J. Clifton Slater

In the capital of the Republic, politics and scandal are normal. When a powerful citizen conspires with outside forces, normal becomes treason. Welcome to the world of 266 BC. Lance Corporal Alerio Sisera is in transit to the southern Legion. When thugs from a protection racket grab his travel...

In war, there are no easy choices. The Second Punic War made gamblers of the Mediterranean world. Declare for Carthage or declare for Rome? The odds are 50/50 for life or death. Apollonides of Syracuse observed, "No city has ever had a brighter prospect of permanent security or a stronger chance...

A gladius is a short sword. A prodigy is a talented youth. Put them together and people die. Welcome to 271 BC This is not the full-time professional Legion of Imperial Rome. This is the levied Legion of the mid-Republic and it is messy. If you like Roman adventure and 3rd Century...

It only takes one player in the secrets, surrogates, and spies game to go rogue. Then greed exceeds rationality and Legionaries die. Welcome to the world of 265 BC When a patrol boat of butchered Legionaries washes up on a beach, Lance Corporal Alerio Sisera volunteers to be the scout for the...

In the seven years since he crossed the Alps and began his war against the Roman Republic, Hannibal Barca stood unbeaten in battle. However, maintaining a large army was a costly proposition and the government of Carthage proved stingy with its coins. To intercept the supplies destined for...

It's been said, "You may not think you're at war. But a surprise attack by an enemy means they are at war with you, so you'd best prepare." Metaphorically, the same can be said of an apprentice of war. There was no doubt, Hannibal Barca was a master of war. Since he came down from the Alps and...

When a military commander makes a bold move, it can fail, making the situation worse. Or, the tactic can succeed, but create lackluster results. Yet rarely, the outcome is so dramatic, it changes the complexion of an entire campaign. Cornelius Scipio marched his outnumbered Legions south, and in...

The line of war elephants scattered the lightly armored Velites. In retreat, the skirmishers filtered through the Legion ranks. Not that it made a difference, but the First Maniple wore heavier armor and grasped bigger shields. But like the Velites, the Legionaries were no match for the enormous...

Once the Carthaginian forces were removed from Iberia, the reinforcements and supplies for Hannibal Barca dwindled to a trickle. Even so, Hannibal held onto the southwest quadrant of the Italian peninsula and remained a danger to the Republic. Although made rich from his conquests, the architect...

Challenges, oaths, and prophecies Cornelius Scipio and Jace Kasia were passionate about their missions, but on a collision course. Unfortunately, one would have to lose for the other to accomplish his goal. As a staff officer, Tribune Cornelius Scipio had experienced more combat and defeat than...

Orphan Jace Kasia might have found a home in the green hills and golden valleys of the Insubri. But several things prevented him from relishing his new life. He didn't know his name, he couldn't recollect his training, and he lived like a dog on a farm outside a border town.

When a Legionary pushes the boundaries, he draws a crowd. Either to watch him collect a medal or collect lashes. And if it's really bad, an eighty-foot drop from Tarpeian Rock. Welcome to 261 B.C. There are anxious words to describe being in unfathomable trouble. A feeling of pressure, an...

The heart and life of a battle is the center of the combat line. A dark, throbbing, and terrifying place. A place where death prowls between enemy shields, waiting for sharp blades to carve out an advantage. Welcome to 262 B.C. A single Legion is rushed into combat to stop a fortified army. The...

A tale of war, tactics, subterfuge, and luck. And one man's struggle to resurrect his reputation. Welcome to late 264 B.C. The Legion is a machine of war. When the gears are turning, those not in sync with the machine get pulverized in the cogs. Most of the time, it's the enemy. Unfortunately...

The tide of soldiers washed over the Legion shields. Buried, the ranks of Legionaries sagged. "Push!" the Legion NCO yelled. Welcome to 264 B.C. Over the grunts and cries of men struggling against the mass of bodies pressing down on them, the Optio bellowed again, "Push!" And the Legion shields...

Three battles into the second war between Carthage and Rome, the Republic was reeling. Hannibal Barca moved through the countryside burning, looting, and attracting recruits and supplies from disgruntled city residents and tribesmen. Cornelius Scipio remained with the forward Legions, taking any...

Infantry tactics at a sea battle offer dangerous options. Run the boarding ramp into the tips of the enemy's blades. Or fall into the gap between warships. Welcome to 260 B.C. Death waits at both, but if you make it to the enemy's deck you have a fighting chance. With the sea, you are doomed by...

"You treated us like dirt then taught us to fight as a unit. That is the mark of a professional military officer," Metie stated. "Last night you became a spirit and walked among the soldiers. Now you leave sacrifices for their dead and thank your Goddess for sparing us. That is very priest like...

Welcome to summer 258 B.C.

A clash of deities . . . "You claim to speak for the Sky Father. That must give you an amazing feeling of power," Alerio suggested. "But Priest of Jupiter, the Goddess Nenia speaks through me. And it is not a feeling of power. In fact, the voice of death creates a sensation of hopelessness."...