The action-packed finale to the bestselling First Emperor Series!

Now the governor of Transalpine Gaul, Marcus Agrippa, is tasked with quelling a rebellion of the Aquitani tribes, led by the charismatic Brannus, who has sworn to eradicate every Roman from the province or die trying. But Agrippa's troubles are only just beginning, for things are not quite what they seem, with powerful forces working behind the scenes to ensure that he fails and never returns to Rome. With the Aquitani now in revolt, and word arriving that some of the Germanic tribes are preparing to cross the Rhine, the one-time slave named Luan will need all of his intelligence, strength, and ingenuity just to survive.

Meanwhile, back in Rome, the pact between the triumvirs and Sextus Pompey is reaching the breaking point, with the city once again starving from lack of grain as pirates raid the sea lanes with impunity. Despite the deteriorating circumstances, the senior member of the triumvirs, Marcus Antonius, has little interest in Rome's plight, preferring to remain in Egypt, preparing to invade Parthia. After Octavius suffers a devastating naval defeat against Pompey, and with a populace on the brink of insurrection and few seaworthy ships left in his fleet to call upon, he turns to the one person who can offer Rome salvation—his right-hand man, Marcus Agrippa.

But Agrippa's journey is far from over. As the tides of war shift, he finds himself not only dealing with rebellious tribes and political machinations but also his arch rival and enemy, Marcus Antonius, with the two men destined to clash in a decisive battle at Actium that will determine the fate of Rome and give birth to an Empire.