A fast-paced debut historical adventure novel set in ancient Rome . . .

For the empire, salt is a symbol of life and prosperity, but for the Christian slaves who mine it its only meaning is death. Barbaric persecution, cave-ins and rapid dehydration threaten to stamp them out entirely. Against a backdrop of rebellion, Pallas, a retired master builder and former soldier is searching for a mysterious engineering prodigy. His quest delivers him into the merciless jaws of the cornerstone of Roman political power – the violent and corrupt salt trade. A determined traitor has acquired the means to exploit a war-torn province. This vicious tyrant is poised to strike and Pallas must find the strength and resources to fight against him . . .

Rendered in incredible detail, O’Neill’s own knowledge of construction techniques allows him to provide fascinating insight into aspects of Ancient Rome that are rarely shown.