Eagle Series
Encyclopedia
The Eagle Series is a military fiction
series written by Simon Scarrow
. The books describe the lives of two soldiers in the Roman army- Quintus Licinius Cato and Lucius Cornelius Macro. The first 5 books in the series are set in Roman Britain
, between the years AD
42 and 44. The Eagle's Prophecy
starts in Ancient Rome
in AD 45, and The Eagle in the Sand
is set in Judea
. Centurion
is set in Palmyra
, The Gladiator
, is set on Crete
, and the latest book, The Legion
, is set in Egypt.
The Eagle Series centres around two main characters, who are both Roman soldiers
. Macro, a veteran with nearly 16 years service with the Eagles has recently been appointed to the Centurionate
. Cato is a young lad who grew up in the Imperial Palace
, and at the start of the series joins the Eagles as Macro's Optio
. Starting in AD
42, the books cover the experiences of the two soldiers, their experience of the wars on the Rhine, the invasion of Britain by Claudius
as part of the Legio II Augusta
, a mission in Judea
as agents of the Emperor's secretary Tiberius Claudius Narcissus
, an attempted invasion of Palmyra
by Parthia
, a slave revolt and natural disaster on Crete
, and in the latest book the wars in Egypt
.
The publisher has ceased using the word "Eagle" in the title of books in this series from Centurion. The move is believed to be because the publisher wanted to attract more new readers to the series.
.
He is the epitome of a good soldier. He is dependable in a fight and does not question any orders given to him by a senior officer (except those given to him by Vitellius, for personal reasons). In Under the Eagle
he is the centurion of the Sixth Century, of the Fourth Cohort, of the Second Legion. By the time of The Eagle in the Sand
he has risen to become the prefect in charge of Fort Bushir in Judea
. By the end of Under the Eagle
, he is close friends with Cato.
Quintus Licinius Cato:
When we first meet Cato in Under the Eagle
, he is a very tall, weak looking boy from the Imperial Palace, who has been made to join the army as part of the terms of his father's freedom. As he seems to be too weak to be in the army, many of the officers including Macro, place bets on how long it will be before he quits, or is killed. He is promoted to the rank of optio immediately (on orders from the Emperor) which causes the officers, and his fellow recruits to resent him further. He is however, extremely determined and proves the officers wrong throughout the series. Macro is extremely intrigued by Cato. He attains the rank of Centurion at the end of the book When the Eagle Hunts
. During the events of Centurion
, he is promoted to acting prefect of the Second Illyrian. Half-way through The Gladiator
Cato is promoted to the rank of tribune for his mission to Egypt, temporarily outranking Macro, but at the end of book he is confirmed in the rank of prefect, outranking Macro from now on.
Julia:
Julia first appears in Centurion trapped in the citadel with the senator who is her father. She survives and becomes Cato's lover and agrees to marry him at the end of Centurion. She also appears with her father in The Gladiator when they are shipwrecked on Crete and is Captured by Ajax but escapes him at the end of the book.
Lavinia:
She appears in the first two books and is the lover of both Cato and Vitellius. She is a slave-girl who is owned by Flavia, Vespasian's wife. In the Eagle's Conquest she betrays Cato and unwittingly helps Vitellius try to assassinate the Emperor. However when the plot fails Vitellius kills both her and the assassin to cover himself.
Flavius Vespasian:
Vespasian is the Legate of the Second Legion and Marco and Cato's commander in the first five book's during the invasion of Britain. Vespasian also appears in The Eagle's Prophecy
as the Prefect of the naval fleet. Vespasian is often fighting in the front line with his men but is consistently at edge with his tribune Vitellius who threatens him with the knowledge that Vespasian's wife Flavia is a member of the Liberators who want to overthrow the Emperor.
Vitellius:
An imperial spy with disturbing ambition who attempts to assassinate the emperor during The Eagle's Conquest
and steal Caesar's pay chest in Under the Eagle
but is thwarted by Macro and Cato both times. In The Eagle's Prophecy
he is the Prefect of the naval fleet but is replaced by Vespasian who leaves him to die at one point. However Vitellius survives with Claudius and Narcissus unaware of his crimes against the empire.
Ajax:
First appears in the Eagle's prophecy as the son of the Greek pirate leader Telemachus. He is captured by Macro and Cato and gives them and Vespasian the hiding place of the pirates and is used as a bargaining counter to make Telemachus surrender and hand over the Sybbilline Scrolls to Vespasian. His father is crucified and he is sold into slavery. However he returns leading the slave revolt in The Gladiator and captures Macro and Julia but is defeated by Cato and his troops but escapes at the end of the book. He returns in The Legion to further defy Cato and Macro.
War novel
A war novel is a novel in which the primary action takes place in a field of armed combat, or in a domestic setting where the characters are preoccupied with the preparations for, or recovery from, war...
series written by Simon Scarrow
Simon Scarrow
Simon Scarrow is a UK-based author, born in Nigeria and now based in Norfolk. He completed a master's degree at the University of East Anglia after working at the Inland Revenue, and then went into teaching as a lecturer, firstly at East Norfolk Sixth Form College, then at City College Norwich.He...
. The books describe the lives of two soldiers in the Roman army- Quintus Licinius Cato and Lucius Cornelius Macro. The first 5 books in the series are set in Roman Britain
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
, between the years AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
42 and 44. The Eagle's Prophecy
The Eagle's Prophecy
The Eagle's Prophecy is a 2005 novel by Simon Scarrow, the sixth book in the Eagle Series, It is spring 45 AD and Centurions Macro and Cato, dismissed from the Second Legion in Britain, are returned to Rome following the events of the Eagle's Prey...
starts in Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
in AD 45, and The Eagle in the Sand
The Eagle in the Sand
The Eagle in the Sand is a novel written by Simon Scarrow, published by Headline Book Publishing in 2006. Its the seventh book in the Eagle series, starting with Macro and Cato's transfer to the eastern provinces of Rome.-Summary:...
is set in Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
. Centurion
Centurion (novel)
Centurion is a novel written by Simon Scarrow, published by Headline Book Publishing in 2007. It is book 8 in the Eagle series, continuing Macro and Cato's adventures in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire that began in The Eagle in the Sand. -Summary:In between the two great powers of Rome...
is set in Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
, The Gladiator
The Gladiator (Simon Scarrow)
The Gladiator is a 2009 novel by Simon Scarrow, the ninth book in the Eagle series, where we see the return of Macro and Cato, this time up against a ruthless gladiator in the Island of Crete after their ship is damaged by a tidal wave on their way to Rome...
, is set on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, and the latest book, The Legion
The Legion (novel)
The Legion is a 2010 novel by Simon Scarrow, the tenth book in the Eagle series, where we see the return of Macro and Cato, this time trouble is brewing in Egypt. At the start Macro and Cato are continuing their search for the rebel leader Ajax who has now retreated to Egypt...
, is set in Egypt.
The Eagle Series centres around two main characters, who are both Roman soldiers
Legionary
The Roman legionary was a professional soldier of the Roman army after the Marian reforms of 107 BC. Legionaries had to be Roman citizens under the age of 45. They enlisted in a legion for twenty-five years of service, a change from the early practice of enlisting only for a campaign...
. Macro, a veteran with nearly 16 years service with the Eagles has recently been appointed to the Centurionate
Centurion
A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
. Cato is a young lad who grew up in the Imperial Palace
Flavian Palace
The Flavian Palace, also known as Domus Flavia, is a part of the vast residential complex of the Roman Emperors on the Palatine Hill in Rome...
, and at the start of the series joins the Eagles as Macro's Optio
Optio
An optio , sometimes anglicized option , was a soldier in the Roman army who held a position similar to that of an executive officer in modern armies...
. Starting in AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
42, the books cover the experiences of the two soldiers, their experience of the wars on the Rhine, the invasion of Britain by Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
as part of the Legio II Augusta
Legio II Augusta
Legio secunda Augusta , was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative in Britannia in the 4th century...
, a mission in Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
as agents of the Emperor's secretary Tiberius Claudius Narcissus
Tiberius Claudius Narcissus
Tiberius Claudius Narcissus was one of the freedmen who formed the core of the imperial court under the Roman emperor Claudius. He is described as praepositus ab epistulis ....
, an attempted invasion of Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
by Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
, a slave revolt and natural disaster on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, and in the latest book the wars in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
The publisher has ceased using the word "Eagle" in the title of books in this series from Centurion. The move is believed to be because the publisher wanted to attract more new readers to the series.
Novels
There are 10 books in the series so far with the latter due to come out late 2011, as well as a short story:- Under the EagleUnder the EagleUnder the Eagle is the first book in the Eagle Series, by Simon Scarrow and is his début novel.It starts on the Rhine Frontier in 42, and centres on Macro, a newly appointed Centurion, and his new second-in-command, Quintus Lucinius Cato.- Germania :...
(2000) - The Eagle's ConquestThe Eagle's ConquestThe Eagle's Conquest is a 2001 novel by Simon Scarrow, about the Roman invasion of Britain in 42 AD. It is the second book in the Eagle Series-Plot summary:...
(2001) - When the Eagle HuntsWhen the Eagle HuntsWhen the Eagle Hunts is a 2002 novel by Simon Scarrow, set in 44 AD during the Roman invasion of Britain. It is the third book in the Eagle Series.-Plot summary:...
(2002) - The Eagle and the WolvesThe Eagle and the WolvesThe Eagle and The Wolves is a 2003 novel by Simon Scarrow, the fourth book in the Eagle Series where main characters Macro and Cato command two cohorts of soldiers made up of warriors and nobles from the Atrabatan kingdom...
(2003) - The Eagle's PreyThe Eagle's PreyThe Eagle's Prey is a the fifth book in the Eagle Series, by Simon Scarrow.-Synopsis:This novel is set in AD 44 during the Roman invasion of Britain....
(2004) - The Eagle's ProphecyThe Eagle's ProphecyThe Eagle's Prophecy is a 2005 novel by Simon Scarrow, the sixth book in the Eagle Series, It is spring 45 AD and Centurions Macro and Cato, dismissed from the Second Legion in Britain, are returned to Rome following the events of the Eagle's Prey...
(2005) - The Eagle in the SandThe Eagle in the SandThe Eagle in the Sand is a novel written by Simon Scarrow, published by Headline Book Publishing in 2006. Its the seventh book in the Eagle series, starting with Macro and Cato's transfer to the eastern provinces of Rome.-Summary:...
(2006) - CenturionCenturion (novel)Centurion is a novel written by Simon Scarrow, published by Headline Book Publishing in 2007. It is book 8 in the Eagle series, continuing Macro and Cato's adventures in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire that began in The Eagle in the Sand. -Summary:In between the two great powers of Rome...
(2008) - The GladiatorThe Gladiator (Simon Scarrow)The Gladiator is a 2009 novel by Simon Scarrow, the ninth book in the Eagle series, where we see the return of Macro and Cato, this time up against a ruthless gladiator in the Island of Crete after their ship is damaged by a tidal wave on their way to Rome...
(2009) - The LegionThe Legion (novel)The Legion is a 2010 novel by Simon Scarrow, the tenth book in the Eagle series, where we see the return of Macro and Cato, this time trouble is brewing in Egypt. At the start Macro and Cato are continuing their search for the rebel leader Ajax who has now retreated to Egypt...
(2010)- Blood Debt (2009, short story)
- Praetorian (Late 2011)
Television series
In 2007 it was announced that an independent studio is to make 2x1 hour episodes of all the Eagle novels from Under the Eagle through to The Eagle in the Sand. The series is to be called "The Eagles" and is to be based on the model for the Sharpe TV seriesSharpe (TV series)
Sharpe is a British series of television dramas starring Sean Bean about Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier in the Napoleonic Wars. Sharpe is the hero of a number of novels by Bernard Cornwell; most, though not all, of the episodes are based on the books...
.
Main characters
Lucius Cornelius Macro:He is the epitome of a good soldier. He is dependable in a fight and does not question any orders given to him by a senior officer (except those given to him by Vitellius, for personal reasons). In Under the Eagle
Under the Eagle
Under the Eagle is the first book in the Eagle Series, by Simon Scarrow and is his début novel.It starts on the Rhine Frontier in 42, and centres on Macro, a newly appointed Centurion, and his new second-in-command, Quintus Lucinius Cato.- Germania :...
he is the centurion of the Sixth Century, of the Fourth Cohort, of the Second Legion. By the time of The Eagle in the Sand
The Eagle in the Sand
The Eagle in the Sand is a novel written by Simon Scarrow, published by Headline Book Publishing in 2006. Its the seventh book in the Eagle series, starting with Macro and Cato's transfer to the eastern provinces of Rome.-Summary:...
he has risen to become the prefect in charge of Fort Bushir in Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
. By the end of Under the Eagle
Under the Eagle
Under the Eagle is the first book in the Eagle Series, by Simon Scarrow and is his début novel.It starts on the Rhine Frontier in 42, and centres on Macro, a newly appointed Centurion, and his new second-in-command, Quintus Lucinius Cato.- Germania :...
, he is close friends with Cato.
Quintus Licinius Cato:
When we first meet Cato in Under the Eagle
Under the Eagle
Under the Eagle is the first book in the Eagle Series, by Simon Scarrow and is his début novel.It starts on the Rhine Frontier in 42, and centres on Macro, a newly appointed Centurion, and his new second-in-command, Quintus Lucinius Cato.- Germania :...
, he is a very tall, weak looking boy from the Imperial Palace, who has been made to join the army as part of the terms of his father's freedom. As he seems to be too weak to be in the army, many of the officers including Macro, place bets on how long it will be before he quits, or is killed. He is promoted to the rank of optio immediately (on orders from the Emperor) which causes the officers, and his fellow recruits to resent him further. He is however, extremely determined and proves the officers wrong throughout the series. Macro is extremely intrigued by Cato. He attains the rank of Centurion at the end of the book When the Eagle Hunts
When the Eagle Hunts
When the Eagle Hunts is a 2002 novel by Simon Scarrow, set in 44 AD during the Roman invasion of Britain. It is the third book in the Eagle Series.-Plot summary:...
. During the events of Centurion
Centurion (novel)
Centurion is a novel written by Simon Scarrow, published by Headline Book Publishing in 2007. It is book 8 in the Eagle series, continuing Macro and Cato's adventures in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire that began in The Eagle in the Sand. -Summary:In between the two great powers of Rome...
, he is promoted to acting prefect of the Second Illyrian. Half-way through The Gladiator
The Gladiator (Simon Scarrow)
The Gladiator is a 2009 novel by Simon Scarrow, the ninth book in the Eagle series, where we see the return of Macro and Cato, this time up against a ruthless gladiator in the Island of Crete after their ship is damaged by a tidal wave on their way to Rome...
Cato is promoted to the rank of tribune for his mission to Egypt, temporarily outranking Macro, but at the end of book he is confirmed in the rank of prefect, outranking Macro from now on.
Julia:
Julia first appears in Centurion trapped in the citadel with the senator who is her father. She survives and becomes Cato's lover and agrees to marry him at the end of Centurion. She also appears with her father in The Gladiator when they are shipwrecked on Crete and is Captured by Ajax but escapes him at the end of the book.
Lavinia:
She appears in the first two books and is the lover of both Cato and Vitellius. She is a slave-girl who is owned by Flavia, Vespasian's wife. In the Eagle's Conquest she betrays Cato and unwittingly helps Vitellius try to assassinate the Emperor. However when the plot fails Vitellius kills both her and the assassin to cover himself.
Flavius Vespasian:
Vespasian is the Legate of the Second Legion and Marco and Cato's commander in the first five book's during the invasion of Britain. Vespasian also appears in The Eagle's Prophecy
The Eagle's Prophecy
The Eagle's Prophecy is a 2005 novel by Simon Scarrow, the sixth book in the Eagle Series, It is spring 45 AD and Centurions Macro and Cato, dismissed from the Second Legion in Britain, are returned to Rome following the events of the Eagle's Prey...
as the Prefect of the naval fleet. Vespasian is often fighting in the front line with his men but is consistently at edge with his tribune Vitellius who threatens him with the knowledge that Vespasian's wife Flavia is a member of the Liberators who want to overthrow the Emperor.
Vitellius:
An imperial spy with disturbing ambition who attempts to assassinate the emperor during The Eagle's Conquest
The Eagle's Conquest
The Eagle's Conquest is a 2001 novel by Simon Scarrow, about the Roman invasion of Britain in 42 AD. It is the second book in the Eagle Series-Plot summary:...
and steal Caesar's pay chest in Under the Eagle
Under the Eagle
Under the Eagle is the first book in the Eagle Series, by Simon Scarrow and is his début novel.It starts on the Rhine Frontier in 42, and centres on Macro, a newly appointed Centurion, and his new second-in-command, Quintus Lucinius Cato.- Germania :...
but is thwarted by Macro and Cato both times. In The Eagle's Prophecy
The Eagle's Prophecy
The Eagle's Prophecy is a 2005 novel by Simon Scarrow, the sixth book in the Eagle Series, It is spring 45 AD and Centurions Macro and Cato, dismissed from the Second Legion in Britain, are returned to Rome following the events of the Eagle's Prey...
he is the Prefect of the naval fleet but is replaced by Vespasian who leaves him to die at one point. However Vitellius survives with Claudius and Narcissus unaware of his crimes against the empire.
Ajax:
First appears in the Eagle's prophecy as the son of the Greek pirate leader Telemachus. He is captured by Macro and Cato and gives them and Vespasian the hiding place of the pirates and is used as a bargaining counter to make Telemachus surrender and hand over the Sybbilline Scrolls to Vespasian. His father is crucified and he is sold into slavery. However he returns leading the slave revolt in The Gladiator and captures Macro and Julia but is defeated by Cato and his troops but escapes at the end of the book. He returns in The Legion to further defy Cato and Macro.