Young slave Milon begins his journey at home in Athens. When he sets sail on a ship bound for Italy his adventures really begin. He narrowly escapes with his life in Pompeii as the great volcano Vesuvius erupts and destroys the town; he experiences the colourful life of the metropolis of Alexandria in Egypt, and he faces a battle for life and death in the Coliseum in Rome.
When he meets a small community of Christians in Rome, he finally gains his freedom and finds a purpose in life. At the center of the story is Milon's relationship with a wounded lion who he bravely helps. Will the lion remember him and return the favor when Milon faces death at the hands of the mighty Roman emperors?