Fictional Characters:
Gaius Lentulus Caepio
is one of the most renowned lanista’s in the city of Rome. He was born and
raised in Capua, into a family of farmers who dealt primarily in the trade of
onions. Caepio grew up dreaming of more than the pleb status he had been handed
in life and thus on the eve of his 18th birthday moved to Rome with
the money he had saved and set up a small lanista at the top of the Palatine
Hill. He carries himself with an air of pride, knowing he has come a long way
in life and moved up the social ranking, reaching the reputable rank of
equestrian by the age of 25. Since then, time and time again, he has tried to
push forward his family name, attempting to run for the senate. Once he came close,
but then fell out with a number of people in the senate, including the influential
member; Quintus Marcus Solonius, who would then make it his life’s work to make
sure Caepio would never gain entry to the senate. Standing at 5 foot 3 inches,
his friends and family joke that he has a small man complex, and it is this
that fuels his ambition to propel as far as he can in life. He wears a ring of iron proudly as it is a
reminder of where he has come from. Of late he has come into some money
troubles as victories in the arena have been few and far between, but he hopes
his luck will soon change for the better, which he hopes will not only ignite
his career, but his marriage to.
Varro is of Greek
decent and Caepio’s personal slave. His very wise and philosophical character
is often a voice of reason for Caepio who is not averse to quick decision-making.
Although Caepio was the paterfamilias for his family and would set up meetings
with his siblings to ask for advice and consul, it was often Varro he would go
to for his most pressing and personal matters as he saw Varro to be not only
extremely intelligent, but immensely loyal.
Clodia is the
beautiful wife of Caepio. Her long, shiny red hair, which sits upon her supple
white skin, contrasts with her piercing green eyes. She always wears the finest
jewelry, which are part of the dowry that Caepio received upon marrying her.
She would never be seen without the finest stola and her palla was always of
the most ornate quality, and she would love to show it off when she would
rarely venture to the Forum Boarium. At first her marriage to Caepio enjoyed a
fiery passion, however in recent years the flames have burnt out, leaving
feelings of resentment. She longs to once again feel a man’s touch upon her
skin and love the way she used to in her younger years.
Quintus Marcus
Solonius is very high up in the Roman senate. He slithers around the curia
like a snake, manipulating things the way he wants them. His long tunic of the
senate, with two thick red stripes running vertically down it, clutches to his
bony body which looks almost skeletal in some lights. He despises Caepio and
goes to great lengths to make sure he is not allowed to climb the political
ladder.
Until Caepio came to the city of Rome Decimus Aulus Didius was known all over the city for producing the
finest gladiators and having the best doctore. He would walk around the city
with an air of arrogance, looking down on anyone that was below him in status. However
the arrival of the much younger Caepio turned Didius’ life upside down. People
were drawn to Caepio’s kind, amicable and humble nature, something that Didius
certainly lacked. Didius’ reputation began to dwindle and nearly all was lost
when Caepio beat him in an auction for Bonifatius at the Basilica Aemilia.
Gaining the services of the gladiator Bonifatius would have put Didius back on
the map and for this he would forever hold a grudge against Caepio. Unlike
Caepio, Didius is not scared to revert to more dubious and sinister means to
get his own way.
Non Fictional
Characters:
Marcus Tullius Cicero
is a good friends with Caepio and meets with him upon many occasions at the
Forum Romanum to discuss life and business. He acts as somewhat of a role model
and sees the world in a different way to Caepio, which makes for an interesting
relationship.
Terentia is the ex-wife of Cicero and
Clodia’s best friend. She frequently meets up with Clodia to discuss her
marriage and her options such as divorce.
