Although the books based on Claudius use an autobiographical style, this work purports to be a biography written by Eugenius, a eunuch servant of Belisarius' wife Antonina. The novel covers the entire life of Belisarius, with the bulk of the text devoted to accounts of his life while on campaign in North Africa and Italy. Antonina was often with him during these years, and Graves uses stories about her connections to the court of the emperor Justinian and his empress Theodora to incorporate political intrigue and other information into the story of Belisarius' military exploits.
Graves' treatment of Belisarius is mostly respectful: the general is, if anything, hampered by his rigid code of honor and loyalty to his emperor. Other primary characters do not fare as well. Antonina and Theodora are presented as extremely intelligent, savvy, and capable individuals who are nevertheless prone to holding grudges and jealousy. Justinian is portrayed as intelligent but reckless, a tragically poor judge of character, and a spendthrift (even if driven by genuine piety).