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Twilight of Empire #4
The Mask of Command
Six years after the battle for Rome, the truce between the two emperors has failed and Aurelius Castus is again in the frontline.
When a treacherous act of murder throws the western provinces into turmoil, Aurelius Castus is ordered to take command of the military forces on the Rhine. But he soon discovers that the frontier is a place where the boundaries between civilisation and barbarism, freedom and slavery, honour and treason have little meaning.
At the very heart of the conflict are two vulnerable boys. One is Emperor Constantine's young heir, Crispus. The other is Castus's own beloved son, Sabinus. Only Castus stands between them and men who would kill them.
With all that he loves in danger, Castus and a handful of loyal men must fight to defend the Roman Empire. But in the heat of battle, can he distinguish friend from enemy?
When a treacherous act of murder throws the western provinces into turmoil, Aurelius Castus is ordered to take command of the military forces on the Rhine. But he soon discovers that the frontier is a place where the boundaries between civilisation and barbarism, freedom and slavery, honour and treason have little meaning.
At the very heart of the conflict are two vulnerable boys. One is Emperor Constantine's young heir, Crispus. The other is Castus's own beloved son, Sabinus. Only Castus stands between them and men who would kill them.
With all that he loves in danger, Castus and a handful of loyal men must fight to defend the Roman Empire. But in the heat of battle, can he distinguish friend from enemy?
416 pages, Paperback
Published July 13, 2017
26 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Ian James Ross
27 books99 followersIan Ross was born in England and studied painting before turning to writing fiction. He has travelled widely and worked as a bookseller, tutor and university lecturer while developing his writing abilities. A year in Italy teaching English and exploring the ruins of empire reawakened his early love for ancient history, and he returned to the UK with growing fascination for the period known as late antiquity. He has been researching and writing about the later Roman world and its army for over a decade, and his interests combine an obsessive regard for accuracy and detail with a devotion to the craft of storytelling.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 21, 2022
AD316 somewhere on the border between the Eastern & Western spheres of the now divided Roman Empire is where we find ourselves & it’s straight into a battle 😊. Battle, bar fight or murder….. is there a better way to start a book…?
And it’s at the battle of Campus Ardiensis we find ourselves, which although gave Constantine a victory it wasn’t conclusive enough to lead to him winning the campaign, which ended in a stalemate & a begrudging peace between the two halves of the Empire.
And so our prologue is laid out for us to give us some context in the form of the where, who, why, when, what & the how. It’s a welcome prologue as it seems like forever since ive been back to this series (in fact 18 months!), a series ive enjoyed as our man Aurelius Castus is a no-nonsense smash ‘em in the mouth sort of Roman, which I likes.
The main story/plot then transports us to the Rhine with Aurelius Castus newly appointed military commander of the forces on the Rhine, dealing with the Barbarian (Franks) factions at the extremities of the Roman Empire as well as the Roman political class who of course are many facetted….. throw in Constantine’s son & heir to the mix & the politicking & treachery is set!
On arrival, Castus learns that his predecessor was “murdered” by the Barbarians whilst attempting to hand over the yearly tribute silver but we know otherwise from witnessing the scene in question in the early story. Being the incorruptible military man, he takes an instant dislike to many of the conniving civilians that perceive to hold the power in the region especially the governor, all having ulterior motives it would seem, most definitely self-servient & it isn’t long before the game is afoot as Castus tries to uncover what happened to his predecessor, deal with the barbarian threat as well as the civilians on the Roman side of the Rhine.
We also get a Saxon “incursion” to be dealt with, will the Franks join the fight on the side of the Romans or sit on the side-lines?
Never dull, a good mix of action & good ol Roman politics to keep you entertained, throw in a few moral dilemmas for our hero & what more do you need.
Solid 4.5 stars rounded to a four.
And it’s at the battle of Campus Ardiensis we find ourselves, which although gave Constantine a victory it wasn’t conclusive enough to lead to him winning the campaign, which ended in a stalemate & a begrudging peace between the two halves of the Empire.
And so our prologue is laid out for us to give us some context in the form of the where, who, why, when, what & the how. It’s a welcome prologue as it seems like forever since ive been back to this series (in fact 18 months!), a series ive enjoyed as our man Aurelius Castus is a no-nonsense smash ‘em in the mouth sort of Roman, which I likes.
The main story/plot then transports us to the Rhine with Aurelius Castus newly appointed military commander of the forces on the Rhine, dealing with the Barbarian (Franks) factions at the extremities of the Roman Empire as well as the Roman political class who of course are many facetted….. throw in Constantine’s son & heir to the mix & the politicking & treachery is set!
On arrival, Castus learns that his predecessor was “murdered” by the Barbarians whilst attempting to hand over the yearly tribute silver but we know otherwise from witnessing the scene in question in the early story. Being the incorruptible military man, he takes an instant dislike to many of the conniving civilians that perceive to hold the power in the region especially the governor, all having ulterior motives it would seem, most definitely self-servient & it isn’t long before the game is afoot as Castus tries to uncover what happened to his predecessor, deal with the barbarian threat as well as the civilians on the Roman side of the Rhine.
We also get a Saxon “incursion” to be dealt with, will the Franks join the fight on the side of the Romans or sit on the side-lines?
Never dull, a good mix of action & good ol Roman politics to keep you entertained, throw in a few moral dilemmas for our hero & what more do you need.
Solid 4.5 stars rounded to a four.
February 8, 2017
Impressive that the author is maintaining his high standard in this quality series, and even improving in all aspects. AD317: the current Dux Limitis Germaniae, Commander of the German Border, has been killed, ostensibly by barbarian Chamavi Franks, to whom he is delivering a "subsidy", i.e., bribe, of precious metals, for their good behavior. In steps Aurelius Castus, as his replacement. As he tells soldiers under his command, he has come to restore order. In so doing he inadvertently steps on the toes of higher-ups, by decisions they feel should be the caesar Crispus's; or those of the teenager's regent. Crispus is Constantine's illegitimate son. There are skirmishes between Romans and Franks, several foiled assassination attempts on the young Caesar's life, and an ambush and another attempted assassination on Castus's life. There's an exciting trip upriver, fight with Saxon pirates, and trip back to Colonia after shipwreck. Sabinus, his [6-year-old?] son, is with him and abducted at one point. I like how Castus acts as a father--another aspect of his personality--the love and care he shows for the boy. A climactic battle between Chamavi Franks and Romans restores order in the province; villains get their comeuppance. Castus meets after many years Marcellina, who appeared in Book 1 and is now a widow with daughters; I feel there will be a burgeoning low-key romance since Castus's wife, Sabina, is conveniently "out of the picture". I'm glad of this turn of events. I never liked her from her first appearance; I felt she and Castus were too different in temperament and social class for a marriage to last and that she was too flighty and unworthy of him.
This book was satisfactory in all respects. Castus has become a favorite character; this novel only emphasizes my feeling. Most highly recommended.
This book was satisfactory in all respects. Castus has become a favorite character; this novel only emphasizes my feeling. Most highly recommended.
January 3, 2018
This is such a good series and this is an excellent addition to it!
December 29, 2018
This superb and gripping book by this very fine author is the 4th volume of the ever more captivating "Twilight of the Empire" series.
The historical background of this splendid tale is wonderfully researched and explained by the author in his author's note, and once again the real events that took place are superbly outlined within this book.
At the beginning of the book you'll find two beautifully adapted quotes concerning this story, and you'll find two very well-drawn maps of the Roman Empire as well as the Germanic Frontier both in AD 317-318.
Story-telling is once more of a top-notch quality, for the book grips you right from the start and keeps you spellbound till the end, and all the characters, whether real or fictional, come vividly to life within this exciting tale, and the pace of the events within the story are also pictured in a most fantastic fashion.
The time has moved on somewhat, for this tale is set in the years AD 317-318, during the reign of the Emperor of the West, Emperor Constantine, and the book is divided into four parts, where our main character of this series Tribune Aurelius Castus is forced to take Command of the military forces on the Rhine after a treacherous act of murder.
Within this turmoil at the frontier where freedom and slavery, honour and treason have no meaning, Castus has to find a way to protect two vulnerable boys, one is Crispus son of the Emperor Constantine and heir, while the other boy is Sabinus who's Castus's own son, from treachery, conspiracy and attempts of murder.
What will follow is an intriguing and thrilling Roman tale with a lot of great fighting scenes, actions against the barbarians, but most of all Castus has to fight and defend the Roman Empire from enemies within, if they want to survive this ordeal and keep the Roman Empire in tact.
Very much recommended, for this is another compelling story, and one that I like to call as "A Commanding Roman Historical Tale"!
The historical background of this splendid tale is wonderfully researched and explained by the author in his author's note, and once again the real events that took place are superbly outlined within this book.
At the beginning of the book you'll find two beautifully adapted quotes concerning this story, and you'll find two very well-drawn maps of the Roman Empire as well as the Germanic Frontier both in AD 317-318.
Story-telling is once more of a top-notch quality, for the book grips you right from the start and keeps you spellbound till the end, and all the characters, whether real or fictional, come vividly to life within this exciting tale, and the pace of the events within the story are also pictured in a most fantastic fashion.
The time has moved on somewhat, for this tale is set in the years AD 317-318, during the reign of the Emperor of the West, Emperor Constantine, and the book is divided into four parts, where our main character of this series Tribune Aurelius Castus is forced to take Command of the military forces on the Rhine after a treacherous act of murder.
Within this turmoil at the frontier where freedom and slavery, honour and treason have no meaning, Castus has to find a way to protect two vulnerable boys, one is Crispus son of the Emperor Constantine and heir, while the other boy is Sabinus who's Castus's own son, from treachery, conspiracy and attempts of murder.
What will follow is an intriguing and thrilling Roman tale with a lot of great fighting scenes, actions against the barbarians, but most of all Castus has to fight and defend the Roman Empire from enemies within, if they want to survive this ordeal and keep the Roman Empire in tact.
Very much recommended, for this is another compelling story, and one that I like to call as "A Commanding Roman Historical Tale"!
February 23, 2017
If you like Roman History this is an solid read!
February 6, 2017
Review
This is book four in the excellent Twilight of Rome series a series that focuses on a very much ignored part of the rich and varied Roman history (4th Century), I’ve always been surprised that there are not more books based around this transitional period. Constantine and his tenure is such a rich tapestry of events, a new religion, vast changes in the empire and the armies that control those huge tracts of land, This is a time when the Auxiliaries are the army, the empire is the sum of its parts rather than the sum of its core.
full review : follow link..
https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
This is book four in the excellent Twilight of Rome series a series that focuses on a very much ignored part of the rich and varied Roman history (4th Century), I’ve always been surprised that there are not more books based around this transitional period. Constantine and his tenure is such a rich tapestry of events, a new religion, vast changes in the empire and the armies that control those huge tracts of land, This is a time when the Auxiliaries are the army, the empire is the sum of its parts rather than the sum of its core.
full review : follow link..
https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
July 15, 2018
Another five star novel in the Twilight of Empire series by Ian Ross. In The Mask of Command Aurelius Castus is promoted to military command on the German frontier and the novel again combines the military aspects of his task with the political context both in the frontier area and at the imperial level.
There are several military episodes in the novel but the central one is a river based campaign against a Saxon raiding party. The scenes on the river and the battle against the Saxons, followed by the flight into the North Sea are dramatic and well written, with Ross creating a real sense of drama and tension, especially when at the moment of victory Castus is brought terrible news that threatens everything he has fought for. The return to Colonia down the Rhine and the subsequent events are again dramatic and exciting. The final scenes of the novel are personal as Castus rescues his son and his friend Marcellina from the clutches of his enemy, Rufus.
I came upon this series of novels by chance but I am so glad I found them as they are excellent examples of the historical genre, giving a real sense of life at the end of the Empire.
(It would be helpful to have a list of the modern equivalents of the Roman towns and cities mentioned in the novel so that the reader doesn't have to keep checking Google to get a sense of where the action is happening.)
There are several military episodes in the novel but the central one is a river based campaign against a Saxon raiding party. The scenes on the river and the battle against the Saxons, followed by the flight into the North Sea are dramatic and well written, with Ross creating a real sense of drama and tension, especially when at the moment of victory Castus is brought terrible news that threatens everything he has fought for. The return to Colonia down the Rhine and the subsequent events are again dramatic and exciting. The final scenes of the novel are personal as Castus rescues his son and his friend Marcellina from the clutches of his enemy, Rufus.
I came upon this series of novels by chance but I am so glad I found them as they are excellent examples of the historical genre, giving a real sense of life at the end of the Empire.
(It would be helpful to have a list of the modern equivalents of the Roman towns and cities mentioned in the novel so that the reader doesn't have to keep checking Google to get a sense of where the action is happening.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2017
Aurelius Castus is now getting a little old in the tooth, but he even though he's moved up in the imperial ranks, he's still getting his hands dirty in battle.
The fourth book in the series is possibly the best so far in the series. It's the typical set-up from Ian Ross - Aurelius does seems a little like James Bond. First, we have the action scene at the beginning of the book, which doesn't have much to do with the rest of the book. Next, some contemplation about the protagonist's love interest. Next, the real story, moving between different locations, along with assassination attempts, and of course Castus ends up being a one man army. Perfect.
It's hard not to root for our hero, and the battle passages are really very effective, it's a very realistic 3rd century world the author has come up with. Interestingly the historical notes at the end of the book state that not much of the historical record has survived from this period - it's not obvious at all - the whole thing is entirely believable and plausiable.
I would imagine that the next book, coming in 2018 will be the final title in this series - I hope I am wrong. Recommended - but read the series in order.
The fourth book in the series is possibly the best so far in the series. It's the typical set-up from Ian Ross - Aurelius does seems a little like James Bond. First, we have the action scene at the beginning of the book, which doesn't have much to do with the rest of the book. Next, some contemplation about the protagonist's love interest. Next, the real story, moving between different locations, along with assassination attempts, and of course Castus ends up being a one man army. Perfect.
It's hard not to root for our hero, and the battle passages are really very effective, it's a very realistic 3rd century world the author has come up with. Interestingly the historical notes at the end of the book state that not much of the historical record has survived from this period - it's not obvious at all - the whole thing is entirely believable and plausiable.
I would imagine that the next book, coming in 2018 will be the final title in this series - I hope I am wrong. Recommended - but read the series in order.
September 17, 2019
Another excellent story!
Castus, the semi literate enigma, and a low born peasant to boot, just goes from strength to strength. He knows how to kill and shows no mercy to his enemies. On the other hand he is totally loyal to his friends but, can be a bit naive in matters of the heart. He is loved and respected by his troops and has become a senior commander and confidant of the Gaul Caesar. He is an officer happily leading his men from the front line in battle. How he will prosper as a military strategist will, no doubt, become clearer in subsequent books.
Castus, the semi literate enigma, and a low born peasant to boot, just goes from strength to strength. He knows how to kill and shows no mercy to his enemies. On the other hand he is totally loyal to his friends but, can be a bit naive in matters of the heart. He is loved and respected by his troops and has become a senior commander and confidant of the Gaul Caesar. He is an officer happily leading his men from the front line in battle. How he will prosper as a military strategist will, no doubt, become clearer in subsequent books.
April 23, 2023
A pleasantly entertaining and well-researched book. I got this for $5 from a second hand shop and, consequently, did not put high expectations on it. But I was surprised what an easy read it was in the best of meanings: gripping, well-written, the characters are (mostly) well developed, and stereotyping is comparatively low.
Would I consider it a literary masterpiece? Probably not, but I definitely recommend it as a quick holiday read. I, for one, am looking forward to finding the other books in this series.
Would I consider it a literary masterpiece? Probably not, but I definitely recommend it as a quick holiday read. I, for one, am looking forward to finding the other books in this series.
October 8, 2020
I have read this series in the wrong order but not to any detriment. Pacy, action packed with a satisfactory conclusion. Not sure about his attitude towards his lady companions though. But probably true to life.
February 19, 2019
Another great read :-)
April 25, 2019
What can one say you are either 'into' this genre or you're not ! I am ...bring on #5 !
September 22, 2019
I really enjoy learning about the history of that time period through fiction stories. I'm new to the genre, but I like Ross' books.
January 14, 2020
Excellent sword-and-sandal action historical novel of a mostly forgotten period. Part 4 in this series lived up to the previous 3; Castus’ adventures never disappoint.
April 21, 2020
Another fun read about the Roman Aurelius Castus. Actually forgot to update Goodreads, but finished it late last year.
July 22, 2025
Castus and the franks
March 14, 2017
Ian Ross is to the latter days of the Roman Empire what Ben Kane is to the early days - an outstanding chronicler of events featuring characters you come to care about with a plot that doesn't get bogged down in minute details but keeps the action moving. This is the fourth in the "Twilight Of Empire" series (and yes, there will definitely be a fifth - no question about that) and I'm looking forward to it! If you're into the Roman Empire as a subject matter and like a rousing tale, pick up the first three volumes and move on into this one. You won't be sorry.
February 25, 2019
Excellent
Bringing this time of the Roman Empire to life, turbulent politics and the changing balance of the people on the fringe of the empire, thoroughly absorbing.
Bringing this time of the Roman Empire to life, turbulent politics and the changing balance of the people on the fringe of the empire, thoroughly absorbing.
July 19, 2020
One of my favourite books of the series thus far. What I find particularly exciting about this series is that – bar Mary Beard’s “SPQR” – I have yet to find a book on the Later Roman Empire that I found exciting to read, not only in content but also in writing style.
Aurelius Castus’ storyline alters irrevocably with each book as the nature of the plot changes due to his rank – from centurion, to Protectore, to tribune, to Frontier Commander – and yet we still see his basic nature remaining the same, as he struggles to adapt his basic principles to the requirements of higher command.
Overall, another brilliant book from one of my favourite historical fiction series – and an extremely interesting way of learning about the twists and turns of the Roman Empire under Constantine the Great, and how, despite one man’s best efforts to unite the empire under one supreme command, the seeds of division between East and West are already beginning to sprout.
Aurelius Castus’ storyline alters irrevocably with each book as the nature of the plot changes due to his rank – from centurion, to Protectore, to tribune, to Frontier Commander – and yet we still see his basic nature remaining the same, as he struggles to adapt his basic principles to the requirements of higher command.
Overall, another brilliant book from one of my favourite historical fiction series – and an extremely interesting way of learning about the twists and turns of the Roman Empire under Constantine the Great, and how, despite one man’s best efforts to unite the empire under one supreme command, the seeds of division between East and West are already beginning to sprout.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2023
This was a really good read! Castus has come up in the world and is now the top military man on the German frontier. He is responsible for ensuring the safety of the young Caesar as well as protecting Roman territory from the incursions of the different Frankish tribes, which requires him to distinguish friendly barbarians from enemy ones. (Not an easy task!)
Lots of good battle scenes, a shipwreck, a siege of a town and the mysterious activities of a secretive eunuch. I’m looking forward to Book 5.
Lots of good battle scenes, a shipwreck, a siege of a town and the mysterious activities of a secretive eunuch. I’m looking forward to Book 5.
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January 30, 2017Not read - passed on.
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October 20, 2017Won in the Goodreads Giveaways
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews