The Gladiators from Capua
First edition, 2004
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| Author | Caroline Lawrence |
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| Cover artist | Peter Sutton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Roman Mysteries |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Orion Books |
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Publication date
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3 June 2004 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 224 pp (first edition, paperback) |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 59259394 |
| Preceded by | The Enemies of Jupiter |
| Followed by | The Colossus of Rhodes |
The Gladiators from Capua is a children's historical novel by Caroline Lawrence, published on June 3, 2004. The eighth book of the Roman Mysteries series, it is set primarily in the city of Rome in March AD 80, during the Inaugural Games at the newly built Flavian Amphitheatre, now known as the Colosseum. It is described on the official website as "the bloodiest Roman Mystery yet", and contains detailed descriptions of fighting, slaughter and public executions.
The novel follows on from events in The Enemies of Jupiter, at the end of which Jonathan goes missing and is believed to have died in the fire in Rome. Unknown to the other characters, he accidentally started the fire and out of guilt signed up as a child gladiator for the games at the new amphitheatre. He is also tortured by the supposed death of his mother.
The Gladiators from Capua opens with a brief scene set some years earlier – a slave in training as a gladiator refuses to kill his beaten opponent, turning his back on a promising career. The themes of combat, bloodshed, and mercy are thus established from the start.
The story proper starts the month after the fire. Flavia and Nubia are holding a memorial for Jonathan when Lupus arrives full of a rumour he has heard: a boy with dark curly hair who is believed to have started the fire is hiding on Potsherd Mountain in Rome. Jonathan could be alive!
Flavia finagles an invitation from her uncle the senator to visit Rome for the Inaugural Games at the new Flavian Amphitheatre. Flavia, Nubia, and Lupus travel to Rome with Jonathan's dog Tigris and the doorkeeper Caudex as their bodyguard. They discover that the curly-haired boy has been taken from Potsherd Mountain to the amphitheatre and is to be "thrown to the beasts".
At the amphitheatre, they split up to look for Jonathan. Nubia meets an old friend, Mnason the animal trainer. Tigris spots Jonathan among the gladiators, but the others fail to interpret his barking correctly.
The next three days are the start of the hundred days of games decreed by Titus to celebrate the new amphitheatre – and to take people's minds off the disastrous events of his reign thus far. For each day a programme of events is given: beginning with acrobats or dancers, then exotic beasts and the fancifully-staged execution of criminals, and in the afternoon the popular gladiatorial contests. The first day, the children are stuck on the top tier with the senator's family watching the displays at a distance, alternately fascinated and horrified at the drama, the ferocity, and the bloodshed.
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