When the ten gladiators arrive in Antioch they are approached by a man disguised as a beggar, who throws a bag of gold at them saying a man has got work for them and they should follow him, not too closely, to the man's house. The owner of the house introduces himself as Publius Quintilius Rufus, pro consul of the emperor in Syria, and offers them a contract to put on a series of spectacles at the court of Queen Moluya of Arbela. Arbela is now a neutral kingdom between Roman territory and Parthia, Rome's bitterest enemies, and Queen Moluya's prime minister has concluded a pact with the Parthian king to allow his armies to pass across the frontier. With war inevitable between Rome and Parthia , one of Publius's men, Centurion Glaucus Marcus, unknown to the Parthians, will also accompany the men officially as the eleventh gladiator to the capital city so he can find out exactly what the situation there is. The ten gladiators, whose loyalty to Rome is without question, accept the job and agree to leave for Arbela at daybreak.
—bcarruthers-76500