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Athena's Shield: A novel of the Spartacus Slave Revolt
The Roman Republic. 73 B.C.E. The Spartacus Slave Revolt, seen through the eyes of a teenaged girl -- daughter of the famed gladiator and rebel leader Spartacus -- as she and her friends carry out missions of reconnaissance, espionage, and sabotage.
“Athena’s Shield is as meticulously detailed, accurate, and colorful as a Roman wall-painting." --- Richard P. Martin, Professor of Classics, Stanford University
"A real page-turner!" --- Judith Rose
I sat in my usual spot, my back against the sun-warmed wall of the women’s entrance to the public bathhouse. A sign above my head, scrawled in blood-red paint,
Spartacus The Thracian
Vs
Ferox The Giant
Two Men Will Enter the Arena.
One Man Will Leave.
Place your bets now!
My heart pounded painfully in my chest, as if I alone were facing the deadly Ferox, unarmed and helpless. Ever since I could remember, I had felt this raw terror, each time I saw my Pater’s name emblazoned on a Spartacus the Thracian. I had turned twelve a few weeks earlier but felt no different now than I did when I was five and first learned to read his name.
. . . . Above the entrance, an announcement in black and yellow
Death by Devourment!
Heraclio the Numidian
Versus
A Ravenous Lion
Don’t Miss It!
Before escaping and being recaptured, Heraclio had been Doctore—coach and trainer at the Batiatus Gladiator Academy. My pater revered him as a Mentor and I loved him like an uncle. I had rejoiced when I learned of his escape a week earlier and was devastated by the announcement that he had been captured and sentenced to being eaten alive by a hungry lion. . . . .
Lizzi's Wolf's other novels include Meager A novel based on the true story of an 8-year-old boy who spent 9 months in solitary confinement (2023) & The Versailles of A novel of Gothic Psychiatry (2022) & The House of the Red A novel of the Jewish Enlightenment (2023). To learn more about Lizzi, or to contact her, check out her Amazon author page or her web page at Lizziwolf.com (or Lizzi Wolf Ph.D.).
“Athena’s Shield is as meticulously detailed, accurate, and colorful as a Roman wall-painting." --- Richard P. Martin, Professor of Classics, Stanford University
"A real page-turner!" --- Judith Rose
I sat in my usual spot, my back against the sun-warmed wall of the women’s entrance to the public bathhouse. A sign above my head, scrawled in blood-red paint,
Spartacus The Thracian
Vs
Ferox The Giant
Two Men Will Enter the Arena.
One Man Will Leave.
Place your bets now!
My heart pounded painfully in my chest, as if I alone were facing the deadly Ferox, unarmed and helpless. Ever since I could remember, I had felt this raw terror, each time I saw my Pater’s name emblazoned on a Spartacus the Thracian. I had turned twelve a few weeks earlier but felt no different now than I did when I was five and first learned to read his name.
. . . . Above the entrance, an announcement in black and yellow
Death by Devourment!
Heraclio the Numidian
Versus
A Ravenous Lion
Don’t Miss It!
Before escaping and being recaptured, Heraclio had been Doctore—coach and trainer at the Batiatus Gladiator Academy. My pater revered him as a Mentor and I loved him like an uncle. I had rejoiced when I learned of his escape a week earlier and was devastated by the announcement that he had been captured and sentenced to being eaten alive by a hungry lion. . . . .
Lizzi's Wolf's other novels include Meager A novel based on the true story of an 8-year-old boy who spent 9 months in solitary confinement (2023) & The Versailles of A novel of Gothic Psychiatry (2022) & The House of the Red A novel of the Jewish Enlightenment (2023). To learn more about Lizzi, or to contact her, check out her Amazon author page or her web page at Lizziwolf.com (or Lizzi Wolf Ph.D.).
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 23, 2021
22 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 7, 2025
Coming of age in slave revolt era Roman times, Kalysta's worldview is steeped in mythology and pagan spirituality. The gods are not just a background but rather an integral part of daily life. Supplications are made every day pleading for fortune in every aspect of life. This is as a natural part of existence as breathing, eating, and commerce. A priestess will make her living passing along the supplicant's offerings, and putting in a good word in exchange for spices, trinkets, or the ubiquitous honey cakes.
The other ever present reality of life is slavery. The local patron has life and death control over their slaves which is exercised regularly for their entertainment and that of their friends in death matches in the gladiator ring.
Kalysta lives with these realities every day. Her mother is a Priestess of Dionysus. Her father is the gladiator Spartacus.
Thrown into the harrowing reality of slave revolt, Kalysta matures fast and brave. With wits, courage, and a soulmate snake-of-many-colors we see her dangerous and exciting world through unflinching eyes.
Athena's Shield is a gripping tale of adventure, triumph, and tragedy, but ultimately about a young heroine following both a worldly and a spiritual journey into young adulthood with grace and courage and integrity.
The other ever present reality of life is slavery. The local patron has life and death control over their slaves which is exercised regularly for their entertainment and that of their friends in death matches in the gladiator ring.
Kalysta lives with these realities every day. Her mother is a Priestess of Dionysus. Her father is the gladiator Spartacus.
Thrown into the harrowing reality of slave revolt, Kalysta matures fast and brave. With wits, courage, and a soulmate snake-of-many-colors we see her dangerous and exciting world through unflinching eyes.
Athena's Shield is a gripping tale of adventure, triumph, and tragedy, but ultimately about a young heroine following both a worldly and a spiritual journey into young adulthood with grace and courage and integrity.
June 17, 2024
A fun read. There were parts where mythology retelling took me out of the story but that isn’t fully at fault of the author since mythology was ever evolving. The insertion of random words in Latin could be confusing to readers who are not familiar with Latin and/or Roman society. Having an unnamed mother throughout was an odd choice, though. Names of other fictional characters were given hence my confusion. Overall, a solid read and great historical fiction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2023
Fascinating read
I was pulled into the storyline from the very beginning. Having kalysta provide me with the incredible details of life in Rome during the Spartacus revolt kept my interest til the poignant end. Bravo!
I was pulled into the storyline from the very beginning. Having kalysta provide me with the incredible details of life in Rome during the Spartacus revolt kept my interest til the poignant end. Bravo!
January 23, 2023
Wolf has a convincing historical imagination, conjures rounded characters and has them interact in believable ways. What more can one ask from an historical novelist?
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews