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The Assassins of Rome is a historical novel by Caroline Lawrence published on July 3, 2003 by Orion Books as part of The Roman Mysteries series.
[edit] Plot summary
The story begins with Jonathan's birthday. He claims that something bad always happens on his birthday, and Miriam agrees. Flavia calls Jonathan a pessimist. An assassin called Simeon turns up at his house, and turned out to be Jonathan's uncle. The next day, the visitor and Jonathan have both disappeared. The children find out that Simeon and Jonathan had gone on a secret quest to Rome to find Jonathan's mother, and Flavia, Nubia and Lupus set out to find him. Their dangerous mission takes them to the Golden House of Nero, where Simeon claims that he is one of three assassins hired to kill the emperor. Simeon and Jonathan enter the golden house, but they are caught, and Mordecai is in jail. Jonathan is branded, and meets a girl names Rizpah. Meanwhile, the children team up with Sisyphus and enter the Golden house. This is where a deadly assassin is rumoured to be at work. Jonathan hears from Rizpah that someone with the same name as his mother, Susannah, who lives her. They learn that the assassins were hired to kill both Susannah and the emperor Titus, but Simeon knows Susannah. They learn what happened to Jonathan's family during the terrible destruction of Jerusalem nine years earlier, and Jonathan finds his mother. Another assassin appears in the house, and the children take action. Lupus kicks him behind the knees and Flavia throws a tambourine at him. The assassin falls into a hole and dies. Susannah tells Jonathan that Titus is sorry for what happened to Jerusalem, and that she had taught him many things. Jonathan learns that another man named Jonathan whom she fell in love with caused Susannah to stay in Jerusalem and not flee with Mordecai, Susannah's husband. Jonathan's mother decides not to go back. Mordecai and Simeon are freed, and the children celebrate saving the emperor from the assassins.
