
Corsica. Island in the Mediterranean Sea, now a region of France
Dalmatia. Corresponds to parts of contemporary Croatia
Danubius River. Danube River
Divitia. Deutz neighborhood of Cologne, Germany
Duria River. Dora Riparia River, Italy
Eboracum. York, England
Gaul. France, Belgium, Netherlands, and portions of a few other countries
Germania. Areas north of the Rhine and upper Danube, corresponding to parts of Germany, Poland, Czechia, Austria, and other central European countries
Hall of the Church. Basilica of San Crisogono, Rome
Herculaneum. Archaeological site today, near Ercolano, Italy
Hierusalem. Jerusalem, Israel
Hispania. Spain
Histria. Corresponds to parts of contemporary Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy
House of Byzans. Basilica of SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Rome
Lake Benacus. Lago di Garda, Italy
Londinium. London, England
Lugdunum. Lyons, France
Massilia. Marseille, France
Mediolanum. Milan, Italy
Mons Aetna. Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy
Mons Matrona Pass. Col de Montgenèvre, France
Mons Vesuvius. Mount Vesuvius, near Naples, Italy
Mosella River. Moselle River
Neapolis. Naples, Italy
Noricum. Corresponds to parts of contemporary Austria and Slovenia
Octodurus. Martigny, Switzerland
Ostia. Ostia Antica, a contemporary archaeological site
Padus River. Po River, Italy
Poeninus Pass. Great St. Bernard Pass, Switzerland and Italy
Pompeii. Contemporary archaeological site near Naples, Italy
Puteoli. Pozzuoli, Italy
Raetia. Corresponds primarily to contemporary eastern Switzerland
Ravenna. Ravenna, Italy
Rhenus River. Rhine River
Rhodanus River. Rhône River
Saravus Village. Saarbrücken, Germany
Sardinia. Sardinia, Italy
Segusio. Susa, Italy
Sicilia. Sicily, Italy
Sirmio. Sirmione, Italy
Syracusae. Syracuse, Sicily, Italy
Tauromenium. Taormina, Sicily, Italy
Tiberis River. Tiber River, Italy
Tibur. Tivoli, Italy
Trans Tiberim. Trastevere neighborhood, Rome
Tridentum. Trent, Italy
Verona. Verona, Italy
Glossary
argenteus. A silver coin of significant value, though not as much as a solidus or aureus.
augustus. The traditional title for the emperors, used within the Imperial
College to designate one of the two highest leaders.
aureus. A pure and very valuable gold coin with a long history, but which was gradually being replaced by the solidus.
ballista. A mechanical weapon for projecting darts and missiles with great force.
balneum. A neighborhood bathing establishment, typically smaller and privately owned, unlike the grand thermae constructed by the government.
caesar. The traditional title for the emperors, used within the Imperial College to designate one of the two junior rulers.
caldarium. A hot room in a Roman bath.
cithara. A Greco-Roman stringed musical instrument, like a lyre.
codex. A book of papyrus or parchment pages bound inside covers, readily adopted by Christians to replace the scroll.
colleague. One of the members of the Imperial College.
compluvium. The skylight in a Roman atrium through which rain would fall into a pool.
decanus. The leader of a typical army squad of approximately eight soldiers who shared a tent.
denarius. In late imperial times, it was no longer an actual coin but a monetary unit of low value; e.g., an unskilled laborer would make twenty-five denarii per day.
domus. A Roman city house, as opposed to a country villa.
donative. The periodic distribution of large monetary gifts to soldiers to increase their annual pay and keep them loyal.
garum. A salty, savory sauce made from fish intestines allowed to ferment under the hot sun; used as a condiment or recipe ingredient.
genius. The inner spirit (in fact, a kind of deity to be worshiped) that empowered and protected a man or inhabited an everyday place or object.
gustatio. The appetizer course in a Roman meal.
haruspex. A soothsayer or priest performing divination by inspecting animal entrails (pl., haruspices).
hippocampus. A mythical creature with a horse’s head and an aquatic lower body (pl., hippocampi).
impluvium. The pool beneath the compluvium for collecting rainwater in a Roman house.
mile. A Roman mile, equal to a thousand paces, or about 4,860 modern feet (nine-tenths of a modern mile).
nummus. The general name for a coin, including bronze coins of little value, like a penny.
nymphaeum. A decorative fountain dedicated to water spirits (nymphs), usually embellished with mythological and aquatic elements.
ornatrix. A domestic slave specializing in hair and makeup for the lady of the house.
peristyle. The rear garden in a Roman house, surrounded by pillars supporting a shady arcade.
sagittarius. An archer.
solidus. A late imperial gold coin of significant value.
spatha. A long sword that had come into common use by soldiers of the late imperial era, replacing the shorter gladius.
speculator. A Roman special forces agent, like a spy (from speculor, to observe, explore, examine, watch).
stadium. A Roman unit of measurement, equivalent to about 607 feet (pl., stadia).
strigil. A tool for scraping olive oil from the human body as a means of cleansing.
tepidarium. A warm room in a Roman bath.
thermae. A magnificent imperial bathing establishment, open to the public as a gift from the emperor or other major donor.
tonsor. A barber.
votive. A religious gift given after a sacred vow is fulfilled.
water clock. A Roman timepiece that used a steady flow of water to mark the passage of time.
Prologue
JULY 306
It wasn’t the taste of blood that sent me into a rage. It was the dirt.
My lips had been bloodied many times before, of course. We Germani are known for liking to scrap. Even rich boys like me—the illegitimate son of a powerful king—had to fight off bullies. I always made sure to give more than I got.
But now, knocked to the ground and shamed before my father, the urge for vengeance churned inside me like the sulfur springs of my forest homeland. I resolved not to let the fight end with my face in a puddle. As the fat Roman boy forced my head deeper into the mud, grinding me
under his sandal while the crowd cheered him on, I decided blackening his eye wouldn’t be enough. The centurion’s son was going to die.
I came off the ground so fast the crowd was still cheering for the victor when he landed on his back. Writhing in the slick brown earth like the filthy pig he was, the boy no longer had his superior weight as an advantage. The thick limbs and heavy fists that had clubbed me into submission were useless now. I straddled my enemy and began to choke the life from him. Imagine his shame when he realizes he’s about to be killed by a twelve-year-old!
A boiling lust for revenge gave strength to my fingers wrapped around my enemy’s throat. I dismissed the thought of the whipping I would receive. For a crime like this, I might even get sent to the mines! But I didn’t care. The fat boy’s face was red now. His bulging eyes were beginning to hold the distant stare of death. I squeezed harder and felt his larynx pop.
A single authoritative voice rose above the din. “Stop that child!”
“Get him off! Quick!” shouted another voice.
The centurion’s vine branch smacked me hard above the ear, knocking me off my opponent. All the mad voices converged into a single roar that echoed inside my skull. I stared at the ground, resting on my hands and knees, trying to control the pulsing ache that threatened to overwhelm me. Though my gut heaved, my breath refused to come. I gasped and coughed. Gobs of blood and grime clogged my throat, blocking the air I so desperately needed.
My arms trembled. My elbows buckled. I toppled into the mud, dimly aware that my father would be proud of what I had done. I had fought well. Having died in combat, I would no doubt be honored in the next life by the hammer-wielding Thor. But why did no one tell me it would be so dark there?
A cascade of cold water yanked me back to the world of my birth. Unable to understand what was happening around me, I struggled to regain my bearings. People were shouting. Pushing myself up to a kneeling position, I stared at the ground—no longer mud—and shook my head. At last my surroundings came into focus. I was inside a spacious, marble-lined hall. Sunlight poured through its high windows.
The Fortress Basilica of Eboracum!
The basilica could mean only one thing: this was no longer a back-alley brawl between youths. Death now stared me in the face. I had been dragged inside the judicial hall of Eboracum’s legionary fort to be tried before a makeshift tribunal. Normally, the monster of imperial justice slumbered in the background of Roman society. Yet when the mob aroused that beast to action, it could be swift and decisive—and often brutal. Did the mob want me as its next victim? I resolved that if I was sentenced to die today, I would go down fighting.