Under the rule of Emperor Nero, Rome is a dangerous place. His cruel, artistic whims border on madness, and any man who dares rise too high has his wings clipped with fatal results. For one family, Nero's whims mean either promotion or destruction. While his uncle Vespasian goes off to put down a rebellion in Judea, Titus Flavius Sabinus struggles to walk the perilous line between success and notoriety as he climbs Rome's ladder. When Nero is impaled on his own artistry, the whole world is thrown into chaos and Sabinus must navigate shifting allegiances and murderous alliances as his family tries to survive the year of the Four Emperors.