Paul Waters

At the end of the third century BC, as Republican Rome's long war with Carthage in Africa draws to a close, a new danger is arising in the east - the ruthless and ambitious King of Macedon, Philip the Fifth, is moving against the independent city-states of Greece and threatening Rome itself.

Against this background, Marcus, a young Roman, embarks on a sea crossing from Italy to Corfu with his father. Pirates, led by the wild corsair Dikaiarchos, ambush the ship and Marcus's father sacrifices his own life in order to save his son.

Marcus vows to avenge his father's death, setting him on a voyage of spiritual and emotional growth that will forge his character. He becomes the confidant of generals and politicians, and is cast into the midst of rising conflict, travelling among the cities of Greece and Italy during a time of political turmoil and cultural upheaval. It is a journey that will bring him at last to his unexpected destiny.

In the tradition of Mary Renault and Robert Graves, Of Merchants and Heroes is a remarkable, beautifully written novel of love, loss and redemption. It is not only a historical adventure; it explores timeless questions of freedom, right and duty.