Bøker av M. J. Trow

This is a revised version of M. J. Trow's classic biography of an ancient and unforgettable hero.'I am Spartacus' ranks among the most famous lines in Hollywood, with its image of the man's comrades prepared to die in his place in the Kirk Douglas film. And die they did; not the actors but the real army of Spartacus, crucified in their thousands along the Appian Way that leads to Rome.Spartacus: The Myth and the Man is a revised version of M. J. Trow's original biography, the first to be written in English, of a legend who has become all things to all men. He has been the focus of a ballet and an opera. Karl Marx called him 'the finest fellow in ancient history' and a communist group in 1920s Germany tried to topple the Weimar government in his name.The humble slave from Thrace (today's Bulgaria) became a gladiator, led a revolt and took on the greatest military system in history - Rome. The Romans were understandably anxious to erase him from history, so key facts about the man are hard to come by. What we do know is that he fought not one, but six Roman armies and beat them all before his final defeat.Thoroughly researched and impressive in its breadth, Spartacus: The Myth and the Man will please readers with an interest in ancient history.Praise for Spartacus: The Myth and the Man:'Puts the fascinating story of Spartacus and his rebellion into its historical context in great detail. I really enjoyed it' - Amazon review'If you're interested in Ancient Rome, or really enjoyed the Kirk Douglas epic, this book is fascinating. It highlights how the Spartacus story has been used and misused down the centuries and attempts to put flesh on the bones of the story' - Amazon reviewM. J. Trow is a historian, biographer and crime novelist. His books include the well-known Lestrade and Maxwell series as well as non-fiction such as Who Killed Kit Marlowe? and Vlad the Impaler. Originally from Wales, he now lives on the Isle of Wight.

This is the story of a British icon: Boudicca - humiliated widow of Prasutagus - who led British tribes into rage-fuelled war with the Roman Empire.Boudicca is a legendary figure today, as the mother determined to avenge her ravaged children and the warrior who rose up to protect her land from the assault of a rampaging enemy. Many identify with her as an icon of womanly strength; she has even been described as a Margaret Thatcher without the handbag. Yet what of the true woman behind the legend? Did she really draw together a disparate tribal nation against a ruthless Roman occupier? And if so, how? In Boudicca: The Warrior Queen, MJ Trow strips away modern and ancient myths to reveal the flesh-and-blood woman who terrified Rome.In the summer of AD 60 Boudicca united several British tribes and led them in revenge attacks on the Roman towns of Colchester, London and St Albans, burning and destroying with a ferocity that has left a permanent scar on the archaeological landscape. Many people died in the flames of Roman settlements and, had the Iceni and their allies not been defeated, the entire course of British history would have been altered.This book takes us on a journey through the Roman archives, the archaeological record and Celtic mythology to a new understanding of Boudicca - the warrior queen who took on the might of the greatest power of the ancient world and very nearly won. it is required reading for all with an interest in British and/or ancient history.MJ Trow is a historian, biographer and crime novelist. His books include the well-known Lestrade and Maxwell series as well as non-fiction such as Who Killed Kit Marlowe? and Vlad the Impaler.His son, Taliesin Trow, who provided the archaeological focus for Boudicca: The Warrior Queen, is a graduate in history and archaeology whose other works include Sir Martin Frobisher: Seaman, Soldier, Explorer.

Welcome to the wonderfully weird World War Two... The Second World War was the bloodiest on record. It was the first total war in history when civilians - men, women and children - were on the front line as never before. With so many millions involved, the rumour machine went into overdrive, tall stories built on fear of the unknown. With so much at stake, boffins battled with each other to build ever more bizarre weapons to outgun the enemy. Nazi Germany alone had so many government-orchestrated foibles that they would be funny if they were not so tragic. Parachuting sheep? Pilot pigeons? Rifles that fire round corners? Men who never were? You will find them all in these pages, the weird, wonderful and barely believable tales from World War Two.

THE END OF ROMAN BRITAIN CONCLUDES. Did the Romans leave Britain, or did Britain leave Rome? The death throes of Rome are resounding in every corner of the Empire. The rebellion of Magnus Maximus has come to a bloody end and Britannia now knows only suffering, standing at the edge of calamity, with each new disaster shaking the fragile foundations of a neglected province. The soldiers who remain are growing increasingly seditious with the incompetence and failures of their masters. While some seek to curb this dissent, more ambitious men will try to exploit it for their own ends. Justinus Coelius, general of Britain, is fighting increasingly desperate odds to defend the land from threats which come from near at hand as well as from across the German Sea, while trying to hold on to his dying world; Vitalis Celatius, a Christian convert, is haunted by what is, and isn't, happening in the name of his God; Brenna and her sons face new danger from north of Hadrian's Wall and realise they are alone for the first time. And the ageing Honoria begins to realise she can no longer rely on her beauty alone to remain Queen of the Underworld. The Warlords examines the twilight of Britannia. Nearly four centuries of Roman rule will collapse in a few chaotic years. Will the Heroes of the Wall survive the storm to come? And would they recognise the new world that has descended unknowingly into the Dark Ages?

THE END OF ROMAN BRITAIN CONTINUES. 'We are the watchmen; the keepers of the flame.' Britannia in the late fourth century is a wild, dark place and the Pax Romana that has held for three hundred years is crumbling. Justinus Coelius is commander of the Wall and he is facing invasion from Saxons and treachery from within. Leocadius Honorius is consul of Londinium, but his fragile grasp on his lifestyle is broken when he plays dice with the wrong people. Vitalis Celatius just wants a quiet, peaceful life but his sister Conchessa is desperate to find her husband who has fallen foul of the Emperor. And the Emperor is about to face a challenge from Magnus Maximus, the general who takes Britannia's legions to overthrow him. Celtic legend, Egyptian mysticism and Gaelic battle-fury are all interwoven in this dark tale. The surviving Heroes of the Wall are once again thrown into the melting pot of history. How many of them will still be standing at the end? "An impressive followup volume to The Wall. True to the first book, Roman Britain is expertly portrayed with historical accuracy and detailed descriptions and characterization. I will await volume 3 eagerly." Polly Krize - Reviewer

THE END OF ROMAN BRITAIN BEGINS. The story opens in 367 AD. Four soldiers - Justinus, Paternus, Leocadius and Vitalis - are out hunting for food supplies at an outpost of Hadrian's Wall, when the Wall comes under attack. The four find their fort destroyed, their comrades killed, and Paternus is unable to find his wife and son. As they run south to Eboracum, they realize that this is no ordinary border raid. Ranged against the Romans at the edge of the world are four different peoples, and they have banded together under a mysterious leader who wears a silver mask and uses the name Valentinus - man of Valentia, the turbulent area north of the Wall. Faced with questions they are hard-pressed to answer, Leocadius blurts out a story that makes the men Heroes of the Wall. Their lives change not only when Valentinus begins his lethal sweep across Britannia but as soon as Leo's lie is out in the world, growing and changing as it goes. WILL THE WALL BE REBUILT AND THE POWER OF ROME RE-ESTABLISHED? AND WILL OUR FOUR HEROES REACH THE END OF THEIR JOURNEY? 367 AD is one of the critical dates in British history, but the year means little to most people now, and it is only rarely mentioned in historical books. Britannia: Part I - The Wall introduces the reader to this tumultuous age, as we share the adventure, confusion and bewilderment of our heroes - four common soldiers stationed at Hadrian's Wall. We find them caught up in the madness of a chain of events which will eventually lead to the fall of Roman Britain, and the descent into the Dark Ages.