Roccia and a band of fellow gladiators join forces with a patrician named Glaucus Valerius to replace Nero, (and his evil henchman, Tigelinus), with a new emperor: Servius Galba. During the course of this bloody struggle, the gladiators lose their mentor and trainer - Resius - and then must rescue Lidia, Resius' beautiful niece, from death on the cross.

Intrigue at the Roman Emperor's court prior to its destruction by Vesuvius.