I have had no quarrels with Lawrence's research until this book. She has explained so many bits of Roman daily life, I wish she'd covered this one that the modern world has wrong, although she might have had to reference at least one culture that used the gesture as we do to justify the explanation.
Unless my sources are wrong, the "thumb up" position (with the hand moving downward) imitated the hand holding a dagger when slaying the downed gladiator. The thumb down (then rotating the hand) imitated the sword hand moving the sword away- signifying mercy to the downed man.
That complaint aside, I loved this book, and the author's portrayal of the whole "bread and circus" aspect of Roman life, "rock star" gladiators, and how the Flavian Amphitheater worked. And, at the same time, she advanced the stories of her characters, leaving me hungry for more. ( )

Picking up from the cliffhanger at the end of the previous book, Flavia, Nubia, and Lupus go to Rome to look for Jonathan and see the games and shows for the opening of the Colosseum.

After a moving Bahloo moment in the first scroll, we get plenty of thrills as Flavia and Nubia end up participating in the games, and Nubia gets to meet her long lost brother. ( )

This series is a wonderful introduction to Ancient Rome, warts and all. This book is the most gruesome yet, with a recounting of Titus' games of 80AD. In this book the children from Ostia are missing Jonathan, who is presumed dead after the fire in Rome, but Lupus hears of a curly haired boy beggar boy in Rome who claims to have stated the fire, and thinking this just might be their friend, the children set off once again to investigate the mystery.

Full of rich historical detail, this book is also an enthralling story. Children of about 8+ will love it, but parents be warned - there is some gruesome (if entirely authentic) stuff here. Think "horrible histories" but with a better storyline! ( )

Suspecting their friend Jonathan is alive, Flavia, Nubia, and Lupus go to Rome for the Colosseum Games, facing wild beasts, criminals, conspirators, and gladiators, and where Nubia is called upon to make a terrible choice.