An unprecedented journey back in time to several amazing time periods in ancient Rome's long history. This is a delicious romp for readers who seek a chewy read with lots of historical detail and linguistic asides. Originally intended as a tour guide (which, totally rewritten as a new book, became John T. Cullen's A Walk in Ancient Rome--iBooks/Simon & Schuster, May 2005), this is a rare work of fiction written in the second person (the 'you' who accompanies Professor Darwin and his ravishingly beautiful, mysterious assistant Amalthea). You'll walk the streets of Rome during the reigns of the bad emperor Carinus and the 'good' emperor Constantine. Because of a slight mixup with an evil police inspector on the take, you'll make an unscheduled run through the days just before the founding of Rome around 750 B.C. This novel/tour guide starts with a time travel quest to find a Sibyl's lost scroll, and becomes a romp with danger, death, and awe. You'll learn a lot along the way--you, the hero or heroine of this novel.