Read by Clive Mantle

The inspiration for the film "Gladiator". Banished to the Empire's farthest outpost, veteran warrior
Paulinus Maximus defends The Wall of Britannia from the constant onslaught of belligerent barbarian
tribes. Bravery, loyalty, experience, and success lead to Maximus' appointment as "General of the
West" by the Roman emperor, the ambition of a lifetime. But with the title comes a caveat: Maximus
needs to muster and command a single legion to defend the perilous Rhine frontier.
On the opposite side of the Rhine River, tribal nations are uniting; hundreds of thousands mass in
preparation for the conquest of Gaul, and from there, a sweep down into Rome itself. Only a wide
river and a wily general keep them in check.
With discipline, deception, persuasion, and surprise, Maximus holds the line against an increasingly
desperate and innumerable foe. Friends, allies, and even enemies urge Maximus to proclaim himself
emperor. He refuses, bound by an oath of duty, honor, and sacrifice to Rome, a city he has never seen.
But then circumstance intervenes. Now, Maximus will accept the purple robe of emperor, if his scrappy
legion can deliver this last crucial victory against insurmountable odds. The very fate of Rome hangs
in the balance.

The reader
Clive Mantle was born in Barnet, London. A familiar face of British TV and film, he has also had an
impressive career on the stage in a variety of lead roles. Clive attended the National Theatre before
training at RADA. He was nominated for an Olivier Award in 1984 for his role in OF MICE AND MEN and
went on to play Little John in ITV.s superb Robin of Sherwood in the 1980s before roles in Casualty
and The Vicar of Dibley. Clive has appeared in dozens of radio plays and is a popular voice of talking
books. He is the only man in cinema history to beat up Clint Eastwood and survive to the end of the
film! Clive is married with a young son. He lives in Wiltshire and is a season ticket holder at
Stamford Bridge.

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