Slave King recreates a major slave revolt in Sicily led by a Syrian magus turned leader, circa 140-132 BCE, decades before Spartacus. He forges a coalition of slaves, farmers and herders to defeat Roman armies and establish an egalitarian entity. The novel uses biased ancient sources but challenges them to speak for the oppressed and present alternative cultural-historical perspectives. Among its chapters are scenes of exorcism, ancient marriage customs and a play.
About the Author
Basem L. Ra’ad, a Professor (PhD, Toronto), has just released a historical novel about an ancient slave revolt in Sicily, entitled Slave King: Rebels against Empire, in which he recreates events and re-interprets perceptions of the Mediterranean region. Reviewers regard the work as “a brilliant, compelling and deeply researched, re-telling of popular struggle,” “a moving story that casts light on many strifes in our times”–“a minor classic.” Ra’ad has taught at universities in Canada and abroad, initiated community and academic projects, studied educational curricula, organized international conferences, and published in major journals, including PMLA, Modern Fiction Studies and American Literature on topics such as literature, linguistics, landscape aesthetics, cultural studies, travel writing, and political issues. His book Hidden Histories: Palestine and the Eastern Mediterranean provides an alternative reading of the long history of a region commonly called “the Middle East,” “the cradle of civilization,” and “the Holy Land,” that emphasizes continuities among its people and discredits old and new myths using the most recent scholarship. Its chapters cover ancient regional history, the development of polytheistic and monotheistic religions, the invention of religious sites, Ugaritic discoveries, writing systems, and present reflections on such subjects as identity, appropriation, self-colonization, place names, and retrieval of cultural heritage. The book has been described by critics as “perhaps the first corrective history of Palestine,” “a brilliant tour de force of recovery, de-colonization, re-vision, and inclusivity.” His latest novel is Slave King: Rebels against empire: A Novel published by Daraja Press.