Set in the era between the fall of Troy and the founding of Rome, the novel follows the Greek hero Diomedes. After the Trojan War, Diomedes attempts to return home but is betrayed by his wife and persecuted by gods. He is forced to sail west to Hesperia (modern-day Italy), carrying with him the Talisman of Troy, a powerful idol said to make any nation that possesses it invincible. The story explores how refugees from Troy eventually settled in Italy, leading to the rise of Rome.