Introduction of Characters

 Lucius Claudius Valerius is a wealthy landowner and businessman with his hand in many pockets. He was rather odd looking, about five feet five inches, a receding hair line that seemed to be running away from the constant angry expression on his face, the hair above his ears and the back of his head remained, and just a round everything else. The man was practically a circle, puffy feet that exploded from his calceus patricius, an ever tightening toga praetexta that extenuates his belly that no doubt owed its existence to drinking, a head that resembled a lop-sided drachmae, short snuff nose with a little shine at the tip and a peculiar pointy chin. But appearance is of little concern when you have money and power. He is not only a patron to merchants of cattle, but owns some merchant sea vessels and even got involved in money lending to collect interest. In his mid fifties, he makes a very good living and many would think that would be enough, to be a wealthy Roman citizen, but it wasn’t for Lucius. The Claudius Valerius name comes from a long line of censores and he is bitter about the fact that he has yet to hold that position due to the civil war between Caesar and Pompey.  When the war is over he can finally assume his rightful position and his goal is to help this process along any way he can.

Marcus Antonius, Master of the Horse and Julius Caesar’s right hand man was a great military commander and an even better companion. He had a bold masculine look, square jaw, thick neck, a fleshy face and a determined stare to reflect on it. His relationship with Julius Caesar would suggest that he would do anything Caesar asked of him and not just because they were distant relatives (his mother was cousin to Caesar). They have great history starting in 54 BCE with the war against the German’s and Antonius was made staff officer, their friendship solidified after the success of the Gallic Wars. Because of his keen military skills and close political connection, he was made Master of the Horse during Caesar’s second dictatorship. Even though they had a few estranged years after Marcus was released from his duty (because he had acquired property unlawfully), they were reunited in 44 BCE and Marcus Antonius was asked to be partners during Caesar’s fifth consulship. A bond like that is not easily broken and anyone who threatens it will be dealt with.