Reading order · 9 books · 2009 to 2015 · Set in Roman Britain
Empire Books in Order
The Empire series follows Marcus Valerius Aquila, a young Roman noble whose family has been murdered on the emperor’s orders. Hiding under a false name as a centurion of Tungrian auxiliaries on Hadrian’s Wall, he finds a new family among soldiers.
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Series facts
- Books
- 9
- Published
- 2009 to 2015
- First book
- Wounds of Honour
- Latest
- Altar of Blood (2015)
- Setting
- Set in Roman Britain
The reading order
Every Empire book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
9 books · Set in Roman Britain
- 1Wounds of Honour2009With Marcus Valerius AquilaMarcus Valerius Aquila, the son of a murdered senator, hides from the emperor’s assassins as a centurion with a Tungrian cohort on Hadrian’s Wall, just as the northern tribes rise against Rome.Buy on Amazon
- 2Arrows of Fury2010With Marcus Valerius AquilaThe Tungrians fight on against the tribes of northern Britain, while Marcus’s secret is in danger.Buy on Amazon
- 3Fortress of Spears2010With Marcus Valerius AquilaThe war in northern Britain comes to a head.Buy on Amazon
- 4The Leopard Sword2011With Marcus Valerius AquilaThe Tungrians are sent from Britain to Germania, where a bandit army is terrorising the province.Buy on Amazon
- 5The Wolf's Gold2012With Marcus Valerius AquilaThe Tungrians are sent to Dacia to protect the empire’s gold mines.Buy on Amazon
- 6The Eagle's Vengeance2012With Marcus Valerius AquilaThe Tungrians return to Britain and go north of the Wall to recover a lost legion’s eagle.Buy on Amazon
- 7The Emperor's Knives2013With Marcus Valerius AquilaIn Rome, Marcus hunts the men who murdered his family.Buy on Amazon
- 8Thunder of the Gods2014With Marcus Valerius AquilaThe Tungrians are sent to the east of the empire to face Rome’s enemies in Syria and beyond.Buy on Amazon
- 9Altar of Blood2015With Marcus Valerius AquilaMarcus Aquila and his Tungrians are sent across the Rhine to seize a priestess Rome sees as a threat, and must cross a hostile wilderness pursued by a vengeful chieftain.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with Wounds of Honour.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Marcus Valerius Aquila | Rufius Dubnus | Julius | Gaius Rutilius Scaurus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Wounds of Honour | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | |
| 2 Arrows of Fury | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 3 Fortress of Spears | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 4 The Leopard Sword | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 5 The Wolf's Gold | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 6 The Eagle's Vengeance | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 7 The Emperor's Knives | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 8 Thunder of the Gods | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 9 Altar of Blood | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
Characters in the Empire books
4 characters from Anthony Riches’s chart, with the number of Empire books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Marcus Valerius AquilaFugitive noble serving as Centurion Corvus | 9 | Wounds of Honour 2009 |
| Rufius DubnusBriton centurion | 9 | Wounds of Honour 2009 |
| JuliusFirst spear of the Tungrians | 9 | Wounds of Honour 2009 |
| Gaius Rutilius ScaurusTribune | 8 | Arrows of Fury 2010 |