Spotlight on Rebel Empress: A Novel of Imperial Rome

Here’s a historical novel (and series) that will intrigue many of you, Rebel Empress. Author Faith L. Justice captures the lives of Roman women who have often been ignored–and very much shouldn’t be.

Rebel Empress: A Novel of Imperial Rome (Theodosian Women Book Three)

A beautiful pagan. A ruler searching for a wife. Can a marriage of expedience change the course of an empire?

Constantinople, AD 419. Athenais holds faint hope for her future. When the impoverished orphan’s male relatives offer her up as a consort for the emperor, she reluctantly agrees to study the philosophical arguments for the required conversion to Christianity. But while the accomplished scholar quickly falls for her imperial husband, she struggles with the court’s cutthroat political maneuvering and stubborn religious fanaticism.

Raised to Augusta after birthing her first daughter, Athenais consolidates her influence to build an entourage of skilled artists, writers, and thinkers, despite her jealous sister-in-law’s protests. But just when the protective philosopher thinks she’s won the fight for her spouse’s respect and affection, a series of catastrophes threatens to undermine her hard-earned position.

Can she withstand the storm and claim the throne she so rightly deserves?

Rebel Empress is the insightful third tale in the Theodosian Women biographical historical fiction series. If you like learning about forgotten heroines and immersing yourself in past times, you’ll love Faith L. Justice’s path through tragedies and triumphs.

What others say about Rebel Empress

“Absolutely riveting novel… Athenais will remain with me for a very long time. A truly remarkable heroine in a truly compelling story.” –Stephanie Cowell, American Book Award Recipient, author of The Boy in the Rain and Claude and Camille: a novel of Monet.

Author Bio

Faith L. Justice writes award-winning fiction and articles in Brooklyn, New York. Her work appears in such publications as Salon.com, Writer’s Digest, and Th e Copperfield Review. She is past Chair of the Historical Novel Society–New York City Chapter and is Associate Editor for Space and Time Magazine. She co-founded an on-going writer’s workshop more years ago than she cares to admit to. For fun, Faith likes to dig in the dirt— her garden and various archaeological sites. Sample her work, check out her blog, or ask her a question at her website: faithljustice.com. She loves to hear from readers.

For More Information and Purchasing

Author Website

Rebel Empress to order on Amazon. (384 pages, in hardback, paperback & ebook)

Theodosian Women series page on Amazon