Journey back in time to an era of warrior queens and ruthless kings. Where colossal stone monuments were carved out of rock by hand and magnificent temples and palaces were built to house the rulers and their gods. Where life was hard and the average lifespan was thirty years old, but all the difficulties created a strength of spirit and love of life. This captivating sweeping historical novel introduces readers to two important ancient African empires, Aksum and Nubia, and follows their interactions with each other and their neighboring civilizations during the century around the birth of Christ. The story delves into the lives of Nubian emperors and empresses beginning with Queen Amanirenas, until the defeat of the Roman Empire and subsequent years of prosperity. Aksum started out as a small kingdom which grew into a powerful empire whose influence was felt throughout the ancient trade regions. Aksum was the first African empire to embrace Christianity, and its kings were destined to change the makeup and fates of the entire region. The two kingdoms and their rulers are woven into a fascinating story as their lifestyles are described, along with the many wars they fought, including one with the Roman Army.