 After eight years away at war, Lucius Vorenus returns to an homecoming he wasn t expecting when he learns his eldest daughter has a newborn child and his wife, Niobe, is emotionally barren and distant. Titus Pullo s homecoming from the Gaul War is his care-free lifestyle of drinking and carousing for whores, and getting beat up and nearly killed by scam artists. Later, Pullo s actions soon become trouble for the Republic. Meanwhile, Mark Antony enters public office as a Tribune for the people and Caesar begins his mobilization for his return trip to Rome. Elsewhere, Caesar s niece, the scheming Atia of the Julii, welcomes Octavian home from his adventure with Pullo and Vorenus and makes her play for Antony, to her daughter, Octavia s, chagrin.