''A Man at Arms'' is a

historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other ty ...

by the American writer Steven Pressfield. It was first published on March 2,

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...

by W.W. Norton & Company. It is Pressfield's first novel taking place in the ancient world since ''

The Afghan Campaign ''The Afghan Campaign'' is a historical novel by the American writer Steven Pressfield. It was first published in 2006 by Doubleday. It is the story of Alexander the Great's invasion of the Afghan kingdoms (the Afghanistan of today) in 330 ...

'', published in 2006.

Summary

The novel takes place in

AD 55 AD 55 ( LV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Vetus (or, less frequently, year 808 ''Ab urbe condita''). Th ...

. In the aftermath of the

Crucifixion of Jesus The crucifixion and death of Jesus occurred in 1st-century Judea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33. It is described in the four canonical gospels, referred to in the New Testament epistles, attested to by other ancient sources, and consid ...

, the office of the Roman governor of Judea receives intelligence of a courier traveling to

Corinth Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it has been part o ...

with a letter from a religious fanatic calling himself

Paul the Apostle Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

. Fearing a mass uprising, the governor's agents hire the

mercenary A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...

soldier Telamon of Arcadia, a former

legionary The Roman legionary (in Latin ''legionarius'', plural ''legionarii'') was a professional heavy infantryman of the Roman army after the Marian reforms. These soldiers would conquer and defend the territories of ancient Rome during the late Republi ...

of the Legio X Fretensis, to track down the courier and retrieve the letter, in exchange for a substantial bounty and amnesty for the otherwise capital crime he has been arrested for. Telamon, a

peregrinus Peregrine, Latin ''Peregrinus'', is a name originally meaning "one from abroad", that is, a foreigner, traveller, or pilgrim. It may refer to: * Peregrine falcon, a bird of prey People Peregrine * Peregrine (martyr) (died 182 AD), Roman Cathol ...

who refused an offer of Roman citizenship after his enlistment was over, works only for money, but once he tracks down the courier, he undergoes an unexpected conversion and instead determines to protect the courier at all costs and ensure that the letter is delivered.

Continuity

"Telamon of Arcadia" is also the name of a secondary character from Pressfield's 2000 novel ''

Tides of War ''Tides of War'' is a 2000 novel by Steven Pressfield, chronicling the Peloponnesian War. Plot summary Jason, a disciple of Socrates, is asked to help defend Polemides, infamous in Athens as the man who assassinated Alcibiades. Predisposed to ...

'', which takes place in Greece four centuries earlier, during the

Peloponnesian War The Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) was an ancient Greek war fought between Athens and Sparta and their respective allies for the hegemony of the Greek world. The war remained undecided for a long time until the decisive intervention of th ...

(431-404 BC).

Reception

''Publishers Weekly'' reviewed the book negatively, writing that "Pressfield’s considerable gifts for historical military fiction...are nowhere in evidence in this ponderous account of Greek mercenary Telamon of Arcadia’s mission to preserve and disseminate the gospel of Paul." ''Kirkus Reviews'', however, called the book "fine historical fiction".

References

External links

Steven Pressfield's official website
American historical novels 2021 American novels Novels by Steven Pressfield Novels set in the 1st century Novels set in ancient Israel Novels set in ancient Rome Historiography of Jesus English-language books W. W. Norton & Company books {{2020s-AncientRome-novel-stub