The Code of Romulus facts for kids
World Book Day edition
|
|
| Author | Caroline Lawrence |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Peter Sutton, Fred van Deelen |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Roman Mysteries |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Orion Childrens Books |
|
Publication date
|
1 February 2007 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 80pp |
| ISBN | 978-1-84255-580-4 |
| OCLC | 73956799 |
The Code of Romulus is an exciting children's book by Caroline Lawrence. It was published in 2007 to celebrate the 10th birthday of World Book Day. This book is actually a new version of a shorter story called Bread and Circuses. That story first appeared in a collection called The Mammoth Book of Roman Whodunits in 2003.
The adventure happens in Ostia, an ancient Roman port city, in November of 79 AD. This story fits right between the fifth and sixth books of The Roman Mysteries series. These books are The Dolphins of Laurentum and The Twelve Tasks of Flavia Gemina.
Contents
Solving the Mystery: The Plot
The story kicks off with Flavia Gemina, the main character, having a big argument. She is talking with her teacher, Aristo. Flavia believes she is a great detective, even though Aristo isn't sure that word even exists!
Aristo makes a deal with Flavia. If she can figure out who has been stealing bread rolls from Pistor the Baker, they won't have to do math for a whole month. Instead, they will just read fun stories. But if Flavia fails, she can never use the word "detective" again.
The Investigation Begins
Flavia and her friends quickly realize that the thief must be someone who works inside the bakery. They decide to learn more about everyone who lives and works there. They become friends with the baker's younger son, Porcius.
Porcius gives them a tour of the bakery. He introduces them to his family and the slaves who help with the work. He also shows them his "Circus Minimus," which is a mini-circus where he races mice! Nubia is especially interested in the donkeys. These donkeys help turn the big millstone to grind grain.
Following the Clues
The next day, the friends split up to follow different people they suspect. Lupus follows Porcius and his brother to school. Nubia goes with Porcius's sister to the temple. Jonathan follows a slave named Teneme to the granary, where grain is stored.
Meanwhile, Flavia talks to Tertius, a slave who manages the bakery's money. He shows her a special word puzzle called the Sator Square. This ancient puzzle eventually helps Flavia solve the mystery.
The Truth Revealed
Later, Flavia and Nubia attend a secret early morning gathering. Here, they discover who the kind-hearted thief is. They promise not to tell anyone, as long as the stealing stops for good.
Other Stories in the Book
This book also mentions other famous stories and writings.
Ovid's Metamorphoses
Aristo is surprised when he hears that Flavia has been reading a book by Ovid called Metamorphoses. He thinks it has "unsuitable" stories for her. However, he also admits it's a masterpiece, a truly great work of art. He agrees to read parts of it to them. Flavia later secretly looks at the scroll to understand something Tertius said about a character named Erysichthon.
Jonathan's Sacred Texts
Jonathan often talks about the Tanak, which is a collection of sacred Jewish texts. He seems to know many of the Psalms by heart. He also starts teaching Flavia the Pater Noster, a well-known prayer.
