In AD383, according to Bishop Eucherius of Lyon, flooding caused part of the River Rhone to collapse, revealing a massed grave of thousands of bodies. Eucherius identified these as a legion recruited for the Roman army from the Christians of the Theban district in Egypt, whom he claimed had been massacred nearly a century previously (near the modern village of St Maurice-en-Valais in south-western Switzerland) for refusing to obey orders they considered immoral. This incident, asserted by Eucherius as matter of fact, is unrecorded elsewhere. Even the existence of this Theban legion is unclear. Intrigued by his discrepancy, and suspecting a cover-up by official Roman sources, Dr Donald Reilly has spent many years undertaking some historical detective work. Piecing together scattered clues from ancient coins, inscriptions and obscure texts he identifies the Theban legion as fact and sheds light on their fate. In the process he paints a powerful portrait of an empire in turmoil, beset by external enemies and riven by religious and moral uncertainties within. AUTHOR: Dr Donald O'Reilly was a teacher of History and Classics at a community college in New York State. SELLING POINTS: ? Penetrates the mystery surrounding the Theban Legion and their fate-were they really massacred for their Christian beliefs? ? Delves into an important period in Imperial Roman and early Christian history ? First book devoted to this subject ILLUSTRATIONS 12 b/w
