Inspired by the then recent discovery of the Antioch Chalice
, the novel tells the story of Basil, a young man who is commissioned by Joseph of Arimatha to make a container for the Holy Grail, with inscribed with the images of Jesus and his disciples. To find the scattered apostles he travels across the Mediterranean world from Jerusalem to Antioch to Rome itself.
It was adapted into a film in 1954.
- Actually, I Am Him: Cephas the serving man is really the Apostle Peter.
- Ancient Rome: Basil travels to Rome in search of Simon Peter and briefly becomes part of Emperor Nero's court.
- Believing Their Own Lies: Simon Magus is a con man who gets rich by faking miracles. He convinces Nero that he is able to fly, but eventually comes to believe in his own magic, jumps off a tower, and plummets to his death.
- Betty and Veronica: Basil is torn between the blonde and seductive Helena versus the dark-haired and loyal Deborah.
- Bible Times: The books setting with a number of familiar characters including Luke the Evangelist, the Apostle Paul, Joseph of Arimathea, and the disciples of Jesus.
- Biblical Bad Guy: Simon Magus who appears briefly in Acts of the Apostles. The book follows latter traditions by Justin Martyr and other writers about his opposition to Christianity and Peter in particular.
- Bilingual Bonus: Anyone who knows their Aramaic would realize who Cephas is.
- Dated History: The Antioch Chalice is now thought to be a lampstand.
- Didn't Think This Through: Ignatius wanted Basil to focus on his artistic talents rather than the business world, unfortunately after his sudden death Basil is not prepared to handle the estate and loses it to Linus. Peris his wife laments that he was usually so carefully with everything else.
- Evil Uncle: An adoptive version with Linus who steals Basil's inheritance and sell him into slavery.
- Face Death with Dignity: Helena after Nero sentences her to be thrown from Simon's tower.
- Grandparent Favoritism: Deborra's connection with her grandfather Joseph of Arimathea is resented by her father Aaron and serves as source of division between them.
- Historical Domain Character: The Emperor Nero, Gaius Petronius, Ofonious Tigellinus
- Like Father, Unlike Son: Aaron is nothing like his father Joseph of Arimathea, being hard-nosed and tight-fisted compared to Joseph's warmth and generosity. Adam ben Ashar remarks on the disparity wondering how the two could be related.
- Lost Will and Testament: Here, it is the witnesses to Ignatius' adoption of Basil. Of the four who were there, two of the witnesses are dead, Hiram of Silenus has been bribed to deny it, and the last, Kester of Zanthes is no longer in Antioch
- Marriage Before Romance: Basil agrees to marry Deborah to protect her inheritance from her father, even though he still loves Helena. Fortunately, he soon requits Deborah's feelings.
- Meaningful Rename: As part of his adoption by Ignatius, Ambrose is renamed Basil.
- My Greatest Failure: Quintus Arrrus regrets not doing more to help Basil against Linus.
- Pyrrhic Victory: Basil triumphs over Linus and wins back his inheritance, but the estate is ruined by the debts Linus amassed. The best Basil manages is to secure the household slaves who he frees.
- Riches to Rags: After Ignatius' death, Basil has his inheritance denied after the man's death, and is put into slavery.
- Sour Supporter: Adam ben Asher is rather dubious about Christianity and religion in general, but is a loyal and brave ally nonetheless.
- Translation Convention: The book has Peter being referred to as Cephas in Rome Historically it would have been the other way around, with the Aramaic Cephas being the name the other disciples would have known him by with Peter as a Greek/Latin form adopted in Rome. But since the reader is more familiar with him as Simon Peter the order is flipped.
- Too Dumb to Live: Hiram of Silenus stupidly wears a belt that Ignatius gave him as part of the adoption ceremony to the re-trial where he continues his denials. Basil astounded by the guy's idiocy cuts it off him and presents it to the court as evidence of his perjury.
