In the bosom of the abundant nature of the Apennine Peninsula, a powerful state is growing stronger. Its heart is Rome, a city in whose daily life glory and decadence, enchanting beauty and the excitement of bloody fun are intricately intertwined. Against this picturesque backdrop, two boys come of age with dreams of glory won in the ranks of the most powerful army the world has ever known. One is the son of a senator, endowed with privilege and ambition, to whom much has been given and from whom much is expected. The other is an illegitimate child, supported only by his strength and quick mind... While young Guy and Mark are learning the art of combat under the guidance of one of the most formidable gladiators in Rome, the confrontation between irreconcilable rivals - Maria and Sulla, in which the winner will receive incredible power, draws the state to civil war...Guy and Mark are forced to go their separate ways, and by the time they meet again, everything will be different. A violent conflict in which a Roman takes up arms against a Roman will put their friendship to the ultimate test.