Amiculus: A Secret History is the work of writer/ creator Travis Horseman and artist Giancarlo Caracuzzo. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the book was first published in 2014. Described by Horseman as a “lost history of the fall of Rome… from the point of view of Rome’s last emperor, a twelve year old boy named Romulus.” and “[A] mosaic of conspiracy within conspiracy. Bloodshed and betrayal. Tragedy and Loss.”
We are introduced to the world of Rome in this story through the writings of Procopius of Caesarea, as he chronicles recent events over a backdrop of fallen barbarian conquerors. Having just reclaimed the west, Procopius seeks to learn the history of what befell the kingdom and the mysterious disappearance of its young emperor, Romulus, sixty years prior. His quest leads him to a monastery where he finds the Romulus’ writings. It is in these journals that we first learn of the mysterious figure Amiculus.
Volume I is broken up into three separate parts (“Ex Libris Romuli,” “Roma Aeterna” and “Senatus Populus Que…”) Little is revealed in this first volume, particularly about the hooded titular character and what role he plays in the events of the fall of an empire. A lot of attention is paid to building the world and its cast of characters. It is obvious a great deal of care went into crafting the narrative, so much so that a map of 5th and 6th century Rome is included in the opening of the book. The creators’ love of history is felt throughout the story from the character names (which at times felt at once confusing and overwhelming to keep up with, not being well versed in Latin and Roman history myself) to the detailed architecture and costumes.
With its tale of epic battles, Empires and kings, it is no wonder it has been favorably compared to Game of Thrones, and rightfully so. There is enough intrigue, mystery and, yes, blood shed, to keep the reader riveted. If any of this peaks your interest, there is a free 20 page preview of the series at the creators website, www.amiculusrome.com, though I highly recommend seeking the book out, as having just read the first volume, I plan on picking up the second one as soon as possible.
For the purposes of this review I read Vol. I: Roma Aeterna (Eternal Rome)