A Toga in the Forum: Two Short Stories

Two short stories featuring Alexander the future Alabarch. The Scent of Slavery tells the story of how Alexander first met Amarantus his slave and secretary. While at a slave trader’s, Alexander is petitioned by a man who claims to be a Jew who has been kidnapped and sold into slavery. The slaver refuses to let him free the Jew. Alexander decides to take matters into his own hands, but things don’t turn out quite the way he planned. A Date in the Forum. Alexander accompanies his old friend Claudius to a tavern to meet with his cousin Quintus Antonius – the Antonius with “that quirk.” The sudden death of Quintus leaves the friends scrambling to learn if the death was an act of murder or simply fate.

The short stories are followed by some historical information including a papyrus that documents the lives of Alexander and Amarantus.