Antonius: Second in Command

Brook
Allen
Genre: 
Historical

“Antonius: Second in Command” is the story of Commander Marcus Antonius, who fought at every command of Julius Caesar. The wars were bloody, men were lost, however, Marcus earned respect. He is called to serve Julius Caesar as a legate in the Senate. Although Antonius preferred the battlefield to politics, he respectfully served the man who Rome began to turn on. Never a dull moment, with so many at his beck and call, Marcus went through woman as they all served his purposes in one way or another. Caesars’ ultimately death tested Marcus’ loyalty and forced him working with the young heir to Caesar’s name and wealth, Octavian.

The story of Antonius gives readers a glimpse of the fantastic journey of Marcus Antonius, also known as Mark Anthony. At times, the story seemed like a history lesson, rather than fiction. Readers may be tempted to lay the book down for a breather with the details of the battles found in the field, yet find the other battles that Antonius had to fight: wives, family, Senate, more entertaining. Marcus was an arrogant yet fascinating character and the author allows readers to determine their own perception of him, without a bias. Readers may get confused with multiple names starting with the same letter, yet this is due to Roman history and not the author’s doing. “Antonius” is an entertaining read for anyone interested in Marcus Antonius prior to his relationship with Cleopatra.

Moira Wolf