The Vesta Shadows trilogy from author Debra May Macleod spans decades, from 45 BCE to 14 CE. It follows the life of the Vestal priestess Pomponia Occia, who is inspired by the real Vestal Occia who lived during this time, serving in the Temple of Vesta for more than fifty years. Set during the tumultuous years that saw the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire under Augustus — and beyond — it dramatizes some of the major historical events that occurred during her lifetime while simultaneously bringing ancient Rome to life.