"Warrior Saint: Undefeated Rome" is the new book by Eduardo Spohr, author of the bestselling books "The Battle of the Apocalypse" and the "Children of Eden" series. This book, which marks his debut in the historical romance genre, tells the most accurate version ever written about the life of Gergios, the Roman soldier immortalized and admired worldwide as Saint George.
By the end of the third century, the Roman Empire was on the verge of collapse. Barbarian invasions, religious clashes, and military uprisings threatened the sovereignty of the Caesars. In the East, the powerful Queen Zenobia gathered a troop of mounted warriors and took control of Syria. Carausius, the admiral of the Roman fleet in the English Channel, occupied the western provinces and proclaimed himself emperor of Britain.
Amidst the disorder and chaos, Laius Gracchus, a high-ranking cavalry officer, is killed and his lands are stolen. His son, young Georgios, flees to the capital to present himself to Emperor Diocletian, his father's former companion, hoping to be accepted into the army, become a soldier, recover his possessions, and avenge his family.
"Holy Warrior" tells the most accurate version of Saint George's life ever written. Based on historical documents and archaeological remains, the author transports us back to late antiquity, to a time when steel, love, and intrigue governed human destiny—and, consequently, the course of history.
One of the world's most popular saints, Saint George is worshipped by Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Anglicans, and devotees of African-based religions. In iconography, he is depicted as a shining knight, wearing full armor, armed with a lance, and facing a dragon.
This image, however, is merely allegorical. According to tradition, George—or Georgios, his Greek name—was not a medieval warrior, but a Roman soldier, born in the third century and executed after repudiating the pagan gods.
Although there are no records confirming the saint's existence, there are a multitude of historical sources that describe the world in which he would have lived. Diocletian, who ruled the Roman Empire between 284 and 305 AD, promoted the last great persecution of Christians, claiming nearly three thousand lives. During his administration, Mediterranean society suffered from the Persian invasion, the harassment of the Germans in the far north, and a series of internal revolts. Diocletian also moved the capital from Rome to Nicomedia, in Anatolia (present-day Turkey), and created a private guard, an elite troop of which Georgios was supposedly a member.
Holy Warrior: Unconquered Rome is the first book in a trilogy that aims to tell the biography of Saint George through a historical lens. This work of fiction doesn't aim to challenge doctrines or dogmas, but rather to shed light on this figure who, whether real or symbolic, is so beloved and admired by thousands of believers around the world.
Roma Invicta will be succeeded by Winds of the North and The Empire of the East .
