Libertus is a Celtic freedman and mosaic maker in Glevum, the Roman town now known as Gloucester. Rosemary Rowe’s historical mysteries place him in late second-century Roman Britain, where his work and local connections bring him into criminal investigations. Marcus Aurelius Septimus, his Roman patron and friend, is a recurring part of those cases.
His position as a freedman shapes how he moves through the town and its social hierarchy. He is neither a Roman citizen nor enslaved, and the books use that position in the setting as well as the mysteries. His craft gives him practical reasons to know homes, materials, and local people.
Start with The Germanicus Mosaic and read in publication order. The long series develops Libertus’s work, household, and ties to Glevum alongside its individual investigations.
Reading Order
See the complete Libertus Mystery of Roman Britain reading order for all books in the series.