Antonina, or, The fall of Rome

Collins's first published novel, a work of historical fiction set in the early fifth century, as Rome is threatened by Gothic forces under Alaric. It follows Antonina, a young Roman woman, and the people whose lives cross hers during the siege, among them soldiers, schemers, and followers of the changing religions of the age. Drawing on ancient history, Collins shows a society under strain, and the book reads quite differently from his later suspense novels, yet shows his early gift for drama.