M. Didius Falco

a frantic expectant father; a hero

Helena Justina

a thoroughly reasonable expectant mother; a heroine

D. Camillus Verus

her father, also quite reasonable, for a senator

Julia Justa her mother, as reasonable as you could expect

A. Camillus Aelianus

bad-tempered, self-righteous, and up to no good

Q. Camillus Justinus

too sweet-natured and good to appear

Falco's Ma

who may be spooning broth into the wrong mouth

Claudius Laeta

top clerk, and aiming higher

Anacrites

Chief Spy, and as low as you can get

Momus

an "overseer"; the man who spies on spies

Calisthenus

an architect who stepped on something nasty

Quinctius Attractus

a senator with big Baetican aspirations

T. Quinctius Quadratus

his son, a high-flyer grounded in Baetica

L. Petronius Longus

a loyal and useful friend

Helva

a short-sighted usher who can look the other way

Valentinus

a skillful gate-crasher; on his way out

Perella

a mature dancer with unexpected talents

Stertius

a transport manager with inventive ideas

The Baetican Proconsul

who doesn't want to be involved

Cornelius

ex-quaestor of Baetica; leaving the scene hastily

Gn. Drusillus Placidus

a procurator with a crazy fixation on probity

Nux

a dog about town