The Last of the Legions and Other Tales of Long Ago
The Last of the Legions and Other Tales of Long Ago
The year is 410 AD. The Roman Empire is collapsing, and the last legions are sailing home from Britain, leaving behind a civilization that has grown dependent on imperial might. This is the world of Conan Doyle's evocative collection, where Roman governors grapple with impossible orders and Celtic chieftains face the prospect of standing alone against the darkness. The title novella follows Viceroy Pontus and General Licinius Crassus as they confront the abandonment of Britain, while Celtic leaders Caradoc and Regnus plead for protection that will never come. Conan Doyle, better known for Sherlock Holmes, proves himself a master of historical atmosphere, rendering Roman Britain with the texture of lived experience: the weight of authority, the ache of departure, the terror of those left behind. These are stories about endings and beginnings, about what happens when the lights go out and the barbarians come.
