Cast of Characters

Rome, A.D. 64. A Roman prefect and his Jewish servant are ordered by the emperor Nero to track down a secret Christian document that undermines the Roman empire and predicts the end of the world. But they’re not prepared for the spiritual warfare they’ve unleashed. The truth behind the origin of the most controversial book of the Bible: Revelation. A supernatural Bible epic series with angels and demons.

Character Images created by Cam Harless
© Copyright 2023 Warrior Poet Publishing.

ROME

Alexander

A Hellenist Jewish physician. A man caught between two worlds, Rome and Israel. He compromises to stay alive and protect his people. But when he is forced by Roman prefect Severus to hunt down Christians he is faced with the moral dilemma of survival versus self-sacrifice and the atrocities that result.

Cassandra

A young Roman Christian heiress of her father’s merchant shipping. When she is forced by Severus to become his servant in the wake of Christian persecution, she plots how she can deceive Severus from hunting Christians and finding the secret scroll of the Apocalypse. But God has other plans for her that lead directly to the apostle John and changing her world.

Severus

Roman prefect under Nero. Though he despises Nero, he wants to climb the ladder of power so he becomes Nero’s detective. He hunts down Christians and their secret letter that threatens the empire and predicts the assassination of Caesar. He believes that with more power he can do greater good. But he soon learns how power affects everyone who gets it.

Nero Caesar

Emperor of Rome. Believes he is a god like Apollo. Unfortunately, he is a mere man, really more like a beast. After the Great Fire of Rome, he blames the Christians and embarks on the great persecution. When he hears of a secret Christian scroll that prophesies the fall of Rome and Caesar, he sends Severus to hunt down this subversive document called the Apocalypse and kill its author.

Poppaea

Beautiful and calculating wife of Nero. As empress, she has much effect on Caesar. Her interest in Judaism brings favor to the Jews in the empire. But as a result, the Christians become the scapegoat for all problems and the victims of her hatred.

Tigellinus

Powerful and influential co-Prefect of the Praetorian Guard. Nero’s most devoted servant. He wants to become the sole Praetorian advisor, which leads to political betrayal and ruthless dealings with everyone who stands in his way. Unfortunately, Severus and Alexander will be in his way if they do not find the Apocalypse scroll and kill its author, the apostle John.

Titus

Eldest son of general Vespasian. Titus will become the ultimate leader of the Roman forces against Israel and Jerusalem. And he will have an affair with the Herodian princess Berenice. He wants it all; a debauched lifestyle of indulgence and the power of Caesar. But he will be faced with the reality that his love affair with a Jew will compromise his lust for absolute power.

Vespasian

A bald old “blue-collar” general who is vulgar and uncouth but is militarily experienced and well placed to become the next emperor. If he can only rein in his son Titus and avoid the paranoid mind of Nero, who thinks everyone is out to get his throne, especially generals like Vespasian.

Domitian

The younger brother of Titus. This depraved creature is a young Nero in training. And he does not maintain the loyalty to family like Titus does. In fact, he is already preparing for how he might betray his older more accomplished brother and heir to the throne.

Gabbarras

Over nine feet tall giant Egyptian warrior. Nero’s favorite to kill Christians in the arena.

JERUSALEM

Simon bar Giora

A young captain of the Temple Guard. When he is falsely accused of being a secret Zealot, he is forced to become a fugitive. He will return to Jerusalem with a band of outlaws to fight the war machine of Rome. But he faces a civil war within the city between the ruling class, the Zealots and the people, that threatens to tear them apart from within before Rome can destroy them from without.

John of Gischala

Leader of the Zealots inside the city. He is a mighty warrior with deep political connections to the ruling class of Judea and messianic delusions of grandeur that will drive him to do anything in order to take control of the Jewish forces in the city. Anything.

Aaron ben Hyam

Young initiate of the radical apocalyptic sect of the Essenes, monks who live in a commune called Qumran by the Dead Sea. They believe the end of the world is nigh. Aaron hires Simon ben Giora to help train the monks in mortal combat to prepare them to be the army of God in the final battle of the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness.

The Apostle John

Author of the secret apocalypse that has predicted the destruction of Rome and the end of the world. And the target of Severus’ quest to quench the unrest it is fueling.

The Apostle Paul

Historical tradition tells us Paul died in the great persecution in Rome. But not until he had reached the ends of the earth by bringing the Gospel to Spain.

The Apostle Peter

Historical tradition tells us Peter died in the great persecution in Rome along with Paul. And that he was crucified upside down.

Demetrius

Son of Apollos, the Egyptian preacher who toured with the apostle Paul. Demetrius is the leader of a band of Christians who fight back and seek to rescue Christians from persecution using righteous violence. But God has other plans for Demetrius that will transform his expectations and shock the world.

Joshua

A mysterious Christian prophet in Jerusalem who is considered a madman because of his proclamations that the city will be destroyed for rejecting Jesus. He becomes a lightning rod for persecution, but also a key figure in God’s plan for coming judgment.

Agrippa II & Berenice

The Herodian brother and sister who rule Judea from the city of Jerusalem. They are young, ambitious, decadent and plagued by a rumor of incest common amongst the Herodians. Their reputation with Rome is also incestuous as they try to quench the Jewish rebellion for their own acquisition of power. Berenice will have an affair with Titus and prove to be a singularly important influence on his treatment of his enemies and captives.

Joseph

This is the man who would become Josephus, the Jewish historian who wrote about the Jewish War of A.D. 66-70. He is an ambitious and cunning Pharisee of the ruling class of Judea. He is a man of divided loyalties, to his Jewish power and to Roman influence. This will lead him to the ultimate betrayal of his people.

Ananus

Full name: Ananus ben Ananus. Though he is not the ruling high priest, he is the true power behind the scenes in Jerusalem. And he wants to suppress the Jewish revolt to gain favor with Rome. He is spiritually a whore of Apollyon.

The Archangels

Biblically, Michael is considered the guardian angel of Israel. But why isn’t he helping Israel when she needs him most, now when they are under attack by Rome and all the demons of hell? And why have the angels been holding back and hiding? What is God’s plan for them in the great spiritual war that is coming?

Watchers of Rome

Apollyon

The god of this world, Rome. He goes by many names, Satan, Nachash, Diablos. But at this time he prefers Apollyon, as the patron of Nero Caesar and as the angel of the Abyss. He visits his minions, the principalities and powers of cities around the empire to prepare them for what is coming: the Day of the Lord and all-out spiritual war.

Mithras

A Persian Watcher assimilated by the Roman legions as their patron deity. A sun god who requires secret blood rites from its adherents.

Jupiter

King of the gods of Rome. Counterpart to Zeus. But even he answers to Apollyon.

Watchers of Canaan

Ba’al

This storm god and most high Watcher of the Canaanite pantheon has wreaked havoc on Israelite idol worship for too long.

Asherah

Another Watcher that has held Israel in her grip from the earliest of days. Goddess of fertility and battle maiden. Asherah is the “Lady of the Sea” in Canaanite lore. But she wants to be Lady of Israel.

Molech

God of the underworld that requires the sons and daughters of Israelites to walk through the fire for him. Child sacrifice never goes away, it just changes its guise.

Anat

The sister of Ba’al, an adolescent sex and warrior goddess. “The Virgin Anat” is her nickname. And she likes to wade through the blood of her enemies.