Anderson borrows from history for the framework of his novel. In the waning years of the Western Roman Empire, a general named Maximus used his power base in Britain, then at the western edge of the Empire, to wage war against the Roman emperor, having declared himself emperor. Like Magnusson, Maximus seemed to many to be a strong leader who would protect the Empire against its enemies.

Modern-day interpretations of the personality of Maximus differ, with some showing him to be an ambitious but courageous and honest leader, while others suggest that he was motivated only by a lust for power that resulted in chaos in the Empire, the deaths of thousands, and the fatal weakening of the Empire's border defenses. The name Magnusson reflects his source: Both max and magnus are Latin words suggesting large or great.

Like the historical Maximus, Magnusson builds a power base on...