The Last Villa
Ian M. Evan
A story of love, family tensions, danger, faith, endurance, and change during one the
most turbulent times in the early history of Britain.
Villa Arcadius is a prosperous Romano-Briton estate in south Wales, a remote province of the mighty Roman Empire for more than 300 years. Now, in AD 395, the Empire is on the point of collapse. Entangled in power struggles and civil war, it faces enormous pressures from migrating tribes massing on its borders. In Britain, the depleted and undisciplined Roman army offers little protection from lethal raids by Scoti pirates and marauding Picts. The demise of civic administration is causing wealthy families to abandon their properties and leave Britain. Christianity may now be the official state religion, but the Church is embroiled in bitter theological disputes and heresies.
Yet even in chaotic times individual lives go on. Families grow and change; everyone must adapt to changing circumstances.
The devout domina of the villa, Galeria, is committing her wealth to building a just community. Her intellectual son, Flavius, is focused on an alliance with the neighboring Celtic kingdom for mutual protection and preserving the benefits of classical civilization. The heir to this realm, the stunningly beautiful widow, Elen, must find a husband. Her young son, Dilectus, is a threat to the ambitions of rival warlords, endangering him and his friends. Their coming-of-age means love for him and Galeria’s spirited granddaughter, Claudia. To fulfill a life-long dream, Galeria travels to Rome to show Dilectus his heritage.
Their timing could not have been worse. The Eternal City is about to fall into the hands of the Visigoths. What will become of the last villa in Britannia?