• Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • TV, Film and Theatre
    • One From The Vaults
  • New books
  • Columns
    • Doctor Darwin’s Writing Tips
    • Watching History
    • Desert Island Books
  • Advertising
  • About
  • Contact
  • Historia in your inbox

Historia Magazine

The magazine of the Historical Writers Association

  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • TV, Film and Theatre
    • One From The Vaults
  • New books
  • Columns
    • Doctor Darwin’s Writing Tips
    • Watching History
    • Desert Island Books
  • Advertising
  • About
  • Contact
  • Historia in your inbox

Fire and Sword by Harry Sidebottom

19 May 2016 By Editor

Fire and Sword coverThe third book in Sidebottom’s epic series set in third century Rome; a dramatic era of murder, coup, counter-rebellions and civil war.

Rome AD238. The Year of the Six Emperors.

The empire is in turmoil. With the Gordiani, father and son, dead in Africa, the tyrant Maximinus Thrax vies to reclaim the throne.

The Senate, who supported the revolt of the Gordiani, must act quickly to avoid the vengeance of Maximinus. They elect two Senators to share the imperial purple. But fighting erupts in the streets as ambitious men call for violent revolution.

Can the new Augusti hold the city together as the empire’s farthest territories fight off bloody attacks from the Goths and the Persians in the east?

In the north of Italy, Maximinus descends on Aquileia. Against the odds, Menophilus, an old friend of the younger Gordian, prepares to defend the town. In one of the greatest sieges of the empire, its fate will be decided in a fight for victory, for revenge, for Rome.

Filled with intrigue, betrayal and bloody battle, Fire & Sword creates a magnificent world built on brutality and political games, where no one is safe from retribution – not even those who dare to rule.

www.harrysidebottom.co.uk

Share this article:Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on google
Google
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on email
Email

Filed Under: New books

Search

What’s new in historia

Sign up for our monthly email newsletter:

Follow us on social media:

Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook

New books by HWA members

The Bruegel Boy by Emma Darwin

6 November 2025

The Prompts You Need to Help You Write the Book You Want to Write by Jem Poster and Sarah Burton

6 November 2025

Swords in the Snow by Matthew Harffy and Steven A McKay

6 November 2025

See more new releases

Showcase

Editor’s picks

Show, don’t tell, Write what you know: do they work for historical fiction?

28 June 2025

Writing about Margaret Tudor

23 June 2024

Painting by Vermeer of a woman writing

What counts as historical fiction?

29 September 2018

Popular topics

14th century 16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century 1920s 1930s Ancient Rome Anglo-Saxons author interview awards biography book review Catherine Hokin ebook France historical crime historical fiction historical mystery historical thriller history HWA HWA Crown Awards HWA Debut Crown Award London Matthew Harffy medieval new release paperback research review Scotland Second World War short stories spies the writing life Tudors Vikings women's history writer's life writing writing advice writing tips WWII

The Historical Writers’ Association

Historia Magazine is published by the Historical Writers’ Association. We are authors, publishers and agents of historical writing, both fiction and non-fiction. For information about membership and profiles of our member authors, please visit our website.

Read more about Historia or find out about advertising and promotional opportunities.

ISSN 2515-2254

Recent Additions

  • Historia interview: David Gilman
  • The Bruegel Boy by Emma Darwin
  • The Prompts You Need to Help You Write the Book You Want to Write by Jem Poster and Sarah Burton

Search Historia

Contact us

If you would like to contact the editor of Historia, please email editor@historiamag.com

Copyright © 2014–2025 The Historical Writers Association