14 minSummaryRead it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook editionPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 250 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 250 pagesAbout this book
In ancient Ephesus, people seek power through trade, sorcery and faith—but slavery leaves lives in other hands.
Richard Short’s Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus brings you into a busy Greek city in the Roman world. Ships enter its harbor. Merchants, sailors and travelers fill its streets. The great temple of Artemis stands within a setting shaped by many peoples and beliefs, where love and faith face the pressures of an unequal world.
Slavery, sorcery and spiritual awakening give this historical romance its central concerns. A person can be bought, sold or given away; charms and secret writings promise protection, love or harm. Against this background, the story explores a world where the early Christian message meets older religions, and questions of belief touch the course of ordinary lives.
What you’ll discover
- A city of contrasts Enter an ancient setting where crowded markets and a great temple share the same city.
- Lives held by others Confront the uncertainty of a world where an owner can decide another person’s future.
- The shadow of sorcery Explore the place of charms, spells and secret writings in the search for power.
- Beliefs meeting and changing Encounter spiritual awakening against a background of older religions and the early Christian message.
- Love under pressure Discover a historical romance that places tested love and faith within an unequal ancient world.
Who will love it
Readers who love historical romance, ancient cities and temples, and stories where faith, magic and love collide. It suits anyone drawn to Roman and Greek settings and to heroines of great inner strength.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A captive senses a greater future
- Cruelty returns as a feared curse
- Sanctuary opens a new religious life
- Love becomes a promise beyond death
- Power and belief pull love apart
- Courage answers danger in the arena
- Faith asks for more than power
- Jealousy makes guilt look like fate
- A changing city surrounds private questions
Who’s who
- SaroniaA Phoenician slave with great spiritual strength who flees to the Temple of Diana, becomes a priestess and longs for deeper light.
- ChiosA kind and wealthy Greek painter in Ephesus who loves Saronia and searches for truth beyond the old gods.
- NikaThe Roman daughter of Lucius and Venusta who hates Saronia, fears a curse and loves Chios without being loved back.
- VenustaNika's proud Roman mother, who owns Saronia and defends her daughter's honor and her own dignity.
- LuciusA Roman admiral, Nika's father, who returns from far voyages and shows kindness to the slave Saronia.
- VarroThe Roman Proconsul of Ionia, clever and proud, who courts Nika and becomes a friend of Chios.
- EndoraA witch of Mount Pion who sells charms and fortunes, carries a hidden past and wants to help Saronia.
- JudahA fiery teacher of the new Christian faith who comes to Ephesus to challenge the worship of Diana.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 14 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in, 250 pages: USD 9.95 when you start free, USD 16.95 on its own.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in, 250 pages: USD 18.95 when you start free, USD 24.95 on its own.
- Large print paperback
- 6 × 9 in, 402 pages: USD 13.95 when you start free, USD 20.95 on its own.
- Large print hardcover
- 6 × 9 in, 402 pages: USD 22.95 when you start free, USD 28.95 on its own.
Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout. The eBook opens when the book texts go online.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then USD 0.14 a day in your first year on the yearly plan and USD 0.27 a day after, or USD 0.66 a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
25 languages, side by side
Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus in 25 languages, side by side, paragraph by paragraph, once the book texts are online: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus
by Richard Short · 1902
A slave girl in Ephesus flees to the Temple of Diana and rises to its highest throne, but a Greek painter loves her.
Medium level5–10 hours to read20 languages
Learn a language with medium classicsSpanishFrenchGermanItalianJapanesePortugueseEnglishHow we measure levels
Excellent
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeRenews every year · Cancel anytimeHow it works
- Read, large type too
- 25 languages, side by side
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
In short
A slave girl carries a basket of fruit and flowers through the great market of Ephesus. Above her shines the Temple of Diana, one of the grandest buildings of the ancient world.
Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus at a glance
- Reading time
- About 5 h4 h fast, 5 h 55 min slow
- Length
- 71,400 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1902by Richard Short
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A slave in the splendid city
The story opens at sunrise in Ephesus. The marble columns of the Temple of Diana shine like a star above the harbor. Saronia goes down to the Agora to buy fruit and flowers for her mistress Venusta.
Saronia is tall and dignified, with eyes full of sadness. She has been a slave since childhood in Sidon. The fine house on Mount Coressus is only a waiting place until the Fates pass by. Venusta's daughter Nika hates her from the first day, and even Nika can hardly say why.
Renews every year · Cancel anytime
You looked at
Which edition is right for me
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer. Your place follows you, and you can make the type as big as you like.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
- Paperback
- Light and easy to carry. A real book for the bedside table and the beach.
- Hardcover
- Made to last. For the shelf, and for giving.
- Large print paperback
- Bigger, clearer type. Easy on the eyes for long evenings and for reading aloud.
- Large print hardcover
- Bigger, clearer type. Easy on the eyes for long evenings and for reading aloud.
See the type size
Pick a size and read a line at that size. Hold your phone at reading distance.
A slave girl in Ephesus flees to the Temple of Diana and rises to its highest throne, but a Greek painter loves her.
Shown close to the printed size on most screens.
Details
- First published
- 1902
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 5 h 30 min
- Level
- Medium level
- Paperback
- 250 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Hardcover
- 250 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Large print paperback
- 402 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Large print hardcover
- 402 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Delivery and returns
- Printed when you order. Usually here in 12 to 14 days.Arrives Tue 1 Dec to Mon 7 Decto United States, printed for you at cost
For Christmas, order by Thu 12 Nov
Cite this edition
Short, Richard. Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/saronia-a-romance-of-ancient-ephesus.
Short, R. (2026). Saronia: A romance of ancient Ephesus. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/saronia-a-romance-of-ancient-ephesus (Original work published 1902)
Short, Richard. Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/saronia-a-romance-of-ancient-ephesus.
@book{short2026saronia,
author = {Short, Richard},
title = {Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/saronia-a-romance-of-ancient-ephesus},
note = {First published 1902}
}
Free gifts
USD 580 in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
USD 170FREE - Every eBookIn 25 languages, any device
USD 120FREE - 15-minute summariesRead in 25 languages
USD 60FREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
USD 60FREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
USD 170FREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy just the printed book?
Yes. The paperback costs USD 16.95 on its own. Start free and you pay the cost of printing: USD 9.95 for this paperback, and any other book at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is Saronia: A Romance of Ancient Ephesus about?
It tells of Saronia, a slave from Sidon who flees her Roman mistress, finds sanctuary at the Temple of Diana and becomes its High Priestess. A Greek painter named Chios loves her, and the new Christian faith begins to challenge her goddess.
Where and when is Saronia set?
The novel is set in the city of Ephesus in Ionia, on the coast of Asia Minor, under Roman rule in the first century. The emperor Nero is mentioned, and the great Temple of Diana and the theater are central places.
Who are Chios, Nika and Endora?
Chios is a gentle Greek painter who loves Saronia. Nika is the Roman girl who once owned Saronia, believes she is cursed and loves Chios. Endora is a witch of Mount Pion, known for charms, fortunes and a guarded past.
More like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
