An unflinching, breathtaking retelling of the story of Rhea Silvia, fated by the gods to play a spectacular part in the mythos of Rome—the mother of Romulus, Rome’s legendary founder.

It is 772 BCE, nearly two decades before the birth of Rome. The city of Alba Longa and its king, Numitor, reign supreme. But Numitor’s children, Princess Rhea Silvia and Prince Egestus, fear for the city’s future. With Rhea set to marry an unpredictable enemy, they can see the end of their family’s dynasty as surely as their ancestor Aeneas saw the fall of Troy.

In a bid to maintain power, Rhea is set on a harrowing course that will push her to the limits of human endurance, forcing her to turn to the gods and rise with the ferocity imbued in her Trojan blood, sacrificing everything for the new Troy—Rome.

RHEA SILVIA is the first novel in The First Vestals of Rome, an epic trilogy about the founding Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome.

About The First Vestals of Rome Trilogy

Set in the 8th century BCE, The First Vestals of Rome is an action-packed trilogy that dramatizes the sensational, often perilous lives of three legendary women who gave rise to Rome’s powerful order of Vestal Virgins. All of them central to the life of Romulus, Rome’s founder, these tectonic women were fated to shape the history of the Eternal City as much as any Caesar who came after them.

Editorial Reviews for RHEA SILVIA

"This novel turns the myth of Romulus and Remus into a plausible and energetic history but has many graphic scenes of the torture, assassination and aberrant behavior that would come to mark the Roman Empire...[A] vibrant, enthralling tale." - The Historical Novel Society

"The dramatization of the scenes is superb, it keeps the reader captivated and intrigued...[the novel] brings you from "old" to "new" with brilliant clarity. If you love history, the Roman empire and the sex, fights and deception that allowed these privileged people to create one of the greatest cultures in the world, you will love this book." - Book Junkie Reviews

Debra Macleod