A Social War

Psychologically abused Helena escapes her peasant upbringing in the olive groves only to become a slave in the house of General Sulla. When her natural genius is spotted by Sulla's ailing spymaster, Demophon, he trains her to be his eyes and ears in Rome. After the only man who treats her with respect is crucified by Sulla, Helena is set on a path of vengeance. Always riddled with self-doubt, she manipulates hand picked agents to make herself rich and powerful. In the process of turning Rome against Sulla, Helena succumbs to addiction and self-loathing as her corrupt practices inadvertently set in train a series of destructive events which lead to the violent end of The Roman Republic and the beginning of The Empire.