Escape from the Slave Market

Marcus was born into a patrician family, known for their influence in the Senate and substantial wealth from agricultural estates. His father, Quintus Livius Drusus, was a respected senator, and his mother, Antonia, was from a prominent family of landowners. Marcus grew up in a luxurious villa on the outskirts of Rome. He was well-educated, learning Latin and Greek, studying philosophy, rhetoric, and the arts of war and governance. From a young age, Marcus showed a keen interest in Roman law and politics, often accompanying his father to Senate meetings and public forums. By the age of 20, Marcus had begun his career in the Roman administrative system, serving as an aide to a provincial governor in Asia Minor. He was known for his fairness and competence, earning respect from both Romans and locals. His life took a dramatic turn at the age of 27, when he was captured by a group of pirates while traveling by sea. While en route to deliver important dispatches from Rome to a distant province, Marcus's ship was ambushed by pirates. He and several others were taken captive and sold to a slave trader operating under the Ottoman Empire's vast network. Marcus was transported across the Mediterranean and eventually found himself in the bustling slave markets of Istanbul (then Constantinople). Here, he was an exotic and valuable commodity due to his Roman heritage and education.