List of The Roman Mysteries Characters - C

C

Cartilia

Cartilia Poplicola, also known as Paula, is an apparent widow whom Flavia's much-loved father, Marcus, develops a romantic interest in, much to the horror of Flavia, who does all she can to remove the woman from her and her father's life. Everyone disagrees with Flavia about Cartilia, yet she pays no heed and ensures that Marcus cannot marry Cartilia by producing Cartilia's husband, who is alive and well and who divorced Cartilia and another of his wives as she was incapable of giving him children. Flavia thinks that her father will be relieved to be rid of her, but he is grief-stricken and begins to resent his daughter. When they reunite, Marcus is ready to marry Cartilia but sadly she dies of a fever that is infesting Ostia.

Cartilia appears in:

The Twelve Tasks of Flavia Gemina

Caudex

Caudex is the door-slave of the Geminus household. Given his name due to his apparent unintelligence (Caudex means blockhead), Caudex is a firm ally of the friends and has saved their lives on many occasions.

In The Gladiators of Capua, arguably Caudex's largest role, it is revealed that he was born in Britannia and sold as a slave during the Roman conquest of Britain. He later trained as a Gladiator in Capua, but could not bring himself to kill. In the same book, he saved Jonathan's life, by surprisingly intelligently infiltrating the arena in which the boy was to be executed. Caudex regards the Geminus family and friends as his familia. His best friend is obviously his female counterpart, Alma, with whom he frequently gossips. He was hit by the fever in December AD 79.

Caudex has appeared in the following novels in the series:

• The Thieves of Ostia
• The Assassins of Rome
• The Dolphins of Laurentum
• The Twelve Tasks of Flavia Gemina
• The Enemies of Jupiter
• The Gladiators from Capua
• The Charioteer of Delphi
• Trimalchio's Feast and other mini-mysteries

Clio

One of the adopted daughter of Rectina who appears in The Secrets of Vesuvius. Named after Clio, the Muse of History. She is usually seen wearing a bright orange tunic and develops a romantic liking toward Lupus. She is a talkative but adventurous girl and befriends Flavia and the group, despite Flavia's hostility to her at first. Clio is almost killed by the eruption of the volcano after she attempts to rescue her mother and sisters who are trapped in their villa. They all survive, as is revealed in The Assassins of Rome when she visits Lupus, who was concerned enough to ask Felix to find her.

Cordius

Cordius, the richest man in Ostia, is Marcus's patron. He is a very conservative Roman and disapproves of independent women. He is often referred to, but rarely seen. His wife and children were massacred in Germania.

Cynthia

Cynthia Cornix was the sister of Myrtilla Gemina, Flavia's mother, who died in childbirth in the early AD 70s. She married senator Aulus Cornix sometime before AD 68 and gave birth to seven children over the next twelve years. Two of them died in the Great Plague of AD 80.

In "The Gladiators from Capua", it becomes apparent that she has the 'bloodlust', which is why Senator Cornix decides to leave Rome early.

Cynthia Cornix has appeared in the following novels of the series:

• The Enemies of Jupiter
• The Gladiators from Capua
• The Charioteer of Delphi