Thrice Named Man

The year is 225 AD, and the Roman Empire is on the brink of a precipice. It will take a man with iron in his veins to set things right and accomplish the impossible. From a humble upbringing, a boy emerges who is destined to change history. This is the story of Lucius Domitius Aurelianus. Part I: Scythian When the farm they work on is attacked, the boy Lucius and the old man Nik are forced to flee the clutches of their pursuers. They find refuge from Rome among the Roxolani, the noble horse warriors in the land of Scythia. Nik reveals his true identity and his pivotal role in the fate of the Empire. The boy finds a home among the barbarians and is accepted into their warrior culture. But a storm is descending upon the tribes when the warlike Goths migrate westwards towards the lands of Rome. Lucius is fostered to the distant Huns to strengthen ancient tribal bonds in a bid to repel the invaders On his journey, he meets a mysterious stranger who becomes his friend and mentor. A man who has a desire for the Empire to prosper. To survive the merciless Huns and the onslaught of the Goths, the boy becomes a warrior without equal, guided by the hands of the gods. Will the half barbarian boy be able to save his people, or does his destiny lie elsewhere?

The year is 235 AD, and the Roman Empire is on the brink of a precipice. It will take a man with iron in his veins to set things right and accomplish the impossible. From a humble upbringing, a boy emerges who is destined to change history. This is the story of Lucius Domitius Aurelianus. Part II: Legionary Lucius returns to Sirmium as a warrior, having sacrificed his birthright to save his mother's people. He enrolls in the legions stationed on the Danubian frontier and soon makes a name for himself as the barbarian tribes breach the border. His bravery and heritage make him a favorite of the barbarian emperor, Maximinus Thrax. He is sent to the Goths to arrange a peace paid for with gold, but there he finds a new enemy, unlike anything he had faced before-the wolf warriors of the Heruli. He falls for a Gothic princess whose brother is destined to become the bane of Rome and returns to even greater danger as the Empire erupts into full-scale civil war. Forced to flee and choose loyalties, he gambles all that he holds precious. Will he be able to overcome all odds and defy the might of the legions and the wrath of an Emperor?

The year is 225 AD, and the Roman Empire is on the brink of a precipice. It will take a man with iron in his veins to set things right and accomplish the impossible. From a humble upbringing, a boy emerges who is destined to change history. This is the story of Lucius Domitius Aurelianus. Part III: Sasanian Returning to Sirmium as the unsung hero of Aquileia, Lucius settles down on the farm, at peace with his life as a civilian. Before long, the boy Emperor Gordian III calls him back into service when the barbarian hordes raid deep into Roman lands. His reputation precedes him, and with the help of unlikely allies, Rome carries the day. In the east, Ardashir the Unifier, shahansha of the newfound Sasanian Empire, is consolidating his power. His son, Prince Shapur, desires to see the glory of the Old Persian Empire restored and expand his territory into Roman Syria. The guardian of Gordian III, Gaius Timesitheus, sends Lucius on a mission to scout the lay of the land, while Rome prepares for war. Unaware of the conflicts in the barbarian lands to the east, our hero and his friends soon find themselves embroiled in a war between the Sasanians and the power-hungry Kushan Empire. Helped by his barbarian allies and his friends, he returns home to prepare his legion for the coming onslaught. Gordian III opens the gates of the temple of Janus in Rome and marches to war. But the Empire is not only beset from outside. Unscrupulous men covet the purple. Powerful enemies, more dangerous than the Sasanians, lurk within. Will Lucius be able to navigate the mire that Rome has become?