Robert Fabbri - Tribune of Rome

Sejanus’ request to marry Livilla was denied by Tiberius in AD25 but their relationship did carry on in combination with his quest for ultimate power.

Gaius’ lifestyle is totally made up but, as there is no record of him ever having had children, completely within the realms of possibility and an enjoyable excursion into perceived Roman decadence.

My thanks go many people. Firstly to my agent, Ian Drury at Sheil Land Associates, for taking me on and always being so positive; and to Gaia Banks and Emily Dyson in the agency’s international rights department for all their hard work on my behalf. Secondly to Nic Cheetham at Corvus Books for publishing my book and also for getting Richenda Todd to edit it, working with her was a great experience. Thanks also to Emma Gibson at Corvus for guiding me through the publishing process of which I have no previous experience.

No education is complete without memories of special teachers. I would like to thank three masters at Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham: Richard Palmer for introducing me to Shakespeare and Donne and the joys of the English language; Andrew Husband for giving me – though it may not have been obvious to him at the time – a lifelong love of history; and Duncan Noel-Paton who showed me that imagination has no boundaries.

Heartfelt thanks to my aunt, Elisabeth Woodthorpe and my sister, Tanya Potter, for their support and enthusiasm whilst writing this.

Finally my deepest thanks to my girlfriend, Anja Muller, who, when I first mentioned this idea to her six years ago, went and got me a notebook with Vespasian’s picture on the front, printed off everything that she could find about him on the internet – beware! – and then told me in the kindest possible way to stop talking about it and get on and write it. Once I did eventually take her advice she sat and patiently listened to what I had written every evening; thank you my love.

Vespasian will carry on his rise to power in “Rome’s Executioner”.