The Jupiter Myth
Encyclopedia

Plot introduction

Set in Londinium
Londinium
The city of London was established by the Romans around AD 43. It served as a major imperial commercial centre until its abandonment during the 5th century.-Origins and language:...

, Britannia
Britannia
Britannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...

 in August AD 75, The Jupiter Myth 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 fourteenth in Davis' 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 is a reference to the use of Jupiter
Jupiter (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove is the king of the gods, and the god of the sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon....

-related mythology by the crime syndicate to identify businesses associated with them.

Plot summary

After putting the project of building Togidubnus’s palace back on track (see A Body in the Bath House
A Body in the Bath House
-Plot introduction:Set in Rome and Britannia in AD 75, A Body in the Bath House stars Marcus Didius Falco, Informer and Imperial Agent. It is the thirteenth in her Falco series.-Explanation of the novel's title:...

), Falco and family decide to take a break and visit some old friends and family up in Londinium. But nothing is ever peaceful around Falco. The body of a close friend of Togidubnus is found in a well. A simple murder? No, not around Falco. There is more than one gang flexing their muscles in Londinium, leading Falco every which way. Suddenly, Falco’s friend Petro appears. It’s not likely that he just happens to show up at the edge of the Empire, but he is not interested in telling anyone much of anything. What is really puzzling is why all these things are happening in only a certain group of taverns, all named after very important events in someone’s life. Is that the connection they are missing?

Characters in "The Jupiter Myth"

  • Aelia Camilla - Wife of Flavius Hilaris, Aunt of Helena Justina.
  • Albia - Young street girl adopted by Helena
  • Amazonia - also known as Chloris. Gladiatrix, and ex-girlfriend of Falco.
  • Amicus - Official torturer
  • Crixus - Centurion
  • Flavia Fronta - Barmaid
  • Gaius Flavius Hilaris - Procurator of Finance
  • Helena Justina - Wife of Falco, and daughter of the Senator
    Roman Senate
    The 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
  • Lucius Petronius Longus - Friend of Falco and Vigiles Officer
  • Maia Favonia - Falco's widowed sister
  • Marcus Didius Falco - Informer and Imperial Agent.
  • Norbanus Murena - Property developer
  • Popillius - Lawyer
  • Pyro - Criminal
  • Sextus Julius Frontinus - Governor of Britain
  • Silvanus - Centurion
  • Splice - Criminal
  • Togidubnus - Roman ally

Major themes

  • Gangland activity in Londinium
  • Developing relationship between Maia and Petronius

Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science

  • Set in Londinium
    Londinium
    The city of London was established by the Romans around AD 43. It served as a major imperial commercial centre until its abandonment during the 5th century.-Origins and language:...

    , Britannia
    Britannia
    Britannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...

    , in AD 75, during the reign of Emperor Vespasian
    Vespasian
    Vespasian , 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...

    .
  • Sextus Julius Frontinus
    Sextus Julius Frontinus
    Sextus Julius Frontinus was one of the most distinguished Roman aristocrats of the late 1st century AD, but is best known to the post-Classical world as an author of technical treatises, especially one dealing with the aqueducts of Rome....

     is a real historical character who succeeded Quintus Petillius Cerialis
    Quintus Petillius Cerialis
    Quintus Petilius Cerialis Caesius Rufus was a Roman general and administrator who served in Britain during Boudica's rebellion and who went on to participate in the civil wars after the death of Nero. He later defeated the rebellion of Julius Civilis and returned to Britain as its governor.His...

     as governor of Britain in AD 75.
  • Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus (or Togidubnus) was a 1st century king of the Regnenses
    Regnenses
    The Regnenses, Regni or Regini were a British Celtic kingdom and later a civitas of Roman Britain. Their capital was Noviomagus Reginorum, known today as Chichester in modern West Sussex....

     in early 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...

    .

Release details

  • 2002, UK, Century Hardback ISBN 0 7126 8044 6
  • 2003, UK, Arrow, Paperback ISBN 0-09-929840-6
  • UK, Chivers/BBC AudioBooks, read by Christian Rodska, Cassettes ISBN 0-7540-9723-4 CD audios ISBN 07540 96211
  • US, Mysterious Press, Hardback ISBN 0892967773
  • US, Mysterious Press, Paperback ISBN ISBN 0-446-69297-2

Sources, references, external links, quotations

Author's Official Website
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