Poseidon's Gold
Encyclopedia
Plot introduction
Set in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
during AD 72, Poseidon's Gold stars Marcus Didius Falco
Marcus Didius Falco
Marcus Didius Falco is the central character and narrator in a series of novels by Lindsey Davis. Using the concepts of modern detective stories , Davis portrays the world of the Roman Empire under Vespasian...
, Informer and Imperial Agent. It is the fifth in her Falco
Marcus Didius Falco
Marcus Didius Falco is the central character and narrator in a series of novels by Lindsey Davis. Using the concepts of modern detective stories , Davis portrays the world of the Roman Empire under Vespasian...
series.
Explanation of the novel's title
The title refers to the treasure, taken by Falco's brother Festus for one of his wild schemes, and which now appears to have gone down with the ship - returning to PoseidonPoseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
.
Plot summary
In Poseidon's Gold, Falco returns from a six month mission to GermaniaGermania
Germania was the Greek and Roman geographical term for the geographical regions inhabited by mainly by peoples considered to be Germani. It was most often used to refer especially to the east of the Rhine and north of the Danube...
Liberia, only to become embroiled in the after-effects of a scam by his, now deceased, older brother, Festus. The story recounts shipping scams, crooked antiques auctions and hired thugs, all while Falco is trying to clear his family's name and sort out his deceased brother Festus' business dealings.
Main characters
- Decimus Camillus Verus - Senatorial father of Helena Justina.
- Helena Justina - Daughter of the SenatorRoman SenateThe Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
Decimus Camillus Verus - Julia Justa - Wife of Decimus Camillus Verus and mother of Helena
- Junilla Tacita - Mother of Falco
- Lucius Petronius Longus - Investigator for the vigiles and friend of Falco
- Marcus Didius Favonius (aka Geminus) - Auctioneer and Father of Falco
- Marcus Didius Falco - Informer and Imperial Agent from the Aventine.
Other characters
- Anacrites - Imperial spy
- Apollonius - An ex-geometry teacher
- Cocceius - Auctioneer
- Domitian Caesar - Youngest son of the Emperor
- Epimandos - A waiter
- Lenia - A Laundress
- Manilus - A painter
- Marponius - A trial judge and encyclopedia salesman
- Orontes Mediolanus - A sculptor
- Rubina - An artist's model
- Varga - A painter
Major themes
- Investigation into the murky business dealings of Marcus Didius Festus and the fight to clear the family name,
- Developing relationship of Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina.
Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science
- Set in Rome in AD 72, during the reign of Emperor VespasianVespasianVespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
.
Allusions/references to other works
- The novel ends on a somewhat elaborate joke. I would advise that you not read this if you haven't finished the book. The Judean slaves attempt to send Falco on a quest to recover a missing artifact. At first, Falco is afraid that they want him to "Raid" the treasures brought back after the conquest. However, they then tell Falco that they want him to look for a "Lost Ark." Falco demurs, and tells that someone more of a daredevil than he would have to perform that particular quest. A convoluted and entertaining reference to Indiana Jones and the "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
Publication details
- 1993, UK, Century Hardback (out of print)
- 1994, UK, Arrow, Paperback ISBN 0-09-983190-2
- 1995, US, Crown/Ballantine ISBN 0-345-38025-8
- 1999, UK, Arrow, Paperback ISBN 0-7126-8018-7 (as part of single-volume omnibus edition, Falco on his Metal, with Venus in CopperVenus in Copper-Plot introduction:Set in Rome during August and September of AD 71, Venus in Copper stars Marcus Didius Falco, Informer and Imperial Agent.-Explanation of the novel's title:...
and The Iron Hand of MarsThe Iron Hand of Mars-Plot introduction:Set in Rome and Germania during AD 71, The Iron Hand of Mars stars Marcus Didius Falco, Informer and Imperial Agent. It is the fourth in her Falco series.-Explanation of the novel's title:...
)
Film, TV, Radio or theatrical adaptations
- BBC Radio 4 starring Anton LesserAnton LesserAnton Lesser is a British actor. He attended Moseley Grammar School and the University of Liverpool before going to RADA in 1977 where he was awarded the Bancroft Gold Medal as the most promising actor of his year....
and Anna MadeleyAnna MadeleyAnna Madeley is a British actress. She has been described by the British Theatre Guide's Philip Fisher as one of the United Kingdom's "brightest and most versatile young actresses".-Biography:...
, in May 2009. Unlike previous Radio 4 dramatisations of novels from the Falco series (in four or six half-hour episodes), this adaptation was broadcast as ten 15-minute episodes as the Woman's HourWoman's HourWoman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
Drama. It also added Trevor PeacockTrevor PeacockTrevor Peacock is an English stage and television character actor. He was born in Tottenham, London, the son of Alexandria and Victor Edward Peacock.-Television and Film Career:...
to the recurring cast, as Geminus.