The Flames of Rome

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A madman murders his way to power, driven by an insatiable thirst for glory in a capital city rife with corruption, sensuality, and political intrigue. Amidst this turmoil, a burgeoning religious group known as the followers of The Way emerges. Award-winning historian and best-selling author Paul L. Maier employs a unique style of documentary fiction, grounded in historical events and figures, to vividly depict first-century Rome's excesses, treachery, and madness. This is the Rome that the apostle Paul visits, facing trial and ultimately transforming the city with his testimony. Maier immerses readers in the courtroom of imperial justice and the homes of those grappling with this new faith, addressing pivotal questions: How did Christianity first reach Rome? Why did Paul endure a two-year wait for trial, and what was the outcome? Why does the New Testament account in Acts conclude so abruptly? Who ignited the Great Fire of Rome, and what fueled Nero's brutal persecution of Christians? Following Flavius Sabinus, the mayor of Rome under Nero, Maier captures the intense drama of political conflicts surrounding the Great Fire and the ensuing epic clashes between paganism and Christianity. This gripping narrative is sure to captivate readers.