The Eagle of the Ninth

This indispensable classic, Rosemary Sutcliff’s The Eagle of the Ninth–an adventure story that unfolds in Roman Britain, published in 1954–set the standard for all historical fiction for children that came after. EVERYMAN’S LIBRARY CHILDREN’S CLASSICS.

In the second century AD, the Ninth Legion marched into northern Britain to suppress a rebellion of the Caledonian tribes and was never heard from again. The young Roman officer Marcus Aquila sets off on a perilous journey to find out what happened to the legion in which his father served, and–if possible–to salvage its eagle and its honor. Accompanying him is Esca, his freed slave, with whom he gradually develops a deep and remarkable friendship that crosses the boundaries of conquest and colonialism. An unforgettable story of adventure, humanity, and the mysteries of the past.