The Granite Rose from Linda McMaken

Dacia and Rome 

Dacia was a real place, today it is called Romania. The Dacians did indeed have a very real King Decabalus (pronounced - Deck-a-ball-us). He did have a sister named Dochia, and he did tangle repeatedly with Rome. While I did not find any historic proof that he had a daughter, I think if he did she would have been much like Sianna, my feisty heroine in The Granite Rose.

The Dacians were a proud people, a warrior people with their own language, as well as being fluent in Latin and Greek. They had their own laws, schools, and currency.

King Decabalus was a strong leader and he wanted his country to be free of the crushing weight of Rome. For many years he managed to successfully keep Rome apeased, while maintaining a very independent nation.

Powerful leaders however, are sometimes blinded by their own power, ambition, politics and of course the lure of gold -- something that Dacia had in abundance.

While my fictional kidnapping did not start this war, there is little historical documentation as to what exactly did, the perverbial "who fired the first shot," if you will. It was a combination of things that triggered the final battle that ended in the annihilation Dacia.

Gold was certainly an enticement as the Roman Senate and the Emperor wanted to finance a beautiful Rome, and Decabalus built a forbidden army because he wanted Dacia to be free at any cost.

The Granite Rose began when I read a small paragraph in a now forgotten book about Rome. One sentence was all it took for my imagination to take flight.

I hope it takes you to Ancient Rome for a few hours, where lives were held on the edge of the Emperor's sword, politics could instantly alter a man's fate, and love could appear where it was least expected.

www.linda-mcmaken.com
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