: The novel highlights the high price of failure; a Vestal accused of incestum (breaking her vow) faces the ultimate punishment: being buried alive . The Vesta Shadows Trilogy

: Living at the heart of Rome, Pomponia is swept into the power struggles of historical figures like Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Octavian , and his influential wife, Livia .

Set between , the story follows Pomponia Occia , a character inspired by a real-life Vestal priestess who served in the Temple of Vesta for over fifty years.

: As a Vestal Virgin, Pomponia is sworn to a thirty-year vow of chastity and charged with protecting the Eternal Flame, which Romans believed protected the city itself.

(released in English as Brides of Rome ) is a historical fiction novel by Debra May Macleod . It is the first installment in The Vesta Shadows Trilogy , a series that explores the secretive and powerful lives of the Vestal Virgins during the transition from the Roman Republic to the Empire. Core Premise & Plot

( Brides of Rome ): Focuses on the fall of the Republic and the rise of Augustus.

The series follows Pomponia through decades of political upheaval and cultural change.

: Continues the saga during the reign of Augustus Caesar. Empire of Iron : Concludes the trilogy. Author Background & Research