The Shadows of GERASA

A Roman centurion haunted by his past, stationed in Gerasa to keep the peace. When his loyalty to Rome is tested by new ideals, he must choose between duty and conscience.

"I swore an oath to the Eagle, but my heart follows a different standard now."

Daughter of a wealthy Jewish merchant, Leah chafes against the restrictions placed on women in her society. Her secret studies of Greek philosophy and forbidden encounters will change her life forever.

"Why should wisdom be the province of men alone? The God of Abraham hears women's prayers too."

A Greek architect tasked with expanding Gerasa's temple complex, Dionysios dreams of creating monuments to rival Athens. But his ambition blinds him to the growing unrest among the city's poor.

"Marble and gold will outlast us all, but what will they say of the hands that shaped them?"

Once a respected scholar, Eliab's dabbling in forbidden knowledge has left him possessed by dark forces. Now living among the tombs outside Gerasa, he is both feared and pitied by the townspeople.

"They call me mad, but I see what others cannot—the darkness that walks among us."

A wealthy Roman matron and wife of the city's magistrate, Cornelia has built a school for all children—Roman, Greek, and Jew alike. Her progressive views put her at odds with the conservative elite.

"Knowledge is the only inheritance that cannot be taken away. It belongs to all."

A former slave who bought his freedom, Tobias now leads a secret movement to protect the poor from exploitation. His forge is a meeting place for those who dream of a more just society.

"The chains may be gone from my wrists, but until all are free, none are truly free."